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- 21202

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II
(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, 2015

 


 

 

ITEM 1. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

 




John Hancock

Preferred Income Fund II


Quarterly portfolio holdings 10/31/15

jhnq_logo.jpg


Fund's investments Preferred Income Fund II



                                                           
  As of 10-31-15 (unaudited)  
              Shares     Value  
  Preferred securities (a) 145.1% (96.0% of Total investments)     $668,487,804  
  (Cost $638,615,620)  
  Consumer staples 3.2%     14,560,000  
  Food and staples retailing 3.2%  
  Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., Series A, 6.250% (S)           160,000     14,560,000  
  Energy 3.4%     15,779,200  
  Oil, gas and consumable fuels 3.4%  
  Kinder Morgan, Inc., 9.750% (I)           320,000     15,779,200  
  Financials 84.8%     390,616,366  
  Banks 37.7%  
  Bank of America Corp., 6.500%           180,000     4,737,600  
  Bank of America Corp., 6.625%           20,000     530,800  
  Barclays Bank PLC, Series 3, 7.100%           365,000     9,468,100  
  Barclays Bank PLC, Series 5, 8.125% (Z)           340,000     8,935,200  
  BB&T Corp., 5.200% (Z)           330,000     8,203,800  
  BB&T Corp., 5.625% (Z)           450,000     11,592,000  
  Citigroup Capital XIII (7.875% to 10-30-15, then 3 month LIBOR + 6.370%) (Z)           55,000     1,397,000  
  Citigroup, Inc., 5.800%           10,000     250,900  
  Citigroup, Inc., 6.875% (Z)           60,000     1,607,400  
  Citigroup, Inc., 7.125%           20,000     551,400  
  Citigroup, Inc. (6.875% to 11-15-23, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.130%)           212,253     5,845,446  
  HSBC USA, Inc., 6.500% (Z)           50,000     1,281,000  
  ING Groep NV, 7.050% (Z)           770,000     20,266,400  
  JPMorgan Chase & Co., 5.450% (Z)           60,000     1,485,000  
  JPMorgan Chase & Co., 5.500%           77,661     1,917,450  
  JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.100%           276,500     6,998,215  
  JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.125% (Z)           501,419     12,710,972  
  JPMorgan Chase & Co., 6.300%           30,000     781,500  
  RBS Capital Funding Trust V, 5.900% (Z)           398,000     9,810,700  
  RBS Capital Funding Trust VII, 6.080%           145,000     3,610,500  
  Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, Series L, 5.750%           465,000     11,480,850  
  The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., 5.375%           70,000     1,775,900  
  The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (6.125% to 5-1-22, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.067%)           145,000     4,038,250  
  U.S. Bancorp (6.000% to 4-15-17, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.861%) (Z)           200,000     5,360,000  
  U.S. Bancorp (6.500% to 1-15-22, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.468%) (Z)           570,000     16,518,600  
  Wells Fargo & Company, 6.000% (Z)           250,000     6,490,000  
  Wells Fargo & Company, 8.000% (Z)           565,000     15,848,250  
  Capital markets 16.3%  
  Deutsche Bank Contingent Capital Trust II, 6.550%           173,000     4,466,860  
  Deutsche Bank Contingent Capital Trust III, 7.600% (Z)           460,000     12,300,400  
  Merrill Lynch Preferred Capital Trust III, 7.000% (Z)           322,000     8,336,580  
  Merrill Lynch Preferred Capital Trust IV, 7.120%           180,000     4,674,600  
  Merrill Lynch Preferred Capital Trust V, 7.280%           250,000     6,517,500  
  Morgan Stanley, 6.625% (Z)           175,000     4,683,000  
  Morgan Stanley (6.375% to 10-15-24, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.708%)           70,000     1,813,000  
  Morgan Stanley Capital Trust III, 6.250% (Z)           272,000     7,044,800  
  Morgan Stanley Capital Trust IV, 6.250% (Z)           155,000     3,991,250  
  Morgan Stanley Capital Trust V, 5.750% (Z)           285,000     7,256,100  
  State Street Corp., 5.250% (Z)           45,000     1,151,100  
  State Street Corp., 6.000% (Z)           445,000     11,503,250  

2SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS

Preferred Income Fund II

                                                           
              Shares     Value  
  Financials  (continued)        
  Capital markets  (continued)  
  The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 5.950%           40,000     $1,023,200  
  The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 6.125%           20,000     499,600  
  Consumer finance 6.9%  
  Capital One Financial Corp., 6.200%           234,250     6,055,363  
  Capital One Financial Corp., 6.700%           40,000     1,088,400  
  HSBC Finance Corp., Depositary Shares, Series B, 6.360% (Z)           725,000     18,386,000  
  Navient Corp., 6.000% (Z)           177,500     3,310,375  
  SLM Corp., Series A, 6.970%           64,000     2,790,400  
  Insurance 10.1%  
  Aegon NV, 6.375% (Z)           430,000     11,008,000  
  Aegon NV, 6.500%           220,000     5,728,800  
  Prudential Financial, Inc., 5.750%           160,000     4,156,800  
  Prudential PLC, 6.500% (Z)           103,000     2,732,590  
  The Phoenix Companies, Inc., 7.450%           216,500     4,648,255  
  W.R. Berkley Corp., 5.625%           740,000     18,440,800  
  Real estate investment trusts 13.7%  
  Kimco Realty Corp., 6.000% (Z)           725,000     18,705,000  
  Public Storage, 5.200% (Z)           255,000     6,301,050  
  Public Storage, 5.750% (Z)           340,000     8,741,400  
  Public Storage, 6.350% (Z)           175,000     4,536,000  
  Public Storage, Depositary Shares, Series Q, 6.500%           122,000     3,121,980  
  Senior Housing Properties Trust, 5.625% (Z)           667,000     16,468,230  
  Ventas Realty LP, 5.450%           200,000     5,288,000  
  Thrifts and mortgage finance 0.1%  
  Federal National Mortgage Association, Series S, 8.250% (I)           75,000     354,450  
  Industrials 2.1%     9,653,300  
  Machinery 2.1%  
  Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., 5.750% (Z)           370,000     9,653,300  
  Telecommunication services 13.3%     61,332,944  
  Diversified telecommunication services 6.1%  
  Qwest Corp., 6.125%           30,000     746,400  
  Qwest Corp., 6.875%           65,000     1,677,000  
  Qwest Corp., 7.000%           60,000     1,567,200  
  Qwest Corp., 7.375% (Z)           567,500     14,647,175  
  Qwest Corp., 7.500%           172,500     4,519,500  
  Verizon Communications, Inc., 5.900% (Z)           185,000     4,958,000  
  Wireless telecommunication services 7.2%  
  Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 6.625% (Z)           161,300     4,093,794  
  Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 6.875%           85,000     2,172,600  
  Telephone & Data Systems, Inc., 7.000%           283,000     7,244,800  
  United States Cellular Corp., 6.950% (Z)           772,500     19,706,475  
  Utilities 38.3%     176,545,994  
  Electric utilities 29.8%  
  Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, Series 1995, 6.990% (Z)           39,870     4,031,854  
  Duke Energy Corp., 5.125%           720,000     18,201,600  
  Entergy Arkansas, Inc., 5.750% (Z)           66,400     1,676,600  
  Entergy Arkansas, Inc., 6.450%           100,000     2,545,000  
  Entergy Louisiana LLC, 5.250%           220,000     5,612,200  

SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS3

Preferred Income Fund II

                                                           
              Shares     Value  
  Utilities  (continued)        
  Electric utilities  (continued)  
  Entergy Louisiana LLC, 5.875% (Z)           186,750     $4,730,378  
  Entergy Louisiana LLC, 6.000% (Z)           186,438     4,743,169  
  Entergy Mississippi, Inc., 6.000%           186,500     4,774,400  
  Entergy Mississippi, Inc., 6.200%           103,294     2,651,557  
  FPL Group Capital Trust I, 5.875% (Z)           255,000     6,576,450  
  Gulf Power Company, 5.750% (Z)           146,000     3,765,340  
  HECO Capital Trust III, 6.500% (Z)           187,750     4,808,278  
  Interstate Power & Light Company, 5.100% (Z)           154,600     3,980,950  
  NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc., 5.125%           80,000     1,956,000  
  NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc., 5.700% (Z)           665,000     17,183,600  
  NSTAR Electric Company, 4.780%           15,143     1,506,729  
  PPL Capital Funding, Inc., 5.900% (Z)           1,050,000     26,607,000  
  SCE Trust I, 5.625%           105,000     2,694,300  
  SCE Trust II, 5.100% (Z)           426,000     10,432,740  
  SCE Trust III (5.750% to 3-15-24, then 3 month LIBOR + 2.990%)           20,000     557,000  
  The Southern Company, 6.250%           310,000     8,184,000  
  Multi-utilities 8.5%  
  BGE Capital Trust II, 6.200% (Z)           539,000     13,863,080  
  DTE Energy Company, 5.250%           415,420     10,202,715  
  DTE Energy Company, 6.500%           355,000     9,521,100  
  Integrys Holding, Inc. (6.000% to 8-1-23, then 3 month LIBOR + 3.220%) (Z)           225,372     5,739,954  
  Common stocks 1.5% (1.0% of Total investments)     $7,101,000  
  (Cost $7,803,457)  
  Energy 1.1%     5,246,000  
  Oil, gas and consumable fuels 1.1%  
  Royal Dutch Shell PLC, ADR, Class A           100,000     5,246,000  
  Utilities 0.4%     1,855,000  
  Multi-utilities 0.4%  
  CenterPoint Energy, Inc.     100,000     1,855,000  
        Rate (% )    Maturity date     Par value^     Value  
  Capital preferred securities (b) 1.3% (0.9% of Total investments)     $6,147,870  
  (Cost $5,574,000)  
  Utilities 1.3%     6,147,870  
  Multi-utilities 1.3%  
  Dominion Resources Capital Trust III (Z)     8.400     01-15-31     5,000,000     6,147,870  
  Corporate bonds 2.6% (1.7% of Total investments)     $11,782,250  
  (Cost $13,378,635)  
  Energy 1.6%     7,332,250  
  Oil, gas and consumable fuels 1.6%  
  Energy Transfer Partners LP (P)     3.318     11-01-66           10,550,000     7,332,250  
  Utilities 1.0%     4,450,000  
  Electric utilities 1.0%  
  Southern California Edison Company (6.250% to 2-1-22, then 3 month LIBOR + 4.199%) (Q) (Z)     6.250     02-01-22           4,000,000     4,450,000  

4SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS

Preferred Income Fund II

                                                           
              Par value     Value  
  Short-term investments 0.7% (0.4% of Total investments)     $2,971,000  
  (Cost $2,971,000)  
  Repurchase agreement 0.7%     2,971,000  
  Repurchase Agreement with State Street Corp. dated 10-30-15 at 0.000% to be repurchased at $2,971,000 on 11-2-15, collateralized by $3,030,000 Federal Home Loan Bank, 0.750% due 8-28-17 (valued at $3,033,939, including interest)           2,971,000     2,971,000  
  Total investments (Cost $668,342,712)† 151.2%     $696,489,924  
  Other assets and liabilities, net (51.2%)     ($235,842,373 )
  Total net assets 100.0%     $460,647,551  

                                                           
  The percentage shown for each investment category is the total value of the category as a percentage of the net assets of the fund.  
  ^All par values are denominated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.  
  Key to Security Abbreviations and Legend  
  ADR     American Depositary Receipts  
  LIBOR     London Interbank Offered Rate  
  (a)     Includes preferred stocks and hybrid securities with characteristics of both equity and debt that pay dividends on a periodic basis.  
  (b)     Includes hybrid securities with characteristics of both equity and debt that trade with, and pay, interest income.  
  (I)     Non-income producing security.  
  (P)     Variable rate obligation. The coupon rate shown represents the rate at period end.  
  (Q)     Perpetual bonds have no stated maturity date. Date shown as maturity date is next call date.  
  (S)     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.  
  (Z)     All or a portion of this security is pledged as collateral pursuant to the Credit Facility Agreement. Total collateral value at 10-31-15 was $387,404,839.  
      At 10-31-15, the aggregate cost of investment securities for federal income tax purposes was $668,474,770. Net unrealized appreciation aggregated $28,015,154, of which $34,189,962 related to appreciated investment securities and $6,174,808 related to depreciated investment securities.  

