UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-Q

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811- 21131

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

601 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Salvatore Schiavone, Treasurer

601 Congress Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02210

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 617-663-4497

Date of fiscal year end: July 31
 
 
Date of reporting period: October 31, 2017



ITEM 1. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS




John Hancock

Preferred Income Fund

Quarterly portfolio holdings 10/31/17

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Fund’s investments  
As of 10-31-17 (unaudited)
        Shares Value
Preferred securities 130.9% (86.3% of Total investments)     $731,269,788
(Cost $727,956,623)          
Consumer staples 2.4%       13,156,000
Food and staples retailing 2.4%        
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., 6.250% (A)       143,000 13,156,000
Energy 5.5%       30,490,442
Oil, gas and consumable fuels 5.5%        
Kinder Morgan, Inc., 9.750% (B)       810,916 30,490,442
Financials 54.9%       306,406,458
Banks 32.7%        
Bank of America Corp., 6.204%       145,631 3,766,018
Bank of America Corp., 6.500% (B)       115,000 3,077,400
Barclays Bank PLC, 8.125% (B)(C)       740,000 19,743,200
BB&T Corp., 5.200% (B)       420,000 10,663,800
BB&T Corp., 5.625% (B)       450,000 11,493,000
Citigroup Capital XIII (3 month LIBOR + 7.750%), 7.542% (D)       15,000 408,300
Citigroup, Inc., 5.800%       65,000 1,656,200
Citigroup, Inc., 6.875%       60,000 1,619,400
Citigroup, Inc. (6.875% to 11-15-23, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.130%) (B)       435,175 12,572,206
Citigroup, Inc. (7.125% to 9-30-23, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.040%)       318,337 9,168,106
First Republic Bank, 7.000% (B)       95,000 2,531,750
ING Groep NV, 6.125% (B)       61,500 1,580,550
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 5.450% (B)       400,000 10,064,000
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 5.500% (B)       61,961 1,555,221
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.100% (B)       122,000 3,279,360
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.125% (B)       670,000 17,956,000
JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.300% (B)       25,000 665,250
Regions Financial Corp., 6.375%       138,164 3,509,366
Santander Holdings USA, Inc., 7.300%       365,000 9,307,500
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., 5.375% (B)       30,000 766,500
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (6.125% to 5-1-22, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.067%) (B)       187,000 5,277,140
U.S. Bancorp (6.500% to 1-15-22, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.468%) (B)(C)       705,000 20,289,900
Wells Fargo & Company, 6.000% (B)       127,000 3,319,780
Wells Fargo & Company, 8.000% (B)(C)       756,000 19,293,120
Wells Fargo & Company (6.625% to 3-15-24, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.690%)       302,025 8,640,935
Western Alliance Bancorp, 6.250%       15,000 396,150
Capital markets 9.1%        
Deutsche Bank Contingent Capital Trust II, 6.550%       10,000 257,400
Deutsche Bank Contingent Capital Trust III, 7.600% (B)       370,000 9,634,800
Morgan Stanley, 6.625%       80,000 2,142,400
Morgan Stanley (6.375% to 10-15-24, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.708%)       155,000 4,340,000
Morgan Stanley (6.875% to 1-15-24, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.940%)       100,000 2,855,000
Morgan Stanley (7.125% to 10-15-23, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.320%)       160,000 4,632,000
State Street Corp., 5.250% (B)       155,000 3,902,900
State Street Corp., 6.000% (B)(C)       580,600 15,635,558
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 5.950%       130,100 3,255,102
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 6.200% (B)       160,000 4,080,000
Consumer finance 3.4%        
Capital One Financial Corp., 6.200%       287,251 7,761,522
Capital One Financial Corp., 6.700%       54,991 1,487,507
Navient Corp., 6.000% (B)       394,076 9,556,343
2 JOHN HANCOCK Preferred Income Fund |QUARTERLY REPORT SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS

 

