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TORONTO, Jan. 14, 2019 /CNW/ - Manulife Investments announced today its intent to implement a fund merger of Manulife International Value Equity Fund into Manulife EAFE Equity Fund (formerly Manulife International Focused Fund) (the "Funds").

The proposed merger is designed to eliminate redundancy and streamline Manulife's platform for advisors and investors. Both Funds are currently sub-advised by Pictet Asset Management.

The proposed merger will be executed on a taxable basis and will require regulatory approval, as well as the approval of the securityholders of the Funds. The Independent Review Committee of the Funds has reviewed the proposed merger and concluded that it achieves a fair and reasonable result for the Funds.

Manulife Investments is also proposing to change the investment objective of Manulife EAFE Equity Fund to better align with the sub-advisor's usual objective and strategy for similar mandates. Such change will require the approval of the securityholder of the Manulife EAFE Equity Fund.

The securityholders of the Funds will receive a Notice of Meeting and Management Information Circular for the respective proposals, in accordance with applicable securities laws. The required securityholder approvals will be sought at special meetings to be held on or about March 14, 2019 for securityholders of record as of January 31, 2019. Subject to these approvals, Manulife Investments is proposing to merge the funds on or about April 5, 2019.

Subject to the proposed merger taking place, Manulife EAFE Equity Fund will also receive a management fee reduction on Series F and Series FT of 0.08% effective after close of business on April 5, 2019.

About Manulife Investments

Manulife Investments, a division of Manulife Asset Management Limited, builds on 125 years of Manulife's wealth and investment management expertise in managing assets for Canadian investors. As one of Canada's leading integrated financial services providers, Manulife Investments and its affiliates offer a variety of products and services including exchange traded funds, segregated fund contracts, mutual funds and guaranteed interest contracts.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2017, we had about 35,000 employees, 73,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 26 million customers. As of September 30, 2018, we had over $1.1 trillion (US$863 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $27.6 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation

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