The fund had the following country composition as a percentage of net assets on 10-31-15:



           
  United States     89.2%  
  Netherlands     6.1%  
  United Kingdom     4.7%  
  Total     100.0%  

SEE NOTES TO FUND'S INVESTMENTS5

Notes to Fund's investments (unaudited)

Security valuation. Investments are stated at value as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), normally at 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. In order to value the securities, the fund uses the following valuation techniques: Equity securities held by the fund are valued at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange where the security was acquired or most likely will be sold. 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. Foreign securities and currencies are valued in U.S. dollars, based on foreign currency exchange rates supplied by an independent pricing vendor. Securities that trade only in the over-the-counter (OTC) market are valued using bid prices. 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, 2015, by major security category or type:

                                   
        Total
value at
10-31-15
    Level 1
quoted price
    Level 2
significant
observable
inputs
    Level 3
significant
unobservable
inputs
 
  Preferred securities                          
        Consumer staples     $14,560,000         $14,560,000      
        Energy     15,779,200     $15,779,200          
        Financials     390,616,366     390,616,366          
        Industrials     9,653,300     9,653,300          
        Telecommunication services     61,332,944     56,374,944     4,958,000      
        Utilities     176,545,994     166,774,186     9,771,808      
  Common stocks     7,101,000     7,101,000          
  Capital preferred securities     6,147,870         6,147,870      
  Corporate bonds     11,782,250         11,782,250      
  Short-term investments     2,971,000         2,971,000      
  Total investments in securities     $696,489,924     $646,298,996     $50,190,928      
  Other financial instruments:                          
  Futures     ($90,504 )   ($90,504 )        
  Interest rate swaps     ($814,443 )       ($814,443 )    

Securities with market value of approximately $6,227,028 at the beginning of the year were transferred from Level 1 to Level 2 during the period since quoted prices in active markets for identical securities were no longer available and securities were valued using other significant observable inputs.

Repurchase agreements. The fund may enter into repurchase agreements. When the fund enters into a repurchase agreement, it receives collateral that is held in a segregated account by the fund's custodian. The collateral amount is marked-to-market and monitored on a daily basis to ensure that the collateral held is in an amount not less than the principal amount of the repurchase agreement plus any accrued interest. Collateral received by the fund for repurchase agreements is disclosed in the Fund's investments as part of the caption related to the repurchase agreement.

Repurchase agreements are typically governed by the terms and conditions of the Master Repurchase Agreement and/or Global Master Repurchase Agreement (collectively, MRA). Upon an event of default, the non-defaulting party may close out all transactions traded under the MRA and net amounts owed. Absent an event of default, assets and liabilities resulting from repurchase agreements are not offset. In the event of a default by the counterparty, realization of the collateral proceeds could be delayed, during which time the collateral value may decline or the counterparty may have insufficient assets to pay back claims resulting from close-out of the transactions.

6


Derivative instruments. The fund may invest in derivatives in order to meet its investment objectives. Derivatives include a variety of different instruments that may be traded in the 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 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, 2015, the fund used futures contracts to manage against anticipated interest rate changes. The following table summarizes the contracts held at October 31, 2015.

                                         
  Open contracts     Number of
contracts
    Position     Expiration
date
    Notional
basis
    Notional
value
    Unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
 
  10-Year U.S. Treasury Note Futures     520     Short     Dec 2015     ($66,306,996 )   ($66,397,500 )   ($90,504 )
                                      ($90,504 )

Notional basis refers to the contractual amount agreed upon at inception of open contracts; notional value represents the current value of the open contract.

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, 2015, the fund used interest rate swaps to manage against anticipated interest rate changes.. The following table summarizes the interest rate swap contracts held as of October 31, 2015.

                                   
  Counterparty     Notional
amount
    Payments made
by fund
    Payments received
by fund
    Termination
date
    Market
value
 
  Morgan Stanley Capital Services     $56,000,000     Fixed 1.4625%     3 Month LIBOR (a)     Aug 2016     ($566,971 )
  Morgan Stanley Capital Services     56,000,000     Fixed 0.8750%     3 Month LIBOR (a)     Jul 2017     (247,472 )
        $112,000,000                       ($814,443 )

(a) At 10-31-15, the 3-month LIBOR rate was 0.3341%

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

7


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

     
  P11Q1 10/15
This report is for the information of the shareholders of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II.   12/15


 

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 II

 

By: /s/ Andrew Arnott
  Andrew Arnott
President
   
   
Date: December 17, 2015

 

 

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 17, 2015

 

 

By: /s/ Charles A. Rizzo
  Charles A. Rizzo
Chief Financial Officer
   
   
Date: December 17, 2015