PPF Hancock John Patriot Pfd Div

John Hancock Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund Reports Third Quarter Earnings BOSTON, March 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund , a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC, reported today that net investment income was $1,855,666 for the third quarter ended February 29, 2004. For the comparable period in 2003, net investment income was $1,914,149. As of February 29, 2004, the net asset value per share was $14.01 with total net assets of $154,181,309* and 7,257,200 common shares outstanding. Comparable figures for February 29, 2003 reflect a net asset value per share of $11.56, total net assets of $136,404,117* and 7,257,200 common shares outstanding. John Hancock Advisers, LLC, a premier investment management company, managed $29.3 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts and retirement plans for individual and institutional investors as of December 31, 2003. John Hancock Advisers, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:JHF). John Hancock and its affiliated companies provide a broad array of insurance and investment products and services to retail and institutional customers. As of December 31, 2003, John Hancock Financial Services and its subsidiaries had total assets under management of $142.5 billion. * Total net assets include value of preferred shares DATASOURCE: John Hancock Advisers, LLC CONTACT: Media Contact: Kimberley Dietrich, +1-617-375-0311, or Investor Contact: +1-800-843-0090 both of John Hancock

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