JOHN HANCOCK HEDGED EQUITY & INCOME FUND - REQUIRED NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS - SOURCES OF DISTRIBUTION UNDER SECTION 19(a)
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 31 2024
0mins
Should l Buy HEQ?
Source: PRnewswire
Distribution Announcement: John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund has declared a quarterly distribution of $0.2500 per share, payable on December 31, 2024, to shareholders of record as of December 12, 2024, under its managed distribution plan.
Sources of Distribution: The distribution is sourced from net investment income, realized capital gains, and return of capital, with estimates indicating that the fund has distributed more than its income and gains, suggesting a portion may be a return of capital.
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Analyst Views on HEQ
Wall Street analysts forecast HEQ stock price to rise
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Current: 11.370
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Current: 11.370
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About HEQ
John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (the Fund) is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide total return with a focus on current income and gains and also consisting of long-term capital appreciation. The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (assets plus borrowings for investment purposes) in equity and equity-related securities, including common stock, preferred stock, depositary receipts (including American Depositary Receipts and Global Depositary Receipts), index-related securities (including exchange traded funds, options on equity securities and equity indexes, real estate investment structures (including real estate investment trusts), convertible securities, private placements, convertible preferred stock, rights, warrants, and others. The Fund may invest in foreign issuers and foreign-currency securities without any limitation. The investment adviser of the Fund's is John Hancock Investment Management LLC.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
John Hancock Funds Report Significant Q4 2025 Earnings Growth
- Earnings Growth: John Hancock's Hedged Equity & Income Fund reported net investment income of $1,479,416 for Q4 2025, translating to $0.123 per share, marking a significant increase from $964,518 and $0.080 per share in Q4 2024, indicating enhanced profitability.
- Asset Management Expansion: The Financial Opportunities Fund's total managed assets reached $844,255,276 in Q4 2025, up from $823,070,628 in Q4 2024, reflecting the fund's growing appeal in the market.
- Net Asset Stability: The Hedged Equity & Income Fund maintained total net assets of $147,093,835 in Q4 2025, demonstrating a solid asset base and investor confidence, which strengthens its competitive position in the market.
- Future Outlook: While past earnings performance has been strong, the fund management cautions investors to be wary of forward-looking statements, emphasizing that future earnings may be influenced by various uncertainties, ensuring investors have a clear understanding of risks.
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- Transparent Distribution Sources: The distribution is sourced from net investment income and short-term capital gains, accounting for 50% and 49.9% of the distribution respectively, indicating a diversified income structure for the fund.
- Annual Return Performance: As of November 28, 2025, the fund's average annual total return over five years stands at 9.28%, reflecting its robust performance in the market and attracting long-term investor interest.
- Managed Distribution Plan: The fund continues to execute fixed quarterly distributions under its managed distribution plan, which is expected to provide predictable returns for investors and enhance its competitive position in the market.
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- Repurchase Plan Details: The plan permits each Fund to repurchase shares in the open market from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026, with the Board periodically reviewing and potentially adjusting the terms and size of the plan to ensure its effectiveness.
- Liquidity Improvement: By repurchasing common shares at a discount to NAV, the Funds can not only realize incremental accretion to their NAV but also provide additional liquidity for existing shareholders, enhancing market trading activity.
- HEQ Repurchase Performance: As of December 11, 2025, HEQ has repurchased 34,900 shares, representing 0.29% of outstanding shares, contributing approximately $0.004 to its NAV, demonstrating the Fund's proactive execution of its buyback strategy.
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John Hancock Funds Renew 10% Share Repurchase Plans to Enhance Shareholder Value
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- Liquidity Enhancement: By repurchasing shares in the market at a discount to NAV, the Funds are expected to realize incremental accretion to their NAV, thereby providing additional liquidity and potential benefits to existing shareholders.
- Year-to-Date Repurchase Progress: As of December 11, 2025, the HEQ Fund has repurchased 34,900 shares, representing 0.29% of outstanding shares, contributing approximately $0.004 to its NAV, indicating a proactive repurchase strategy.
- Strategic Review: The Board will periodically review the terms and size of the repurchase plans to ensure flexibility in adapting to market conditions, thereby continuously optimizing shareholder returns and Fund performance.
See More
John Hancock Funds Declare Quarterly Distributions, HEQ at $0.25 per Share
- Quarterly Distribution Announcement: John Hancock Funds declared its quarterly distribution on December 1, 2025, with HEQ set at $0.25 per share, reflecting a decrease from the previous distribution, indicating the fund's stability amid market fluctuations.
- Distribution Plan Details: The HEQ fund operates under a managed distribution plan (HEQ Plan) that ensures fixed quarterly payments, aimed at providing investors with a reliable cash flow.
- Market Performance: As of November 28, 2025, HEQ's market price stood at $10.93, with an annualized current distribution rate of 9.15%, showcasing ongoing investor interest and confidence in the fund.
- Tax Management Strategy: The fund's distributions may include return of capital to avoid federal income tax and ordinary income tax, demonstrating its proactive approach to tax management strategies.
See More
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Annual Meeting Announcement: Nine John Hancock closed-end funds will hold their Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET in Boston, Massachusetts, where shareholders will vote on the election of Trustees.