        Shares Value
Financials (continued)        
Insurance 9.6%        
Aegon NV, 6.375% (B)       520,000 $13,468,000
Aegon NV, 6.500% (B)       260,000 6,773,000
Prudential Financial, Inc., 5.750% (B)       140,000 3,558,800
Prudential PLC, 6.500% (B)       154,500 4,081,890
Prudential PLC, 6.750%       51,000 1,351,500
RenaissanceRe Holdings, Ltd., Series C, 6.080%       25,000 637,750
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (7.875% to 04-15-22, then 3 month LIBOR + 5.596%)       58,227 1,742,734
W.R. Berkley Corp., 5.625% (B)(C)       885,000 22,107,300
Thrifts and mortgage finance 0.1%        
Federal National Mortgage Association, Series S, 8.250% (E)       80,000 544,800
Health care 2.2%       12,532,222
Pharmaceuticals 2.2%        
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd., 7.000% (B)       44,050 12,532,222
Industrials 2.2%       12,563,100
Machinery 2.2%        
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., 5.750% (B)       495,000 12,563,100
Real estate 13.1%       72,964,512
Equity real estate investment trusts 13.1%        
American Homes 4 Rent, Series E, 6.350%       20,000 528,200
American Homes 4 Rent, Series F, 5.875%       69,000 1,794,000
American Homes 4 Rent, Series G, 5.875%       42,575 1,096,306
Crown Castle International Corp., Series A, 6.875% (B)(C)       23,200 25,469,424
Digital Realty Trust, Inc., 6.350%       922 25,125
Digital Realty Trust, Inc., 7.375%       34,936 932,442
Federal Realty Investment Trust, Series C, 5.000%       110,000 2,695,000
Kimco Realty Corp., 6.000%       389,351 9,811,645
Public Storage, 5.200% (B)       125,000 3,161,250
Senior Housing Properties Trust, 5.625% (B)       843,790 21,255,070
Ventas Realty LP, 5.450% (B)       245,000 6,196,050
Telecommunication services 10.9%       61,152,519
Diversified telecommunication services 3.5%        
Qwest Corp., 6.125% (B)       30,000 761,400
Qwest Corp., 6.500%       84,205 2,126,176
Qwest Corp., 6.750%       360,000 9,180,000
Qwest Corp., 6.875%       33,795 868,869
Qwest Corp., 7.000% (B)       20,000 507,400
Qwest Corp., 7.500%       66,111 1,710,292
Verizon Communications, Inc., 5.900% (B)       168,000 4,497,360
Wireless telecommunication services 7.4%        
Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 6.625% (B)       233,381 6,004,893
Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 6.875%       119,781 3,069,987
Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 7.000% (B)(C)       340,000 8,622,400
United States Cellular Corp., 6.950%       795,000 20,177,100
United States Cellular Corp., 7.250% (B)       135,272 3,626,642
Utilities 39.7%       222,004,535
Electric utilities 26.8%        
Alabama Power Company, 5.000%       418,000 10,671,540
Duke Energy Corp., 5.125% (B)(C)       920,000 23,533,600
SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS QUARTERLY REPORT |JOHN HANCOCK Preferred Income Fund 3

 

        Shares Value
Utilities (continued)        
Electric utilities (continued)        
Entergy Louisiana LLC, 5.250% (B)       241,476 $6,061,048
FPL Group Capital Trust I, 5.875%       345,000 8,704,350
HECO Capital Trust III, 6.500% (B)       379,850 10,179,980
Interstate Power & Light Company, 5.100% (B)       270,000 6,917,400
NextEra Energy, Inc., 6.123%       418,000 23,826,000
NSTAR Electric Company, 4.780% (B)       15,143 1,514,300
PPL Capital Funding, Inc., 5.900% (B)       1,312,439 33,454,070
SCE Trust II, 5.100% (B)(C)       569,000 14,674,510
SCE Trust III (5.750% to 3-15-24, then 3 month LIBOR + 2.990%) (B)       20,000 537,800
The Southern Company, 6.250% (B)       351,399 9,480,745
Multi-utilities 12.9%        
Dominion Energy, Inc., 6.750% (B)(C)       750,667 39,282,404
DTE Energy Company, 5.250% (B)(C)       528,107 13,334,702
DTE Energy Company, 6.000%       96,175 2,625,578
DTE Energy Company, 6.500%       173,100 9,508,383
Integrys Holding, Inc. (6.000% to 8-1-23, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.220%) (B)       272,500 7,698,125
Common stocks 15.8% (10.4% of Total investments)     $88,017,828
(Cost $78,466,256)          
Energy 13.7%       76,436,923
Oil, gas and consumable fuels 13.7%        
BP PLC, ADR (B)(C)       621,000 25,256,070
ONEOK, Inc. (B)       475,000 25,778,250
Royal Dutch Shell PLC, ADR, Class A (B)(C)       403,024 25,402,603
Telecommunication services 0.9%       4,937,400
Diversified telecommunication services 0.9%        
CenturyLink, Inc.       260,000 4,937,400
Utilities 1.2%       6,643,505
Multi-utilities 1.2%        
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (B)       130,000 3,845,400
National Grid PLC, ADR       45,833 2,798,105
    
