JOHN HANCOCK CLOSED-END FUNDS ANNOUNCE ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER MEETING AND RECORD DATES

BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The ten John Hancock closed-end funds listed below announced today that each fund's Annual Meeting of Shareholders ("Annual Meeting") will be held on February 20, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, at the offices of the funds, 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116:

• John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (NYSE: BTO)
• John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ)
• John Hancock Income Securities Trust (NYSE: JHS)
• John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE: JHI)
• John Hancock Preferred Income Fund (NYSE: HPI)
• John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II (NYSE: HPF)
• John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE: HPS)
• John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT)
• John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD)
• John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund (NYSE: HTY)

Shareholders of record of each fund as of the close of business on November 27, 2023 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and at any adjournment thereof. The notice for the Annual Meeting will be mailed to shareholders on or about December 28, 2023. At the Annual Meeting, shareholders of the funds will be asked to elect Trustees of the funds.

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 Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.

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SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management