Shareholder Eligibility and Notice: Shareholders of record as of November 25, 2025, are entitled to vote, and notices will be mailed around December 26, 2025.
See More
John Hancock Funds Report Significant Q4 2025 Earnings Growth
- Earnings Growth: John Hancock's Hedged Equity & Income Fund reported net investment income of $1,479,416 for Q4 2025, translating to $0.123 per share, marking a significant increase from $964,518 and $0.080 per share in Q4 2024, indicating enhanced profitability.
- Asset Management Expansion: The Financial Opportunities Fund's total managed assets reached $844,255,276 in Q4 2025, up from $823,070,628 in Q4 2024, reflecting the fund's growing appeal in the market.
- Net Asset Stability: The Hedged Equity & Income Fund maintained total net assets of $147,093,835 in Q4 2025, demonstrating a solid asset base and investor confidence, which strengthens its competitive position in the market.
- Future Outlook: While past earnings performance has been strong, the fund management cautions investors to be wary of forward-looking statements, emphasizing that future earnings may be influenced by various uncertainties, ensuring investors have a clear understanding of risks.
See More
John Hancock Fund Declares $0.25 Quarterly Distribution Per Share
- Quarterly Distribution Announcement: John Hancock Diversified Income Fund declares a $0.25 per share distribution for December 2025, aimed at providing shareholders with stable cash flow and enhancing investor confidence.
- Transparent Distribution Sources: The distribution is sourced from net investment income and short-term capital gains, accounting for 50% and 49.9% of the distribution respectively, indicating a diversified income structure for the fund.
- Annual Return Performance: As of November 28, 2025, the fund's average annual total return over five years stands at 9.28%, reflecting its robust performance in the market and attracting long-term investor interest.
- Managed Distribution Plan: The fund continues to execute fixed quarterly distributions under its managed distribution plan, which is expected to provide predictable returns for investors and enhance its competitive position in the market.
See More
John Hancock Funds Renew Share Repurchase Plans to Enhance Shareholder Value
- Shareholder Value Enhancement: The Board of Trustees of John Hancock Funds has approved the renewal of share repurchase plans, allowing for the buyback of up to 10% of outstanding shares in 2026 to reduce the discount between market price and net asset value (NAV), thereby enhancing shareholder value.
- Repurchase Plan Details: The plan permits each Fund to repurchase shares in the open market from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026, with the Board periodically reviewing and potentially adjusting the terms and size of the plan to ensure its effectiveness.
- Liquidity Improvement: By repurchasing common shares at a discount to NAV, the Funds can not only realize incremental accretion to their NAV but also provide additional liquidity for existing shareholders, enhancing market trading activity.
- HEQ Repurchase Performance: As of December 11, 2025, HEQ has repurchased 34,900 shares, representing 0.29% of outstanding shares, contributing approximately $0.004 to its NAV, demonstrating the Fund's proactive execution of its buyback strategy.
See More
John Hancock Funds Renew 10% Share Repurchase Plans to Enhance Shareholder Value
- Share Repurchase Plans: The Board of Trustees of John Hancock Funds has approved the renewal of share repurchase plans, allowing each Fund to repurchase up to 10% of its outstanding shares in 2026, aimed at enhancing shareholder value and reducing the discount between market price and net asset value.
- Liquidity Enhancement: By repurchasing shares in the market at a discount to NAV, the Funds are expected to realize incremental accretion to their NAV, thereby providing additional liquidity and potential benefits to existing shareholders.
- Year-to-Date Repurchase Progress: As of December 11, 2025, the HEQ Fund has repurchased 34,900 shares, representing 0.29% of outstanding shares, contributing approximately $0.004 to its NAV, indicating a proactive repurchase strategy.
- Strategic Review: The Board will periodically review the terms and size of the repurchase plans to ensure flexibility in adapting to market conditions, thereby continuously optimizing shareholder returns and Fund performance.
See More
John Hancock Funds Declare Quarterly Distributions, HEQ at $0.25 per Share
- Quarterly Distribution Announcement: John Hancock Funds declared its quarterly distribution on December 1, 2025, with HEQ set at $0.25 per share, reflecting a decrease from the previous distribution, indicating the fund's stability amid market fluctuations.
- Distribution Plan Details: The HEQ fund operates under a managed distribution plan (HEQ Plan) that ensures fixed quarterly payments, aimed at providing investors with a reliable cash flow.
- Market Performance: As of November 28, 2025, HEQ's market price stood at $10.93, with an annualized current distribution rate of 9.15%, showcasing ongoing investor interest and confidence in the fund.
- Tax Management Strategy: The fund's distributions may include return of capital to avoid federal income tax and ordinary income tax, demonstrating its proactive approach to tax management strategies.
See More
John Hancock Closed-End Funds Set Dates for Annual Shareholder Meeting and Record Dates
Annual Meeting Announcement: Nine John Hancock closed-end funds will hold their Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET in Boston, Massachusetts, where shareholders will vote on the election of Trustees.
Shareholder Eligibility and Notice: Shareholders of record as of November 25, 2025, are entitled to vote, and notices will be mailed around December 26, 2025.
See More
