John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE:HPS) Short Interest Down 58.6% in December

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE:HPS) was the target of a significant drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 58,336 shares, a drop of 58.6% from the November 30th total of 140,914 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 85,659 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.7 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 85,659 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.7 days.

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of HPS stock opened at $14.44 on Friday. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III has a 52 week low of $13.08 and a 52 week high of $15.68. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $14.96 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $14.79.

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, December 11th will be paid a $0.11 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 11th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 9.1%.

Institutional Trading of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. UBS Group AG raised its stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 10.8% in the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 1,141,593 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,626,000 after buying an additional 111,560 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 13.7% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 268,253 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,142,000 after acquiring an additional 32,293 shares during the last quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC raised its stake in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 55.8% in the 2nd quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 175,335 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,500,000 after acquiring an additional 62,819 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 147,907 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,284,000 after acquiring an additional 898 shares during the period. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 3.6% during the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 142,701 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,203,000 after purchasing an additional 4,993 shares during the last quarter.

About John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE:HPS) is a publicly traded, closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of current income. The fund offers investors access to a diversified portfolio of income-producing securities, with a primary focus on preferred stocks and similar instruments. As a closed-end fund, HPS issues a fixed number of shares that trade on the New York Stock Exchange, allowing investors to participate in its income strategy through the open market.

The fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in preferred securities of U.S.