  Rate (%) Maturity date   Par value^ Value
Corporate bonds 4.9% (3.2% of Total investments)     $27,439,750
(Cost $26,545,150)          
Consumer discretionary 1.6%       8,976,250
Automobiles 1.6%        
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. (5.750% to 9-30-27, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.598%) (F) 5.750 09-30-27   8,600,000 8,976,250
Energy 1.4%       7,964,000
Oil, gas and consumable fuels 1.4%        
Energy Transfer LP (3 month LIBOR + 3.018%) (B)(D) 4.328 11-01-66   8,800,000 7,964,000
Financials 0.9%       5,075,000
Consumer finance 0.9%        
Discover Financial Services (5.500% to 10-30-27, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.076%) (F) 5.500 10-30-27   5,000,000 5,075,000
4 JOHN HANCOCK Preferred Income Fund |QUARTERLY REPORT SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS

 

  Rate (%) Maturity date   Par value^ Value
Utilities 1.0%       $5,424,500
Multi-utilities 1.0%        
Dominion Energy, Inc. (5.750% to 10-1-24, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.057%) (B)(C) 5.750 10-01-54   5,000,000 5,424,500
    
  Yield* (%) Maturity date   Par value^ Value
Short-term investments 0.1% (0.1% of Total investments)     $376,000
(Cost $376,000)          
U.S. Government Agency 0.1%       376,000
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp. Discount Note 0.850 11-01-17   28,000 28,000
Federal Home Loan Bank Discount Note 0.500 11-01-17   114,000 114,000
Federal Home Loan Bank Discount Note 0.700 11-01-17   234,000 234,000
Total investments (Cost $833,344,029) 151.7%       $847,103,366
Other assets and liabilities, net (51.7%)       (288,625,988)
Total net assets 100.0%         $558,477,378
    
The percentage shown for each investment category is the total value of the category as a percentage of the net assets of the fund unless otherwise indicated.
^All par values are denominated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Security Abbreviations and Legend
ADR American Depositary Receipt
LIBOR London Interbank Offered Rate
(A) These securities are exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. Such securities may be resold, normally to qualified institutional buyers, in transactions exempt from registration.
(B) All or a portion of this security is pledged as collateral pursuant to the Credit Facility Agreement. Total collateral value at 10-31-17 was $600,536,223. A portion of the securities pledged as collateral were loaned pursuant to the Credit Facility Agreement. The value of securities on loan amounted to $249,603,765.
(C) A portion of this security is on loan as of 10-31-17, and is a component of the fund's leverage under the Credit Facility Agreement.
(D) Variable rate obligation. The coupon rate shown represents the rate at period end.
(E) Non-income producing security.
(F) Perpetual bonds have no stated maturity date. Date shown as maturity date is next call date.
* Yield represents either the annualized yield at the date of purchase, the stated coupon rate or, for floating rate securities, the rate at period end.
The fund had the following country composition as a percentage of total investments on 10-31-17:
United States 86.6%
United Kingdom 6.2%
Netherlands 5.6%
Israel 1.5%
Other countries 0.1%
TOTAL 100.0%
SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS QUARTERLY REPORT |JOHN HANCOCK Preferred Income Fund 5

