John Hancock Acquires 5000 Birch in Newport Beach, California

TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK:945

BOSTON, Nov. 10, 2015 /CNW/ - John Hancock Real Estate today announced that it has acquired 5000 Birch, a 306,000 SF, two building, Class A office project located in Newport Beach, California, for US$104.5 million. John Hancock is the U.S. division of Manulife Financial Corporation, one of the largest life insurance companies in the world.

5000 Birch features a highly coveted Newport Beach address and is located at the gateway between Newport Beach and The Irvine Business Complex. 5000 Birch builds on John Hancock Real Estate's commitment in Orange County where we already own The Michelson and Oracle Tower.

"We are excited to grow our global portfolio through continued investment in Orange County -- one of the fastest growing office markets in the U.S.," said Kevin Adolphe, President & Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Real Estate and President & Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Asset Management Private Markets. "Our acquisition of 5000 Birch further strengthens our long-standing investment in California where we now actively manage over 9 million SF."

Operating as John Hancock Real Estate in the U.S. and Manulife Real Estate in all other parts of the world, our real estate portfolio is diversified by both geography and asset type, consisting of prime office and industrial properties, as well as select retail and multi-family residential properties, in key metropolitan centers throughout Canada, Asia and the United States. The global real estate portfolio represents assets under management of US$14.0 billion with properties totaling more than 58 million square feet as of June 30, 2015. Other key markets in the United States include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, New York, Washington DC, and Atlanta.

About Manulife Real Estate and John Hancock Real Estate

Manulife Real Estate is the global real estate arm of Manulife, operating as John Hancock Real Estate in the U.S. and Manulife Real Estate in all other parts of the world. Manulife Real Estate has fully integrated in-house capabilities and 70 years of experience as an active investor, owner, developer and asset manager of commercial real estate. Diversified by both geography and asset type, the portfolio consists primarily of prime office and industrial properties, as well as select retail and multi-family residential properties, in key metropolitan centers throughout Canada, Asia and in the United States. In addition to equity real estate, Manulife Real Estate manages the space requirements and own use facilities for Manulife and John Hancock operations around the world. Manulife Real Estate also extends its real estate asset management expertise to institutional investors. As at June 30, 2015, the Manulife Real Estate portfolio totaled more than 58 million square feet with AUM market value of C$17.5 billion (US$14.0 billion). Additional information about Manulife Real Estate can be found at www.manuliferealestate.com

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group providing forward-thinking solutions to help people with their big financial decisions.  We operate as John Hancock in the United States, and Manulife elsewhere.  We provide financial advice, insurance and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions.  At the end of 2014, we had 28,000 employees, 58,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving 20 million customers.  At the end of June 2015, we had $883 billion (US$708 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made more than $22 billion in benefits, interest and other payments to our customers.  Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years.  With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.  Follow Manulife on Twitter @ManulifeNews or visit www.manulife.com or www.johnhancock.com. 

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation

Image with caption: "John Hancock Acquires 5000 Birch in Newport Beach, California (CNW Group/Manulife Financial Corporation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151110_C9241_PHOTO_EN_44442.jpg

Canadian Media Contact:
Bev MacLean
Manulife Financial
416-852-8501
[email protected]
@ManulifeNews 

U.S. Media Contact:
Brian Carmichael
John Hancock Financial
617-663-4748
[email protected] 

Manulife.com