Dividend Income Strategy

The strategy seeks strong risk-adjusted returns over the long term through investing in high-quality, income-generating equities bought at what the team believes is the right price.

Philosophy

The team analyzes all companies using the same proprietary, fundamentals-based lens, using a scalable and repeatable process driven by principles that have been unchanged since the value equity team’s founding in 1997. The team believes a portfolio that creates business value faster than a benchmark can generate long-term outperformance when assembled at a reasonable valuation.

Managed by

Conrad Dabiet, CFA

Senior Portfolio Manager, Essential Equity

Conrad is a senior portfolio manager for the firm’s essential equity team. The team manages multiple strategies for institutional and retail clients, including Canadian all-cap equity, Canadian large-cap value equity, Canadian focused equity, dividend income, U.S. dividend income, Canadian balanced, U.S. balanced, and global balanced. Conrad is the lead portfolio manager of the dividend income and U.S. dividend income strategies. Prior to joining the team, he completed Manulife Investment Management’s investment division rotational program. Conrad holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.Com, Queen’s University
  • Joined the company: 2003
  • Began career: 2003
Conrad Dabiet, CFA

Chris Hensen, CFA

Senior Portfolio Manager, Essential Equity

Chris is a senior portfolio manager for the firm’s essential equity team. The team manages multiple strategies for institutional and retail clients, including Canadian all-cap equity, Canadian large-cap value equity, Canadian focused equity, dividend income, U.S. dividend income, Canadian balanced, U.S. balanced, and global balanced. Previously, Chris was a senior portfolio manager, responsible for U.S. equities. He joined Manulife as an analyst in the investment division rotational program and worked with the fixed-income and real estate teams. Chris holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.B.A., York University; M.B.A., York University
  • Joined the company: 1995
  • Began career: 1995
Chris Hensen, CFA

Jonathan Popper, CIM, FSCI

Senior Portfolio Manager, Essential Equity

Jonathan is a senior portfolio manager for the firm’s essential equity team. The team manages multiple strategies for institutional and retail clients, including Canadian all-cap equity, Canadian large-cap value equity, Canadian focused equity, dividend income, U.S. dividend income, Canadian balanced, U.S. balanced, and global balanced. Jonathan previously worked as part of the North American high-yield investment team. Prior to joining the company, he worked with CIBC Investment Services and CIBC Wood Gundy. Jonathan holds the Canadian Investment Manager and Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute designations.

  • Education: B.A., University of Western Ontario; M.A., M.B.A., York University
  • Joined the company: 1999
  • Began career: 1995
Jonathan Popper, CIM, FSCI

Vehicles

At Manulife Investment Management, we offer investment strategies through a variety of vehicles to suit a broad range of client needs. Contact our institutional sales or consultant relations team to find out if this strategy/vehicle is offered in your region. 

Separate accounts

Our separate accounts and separately managed accounts (SMAs) are designed for institutions and high-net-worth clients seeking tailored investment solutions and direct ownership of securities. 

CITs

Our professionally managed collective investment trusts (CITs) are available in certain qualified retirement plans.

Mutual funds

Mutual funds are liquid, professionally managed portfolios which are available to both institutional and retail investors.


Key facts

Inception date

June 2004

Strategy AUM (CAD)

$985 million

Benchmark

S&P/TSX Composite Index

Style

Value

Average portfolio manager experience

22 years

Important information

All information shown is as of March 31, 2024, unless otherwise indicated. Strategy-level information may differ from vehicle-specific information. Not all vehicles are available in all locations and may be offered through affiliates of Manulife Investment Management.


Related

Incorporating the Russia-Ukraine conflict in a global macro outlook

For the global economy, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its repercussions amount to a stagflationary shock. We assess the situation's impact on our medium-term macro outlook.
Read more

Canadian equities: facts and future

The Canadian economy is changing, and the TSX needs to adapt. We examine which sectors will be helped or hindered by changing investor appetites, and what the TSX of the future may look like.
Read more

Net-zero emissions: pledges abound, but few banks are actually on a path to meet their commitments

We provide some context for the role that banks will play in decarbonization, describe our evaluation process, and detail the conditions that have led to the success of banking’s sustainable leaders.
Read more