Manulife John Hancock Investments launches Global Senior Loan ETF for potential income and global credit exposure

BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife John Hancock Investments today will launch John Hancock Global Senior Loan ETF (NYSE Arca: JHLN), subadvised by affiliated investment manager Manulife | CQS Investment Management (Manulife CQS IM). The launch brings Manulife John Hancock Investment's ETF suite to a total of 18 funds with over $7.5 billion in assets under management, with strategies including U.S. and international equity, preferred income, mortgage-backed securities, and corporate and municipal bonds.¹

The new ETF seeks to provide a high level of current income through the investment of at least 80% of its assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of Senior Loans. Senior Loans are investments in originated first and second lien loans, delayed draw term loans, revolving credit facilities, and club deals and will include, but are not limited to, senior secured floating rate bank loans. James Fitzpatrick, Portfolio Manager, Chief Investment Officer, North America, and Head of Global Loans, Manulife | CQS IM, is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund's portfolio. Mr. Fitzpatrick is also co-portfolio manager of John Hanock CQS Multi Asset Credit Fund.

"We're thrilled to introduce a new capability that draws on the deep expertise of Manulife | CQS Investment Management in global credit markets," said Kristie Feinberg, President and CEO of Manulife John Hancock Investments. "This ETF is designed to help investors pursue income and diversify their portfolios more effectively. It complements our existing active fixed-income ETF lineup and offers a compelling option for those seeking income generation, duration management, and enhanced total return potential."

"We are incredibly excited to bring this new ETF to investors, as it showcases the strength of the loan team's rigorous investment process that has been honed over nearly two decades," said Soraya Chabarek, President and CEO of Manulife | CQS IM. "Our investment approach is fundamentally driven and enhanced by proprietary analytics. And we're placing a lot of emphasis on position sizing and agility to ensure that we're able to respond to market changes quickly. Our goal, as always, is to capture the best relative value opportunities across geographies and optimize outcomes for our clients."

"Active income ETFs play a significant role in today's volatile market environment by offering investors the opportunity to seek consistent returns while managing risk effectively," added Steve Deroian, Global Head of Exchange Traded Products and Models, Manulife John Hancock Investments. "Manulife John Hancock Investment's active income ETFs are designed to adapt to changing market conditions, leveraging each team's expertise to identify and capitalize on opportunities as they arise. By maintaining a flexible and responsive approach, we aim to provide our investors with the income and stability they need to navigate market fluctuations with confidence."

1 As of July 31, 2025.

Fixed-income investments are subject to interest-rate and credit risk; their value will normally decline as interest rates rise or if an issuer is unable or unwilling to make principal or interest payments. Investments in higher-yielding, lower-rated securities include a higher risk of default. The fund may invest in collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), which are asset-backed securities backed by a pool of loans, and while they carry standard loan-related risks, they also face additional risks like potential significant losses from defaults that first impact subordinate holders, with their market value fluctuating based on the financial health of the obligors and broader economic conditions. Foreign investing has additional risks, such as currency and market volatility and political and social instability. Currency transactions are affected by fluctuations in exchange rates. Liquidity—the extent to which a security may be sold or a derivative position closed without negatively affecting its market value, if at all—may be impaired by reduced trading volume, heightened volatility, rising interest rates, and other market conditions. The use of hedging and derivatives could produce disproportionate gains or losses and may increase costs. Fund distributions generally depend on income from underlying investments and may vary or cease altogether in the future. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market. These variations may be greater when markets are volatile or subject to unusual conditions. There can be no assurance that active trading markets for the shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or authorized participants. Please see the fund's prospectus for additional risks.

A fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses should be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contains this and other important information about the fund. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus, contact your financial professional, call us at 800-225-6020, or visit our website at jhinvestments.com/etf. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.

This press release is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

John Hancock ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC in the United States, and are subadvised by Boston Partners, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, Marathon Asset Management, or our affiliates Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, and CQS (US), LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, CQS (US), LLC, Boston Partners, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, or Marathon Asset Management.