 

DERIVATIVES
FUTURES
Open contracts Number of
contracts
Position Expiration
date
Notional
basis*
Notional
value*
Unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
10-Year U.S. Treasury Note Futures 640 Short Dec 2017 $(81,118,650) $(79,960,000) $1,158,650
            $1,158,650
* Notional basis refers to the contractual amount agreed upon at inception of open contracts; notional value represents the current value of the open contract.
SWAPS
Interest rate swaps
Counterparty (OTC)/
Centrally cleared
Notional
amount
Currency Payments
made
Payments
received
Fixed
payment
frequency
Floating
payment
frequency
Maturity
date
Unamortized
upfront
payment
paid
(received)
Unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
Value
Centrally cleared 73,000,000 USD Fixed 2.136% USD LIBOR BBA(a) Semi-Annual Quarterly Oct 2022 $(136,292) $(136,292)
                $(136,292) $(136,292)
    
(a) At 10-31-17, the 3 month LIBOR was 1.3812%
    
Derivatives currency abbreviations
USD U.S. Dollar
    
Derivatives abbreviations
BBA The British Banker's Association
LIBOR London Interbank Offered Rate
OTC is an abbreviation for over-the-counter. See Notes to Fund's investments regarding investment transactions and other derivatives information.
6 JOHN HANCOCK Preferred Income Fund |QUARTERLY REPORT SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS

Notes to Fund's investments (unaudited)

Security valuation. Investments are stated at value as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), normally at 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. In case of emergency or other disruption resulting in the NYSE not opening for trading or the NYSE closing at a time other than the regularly scheduled close, the net asset value may be determined as of the regularly scheduled close of the NYSE pursuant to the fund's Valuation Policies and Procedures.

In order to value the securities, the fund uses the following valuation techniques: Equity securities held by the fund are typically valued at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange or principal market where the security trades. In the event there were no sales during the day or closing prices are not available, the securities are valued using the last available bid price. Debt obligations are valued based on the evaluated prices provided by an independent pricing vendor or from broker-dealers. Independent pricing vendors utilize matrix pricing which takes into account factors such as institutional-size trading in similar groups of securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other market data, as well as broker supplied prices. Swaps are valued using evaluated prices obtained from an independent pricing vendor. Futures contracts are valued at settlement prices, which are the official closing prices published by the exchange on which they trade.

In certain instances, the Pricing Committee may determine to value equity securities using prices obtained from another exchange or market if trading on the exchange or market on which prices are typically obtained did not open for trading as scheduled, or if trading closed earlier than scheduled, and trading occurred as normal on another exchange or market.

Other portfolio securities and assets, for which reliable market quotations are not readily available, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the fund's Pricing Committee following procedures established by the Board of Trustees. The frequency with which these fair valuation procedures are used cannot be predicted and fair value of securities may differ significantly from the value that would have been used had a ready market for such securities existed.

The fund uses a three-tier hierarchy to prioritize the pricing assumptions, referred to as inputs, used in valuation techniques to measure fair value. Level 1 includes securities valued using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities. Level 2 includes securities valued using other significant observable inputs. Observable inputs may include quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds and credit risk. Prices for securities valued using these inputs are received from independent pricing vendors and brokers and are based on an evaluation of the inputs described. Level 3 includes securities valued using significant unobservable inputs when market prices are not readily available or reliable, including the fund's own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments. Factors used in determining value may include market or issuer specific events or trends, changes in interest rates and credit quality. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risks associated with investing in those securities. Changes in valuation techniques and related inputs may result in transfers into or out of an assigned level within the disclosure hierarchy.

