John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (NYSE:BTO) Stock Crosses Above 50-Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• NYSE:BTO crossed above its 50-day moving average ($36.14), trading as high as $37.91 and last at $37.5970, with the 50-day sitting above the 200-day ($35.61) — a short-term bullish technical signal.
• The fund paid a quarterly dividend of $0.65 on March 31 (ex-dividend March 12), which annualizes to $2.60 for a yield of 6.9%.
• Several institutions added or initiated positions in the fourth quarter — including Readystate Asset Management and XTX Topco — and institutional ownership is about 19.55%.

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (NYSE:BTO - Get Free Report)'s stock price passed above its 50 day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of $36.14 and traded as high as $37.91. John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund shares last traded at $37.5970, with a volume of 31,903 shares changing hands.

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund Price Performance

The company's 50-day moving average is $36.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.61.

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, March 12th were given a $0.65 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 12th. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.9%.

Institutional Trading of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund during the 4th quarter worth about $272,000. Readystate Asset Management LP bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund during the 4th quarter worth about $2,481,000. Mariner LLC raised its position in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund by 45.2% during the 4th quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 27,765 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $974,000 after buying an additional 8,643 shares in the last quarter. Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund during the 4th quarter worth about $391,000. Finally, Stifel Financial Corp raised its position in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 86,733 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $3,043,000 after buying an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. 19.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund NYSE: BTO is a closed-end management investment company sponsored by John Hancock Investment Management, a division of Manulife Investment Management. Since its inception in August 2004, the fund has sought to deliver total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation. As a publicly traded fund, it offers investors access to a diversified portfolio of financial services companies that might otherwise require direct equity investments or specialized mandates.

The fund primarily invests in common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities issued by companies in the banking, insurance, brokerage and specialty finance sectors.

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