Manulife Financial Corporation declares dividends

C$ unless otherwise stated                                                         TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC      SEHK:945 

TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Financial Corporation's Board of Directors today declared a quarterly shareholders' dividend of $0.13 per share on the common shares of Manulife Financial Corporation (the "Company"), payable on and after December 19, 2011 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 15, 2011.

The Board also declared dividends on the following non-cumulative preferred shares, payable on or after December 19, 2011 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 15, 2011.

• Class A Shares Series 1 - $0.25625 per share

• Class A Shares Series 2 - $0.29063 per share

• Class A Shares Series 3 - $0.28125 per share

• Class A Shares Series 4 - $0.4125 per share

• Class 1 Shares Series 1 - $0.35 per share

• Class 1 Shares Series 3 - $0.2625 per share

In respect of the Company's December 19, 2011 common share dividend payment date, the Board has decided that the Company will issue common shares in connection with the reinvestment of dividends and optional cash purchases pursuant to the Company's Canadian Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan and its U.S. Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan. The price of common shares purchased with reinvested dividends will be reduced by a two (2%) per cent discount from the market price, as determined pursuant to the applicable plan.

About Manulife Financial

Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group operating in 21 countries and territories worldwide. For more than 120 years, clients have looked to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions.   Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We provide asset management services to institutional customers worldwide as well as reinsurance solutions, specializing in property and casualty retrocession. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$492 billion (US$473 billion) as at September 30, 2011. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

SOURCE Manulife Financial