Shares of the ETF are not redeemable with the ETF other than in creation unit aggregations. Instead, investors must buy or sell the ETF shares in the secondary market at market price (not NAV) through a broker-dealer. In doing so, the investor may incur brokerage commissions and may pay more than net asset value when buying and may receive less than net asset value when selling.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the ETF's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

It is important to note that there are material differences between investing in an ETF versus an interval fund. ETFs trade on the major stock exchanges at any time during the day. Prices fluctuate throughout the day like stocks. ETFs generally have lower operating expenses, no investment minimums, are tax efficient, have no sales loads, and have brokerage commissions. Interval funds, in order to provide liquidity to shareholders, subject to applicable law, will conduct quarterly repurchase offers of the interval fund's outstanding common shares of beneficial interest at NAV. Interval funds are not listed on any securities exchange, and there is no secondary market for an interval fund's shares and none is expected to develop. Investors should consider shares of an interval fund to be an illiquid investment. 

John Hanock CQS Multi Asset Credit Fund

The Fund is an "interval fund" and, in order to provide liquidity to shareholders, subject to applicable law, will conduct quarterly repurchase offers of the Fund's outstanding common shares of beneficial interest ("Common Shares") at NAV. There is no secondary market for the fund's shares and none is expected to develop. Investors should consider shares of the fund to be an illiquid investment. The fund's use of leverage may not be successful and may create additional risks, including the risk of magnified return volatility and the potential for unlimited loss. ABS include interests in pools of debt securities, commercial or consumer loans, or other receivables. The value of these securities depends on many factors, including changes in interest rates, the availability of information concerning the pool and its structure, the credit quality of the underlying assets, the market's perception of the servicer of the pool, and any credit enhancement provided. In addition, ABS have prepayment risk. Investors could lose all or substantially all of their investment. Convertible securities are subject to certain risks of both equity and debt securities. Fund distributions generally depend on income from underlying investments and may vary or cease altogether in the future. Investing in distressed debt securities is highly speculative and risky, as they often do not generate interest, may not repay principal, and can result in a total loss of the investment. Exposure to credit risk due to the types of investments and loans made by the fund. Fixed-income investments are subject to interest-rate and credit risk; their value will normally decline as interest rates rise or if an issuer is unable or unwilling to make principal or interest payments. Foreign investing, especially in emerging markets, has additional risks, such as currency and market volatility and political and social instability.  Please see the fund's prospectus for additional risks.

Please contact your financial professional if you are interested in purchasing shares of a closed-end fund. For current fund information, visit jhinvestments.com or call 800-843-0090. The fund's literature includes investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses, and other information that you should read and consider carefully before investing. For account information, call 800-852-0218.

NOT FDIC INSURED. MAY LOSE VALUE. NO BANK GUARANTEE. NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, Member FINRA, SIPC
200 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA, 800-225-6020, jhinvestments.com

About Manulife | CQS Investment Management

Manulife | CQS Investment Management, a company of Manulife Investment Management, is a multi-sector alternative credit manager. The firm has a 20+ year history of managing research-driven credit strategies over multiple market cycles, with core capabilities that span corporate credit (loans and bonds), asset-backed securities, regulatory capital, collateralized loan obligations and convertible bonds. Our ambition is to continue to help investors achieve their goals across market cycles by selecting good quality credits and generating income. We are committed to building enduring partnerships with investors, generating long-term risk-adjusted returns and delivering high levels of service, tailoring mandates across a range of return objectives and risk appetites. For additional information, please visit cqs.com.

About Manulife John Hancock Investments

At Manulife John Hancock Investments, we serve investors through a specialized multimanager approach, complementing our extensive in-house investment capabilities with a broad network of unaffiliated asset managers, backed by some of the most rigorous oversight in the industry. As a result, we're able to offer a variety of options in each investment category, an approach that we believe truly serves the best interests of our clients. Our powerful combination of global expertise, strategic partnerships, and robust stewardship is designed to help investors pursue better portfolio outcomes.

About Manulife Wealth & Asset Management

As part of Manulife Financial Corporation, Manulife Wealth & Asset Management provides global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to 19 million individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Our mission is to make decisions easier and lives better by empowering people today to invest for a better tomorrow. As a committed partner to our clients and as a responsible steward of investor capital, we offer a heritage of risk management, deep expertise across public and private markets, and comprehensive retirement plan services. We seek to provide better investment and impact outcomes and to help people confidently save and invest for a more secure financial future. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

Media contact                                      
Elizabeth Bartlett
[email protected] 

MF4749238     JHS-789641-2025-08-14     8/25

SOURCE Manulife Wealth & Asset Management