Short Interest in John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE:JHI) Decreases By 41.8%

Key Points

• Short interest in John Hancock Investors Trust fell 41.8% to 15,313 shares as of August 31, representing 0.2% of shares outstanding and a short-interest ratio of 0.8 days.
• Institutional ownership activity was generally positive, with several firms increasing positions or initiating stakes; hedge funds and other institutions collectively own 27.01% of JHI.
• JHI shares traded at $12.40, near their 52-week low, while the fund announced a quarterly dividend of $0.294, equivalent to an annualized yield of approximately 9.5%.

John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE:JHI - Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest in August. As of August 31st, there was short interest totaling 15,313 shares, a decrease of 41.8% from the August 15th total of 26,320 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 19,307 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.8 days. Currently, 0.2% of the company's stock are sold short.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in JHI. Sit Investment Associates Inc. boosted its position in John Hancock Investors Trust by 12.1% during the fourth quarter. Sit Investment Associates Inc. now owns 597,048 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $8,162,000 after purchasing an additional 64,495 shares in the last quarter. World Investment Advisors bought a new position in John Hancock Investors Trust in the first quarter worth about $299,000. IFP Advisors Inc purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Investors Trust during the second quarter valued at about $32,000. Riverbridge Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of John Hancock Investors Trust by 4.0% during the first quarter. Riverbridge Partners LLC now owns 47,763 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $617,000 after buying an additional 1,855 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aviance Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of John Hancock Investors Trust by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. Aviance Capital Partners LLC now owns 35,696 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $488,000 after buying an additional 1,340 shares in the last quarter. 27.01% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

John Hancock Investors Trust Trading Down 0.0%

Shares of NYSE:JHI traded down $0.00 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $12.40. The company's stock had a trading volume of 30,961 shares, compared to its average volume of 20,461. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $13.20 and its 200 day moving average price is $13.24. John Hancock Investors Trust has a 52 week low of $12.36 and a 52 week high of $14.37.

John Hancock Investors Trust Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a $0.294 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 9.5%.

John Hancock Investors Trust Company Profile

John Hancock Investors Trust NYSE: JHI is a closed-end investment company that seeks to provide investors with exposure to a professionally managed portfolio of securities. As a closed-end fund, it raises capital through an offering of shares and invests that capital in accordance with its stated investment strategy.

The fund is managed by John Hancock Investment Management, an asset-management organization associated with John Hancock. Its portfolio may include investments in publicly traded companies and other securities, with the objective of generating investment income and pursuing long-term capital appreciation, subject to market conditions and the fund's governing documents.

John Hancock Investors Trust is designed for investors seeking a listed, professionally managed investment vehicle rather than operating as an operating company that sells products or services.

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