The following is a summary of the values by input classification of the fund's investments as of October 31, 2017, by major security category or type:

                                   
        Total
value at
10-31-17
    Level 1
quoted
price
    Level 2
significant
observable
inputs
    Level 3
significant
unobservable
inputs
 
  Investments in securities:                          
  Assets                          
  Preferred securities                          
        Consumer staples     $13,156,000         $13,156,000      
        Energy     30,490,442     $30,490,442          
        Financials     306,406,458     306,406,458          
        Health care     12,532,222     12,532,222          
        Industrials     12,563,100     12,563,100          
        Real estate     72,964,512     72,964,512          
        Telecommunication services     61,152,519     56,655,159     4,497,360      
        Utilities     222,004,535     214,306,410     7,698,125      
  Common stocks     88,017,828     88,017,828          
  Corporate bonds     27,439,750         27,439,750      
  Short-term investments     376,000         376,000      
  Total investments in securities     $847,103,366     $793,936,131     $53,167,235      
  Derivatives:                          
  Assets                          
  Futures     $1,158,650     $1,158,650          
  Liabilities                          
  Swap contracts     (136,292 )       $(136,292 )    

Derivative instruments. The fund may invest in derivatives in order to meet its investment objective. Derivatives include a variety of different instruments that may be traded in the over-the-counter (OTC) market, on a regulated exchange or through a clearing facility. The risks in using derivatives vary depending upon the structure of the instruments, including the use of leverage, optionality, the liquidity or lack of liquidity of the contract, the creditworthiness of the counterparty or clearing

       7


organization and the volatility of the position. Some derivatives involve risks that are potentially greater than the risks associated with investing directly in the referenced securities or other referenced underlying instrument. Specifically, the fund is exposed to the risk that the counterparty to an OTC derivatives contract will be unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments or otherwise honor its obligations. OTC derivatives transactions typically can only be closed out with the other party to the transaction.

Futures. A futures contract is a contractual agreement to buy or sell a particular currency or financial instrument at a pre-determined price in the future. Risks related to the use of futures contracts include possible illiquidity of the futures markets and contract prices that can be highly volatile and imperfectly correlated to movements in the underlying financial instrument. Use of long futures contracts subjects the funds to the risk of loss up to the notional value of the futures contracts. Use of short futures contracts subjects the funds to unlimited risk of loss.

During the period ended October 31, 2017, the fund used futures contracts to manage against anticipated interest rate changes against preferred securities.

Interest rate swaps. Interest rate swaps represent an agreement between the fund and a counterparty to exchange cash flows based on the difference between two interest rates applied to a notional amount. The payment flows are usually netted against each other, with the difference being paid by one party to the other. The fund settles accrued net interest receivable or payable under the swap contracts at specified, future intervals. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the OTC market or may be executed on a registered commodities exchange (centrally cleared swaps). Swaps are marked-to-market daily and the change in value is recorded as unrealized appreciation/depreciation of swap contracts. A termination payment by the counterparty or the fund is recorded as realized gain or loss, as well as the net periodic payments received or paid by the fund. The value of the swap will typically impose collateral posting obligations on the party that is considered out-of-the-money on the swap.

During the period ended October 31, 2017, the fund used interest rate swaps to manage against anticipated interest rate changes.

For additional information on the fund's significant accounting policies, please refer to the fund's most recent semiannual or annual shareholder report.

       8


More information

     
How to contact us
Internet www.jhinvestments.com  
Mail Computershare
P.O. Box 30170
College Station, TX 77842-3170
 
Phone Customer service representatives
Portfolio commentary
24-hour automated information
TDD line
800-852-0218
800-344-7054
800-843-0090
800-231-5469

     
  P8Q1 10/17
This report is for the information of the shareholders of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund.   12/17



ITEM 2. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

(a) Based upon their evaluation of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures as conducted within 90 days of the filing date of this Form N-Q, the registrant's principal executive officer and principal accounting officer have concluded that those disclosure controls and procedures provide reasonable assurance that the material information required to be disclosed by the registrant on this report is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms.

(b) There were no changes in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 3. EXHIBITS.
Separate certifications for the registrant's principal executive officer and principal accounting officer, as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, are attached.



SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund

By: /s/ Andrew Arnott
Andrew Arnott
President
 
 
Date:   December 19, 2017
   

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.


By: /s/ Andrew Arnott
Andrew Arnott
President
 
 
Date:   December 19, 2017
 
 
By: /s/ Charles A. Rizzo
Charles A. Rizzo
Chief Financial Officer
 
 
Date: December 19, 2017