HPS (John Hancock Preferredome Fund III) Moat Score: 2/10 (As of Jul. 01, 2026)


HPS John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III HPS
30 GF Score
Price $14.51
! 6 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is John Hancock Preferredome Fund III Moat Score?

John Hancock Preferredome Fund III HPS -0.21% 30 Moat Score is 2 as of Jul. 01, 2026. GuruFocus rates HPS with a GF Score™ of 30/100. The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,694 Asset Management companies, John Hancock Preferredome Fund III ranks better than 80.05% on this metric.

John Hancock Preferredome Fund III has the Moat Score of 2, which implies that the company might have No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages.

John Hancock Preferredome Fund III has No Moat: John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III lacks competitive advantages typical of a financial fund. It does not possess unique intellectual property, brand strength, or significant regulatory barriers, resulting in a very weak competitive position in the financial sector.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes John Hancock Preferredome Fund III might have No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages.


John Hancock Preferredome Fund III  (NYSE:HPS) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

John Hancock Preferredome Fund III Moat Score Related Terms


HPS vs NBB, VVR, KIO: Moat Score Comparison

For the Asset Management subindustry, John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


John Hancock Preferredome Fund III Moat Score vs Asset Management Industry

For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's Moat Score falls into.


HPS
30GF Score
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III HPS
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 2 mean?
John Hancock Preferredome Fund III (HPS) has a Moat Score of 2 as of Jul. 01, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, John Hancock Preferredome Fund III ranks #338 out of 1694 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 20%.
Is John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's Moat Score too high?
John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's current Moat Score is 2. Based on the distribution chart, John Hancock Preferredome Fund III ranks #338 out of 1694 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, John Hancock Preferredome Fund III has a GF Score™ of 30/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's Moat Score compare to NBB and VVR?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, John Hancock Preferredome Fund III ranks #338 out of 1694 companies for Moat Score. This places John Hancock Preferredome Fund III in the top 20% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for an Asset Management company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Asset Management industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's current Moat Score is 2. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is John Hancock Preferredome Fund III stock overvalued right now?
John Hancock Preferredome Fund III (HPS) has a current Moat Score of 2. The current Moat Score is 2. John Hancock Preferredome Fund III's overall GF Score™ is 30/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For John Hancock Preferredome Fund III (HPS), the current Moat Score is 2 as of Jul. 01, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

John Hancock Preferredome Fund III Business Description

Address 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA, USA, 02116
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III is a closed-end, diversified management investment company. Its investment objective is to provide a high level of current income consistent with preservation of capital. The fund's secondary investment objective is to provide growth of capital to the extent consistent with its primary investment objective. It seeks to achieve the objectives by investing a majority of its assets in preferred stocks and other preferred securities, including convertible preferred securities. The portfolio composition of the company consists of the U.S. preferred securities, foreign preferred securities, common stocks, corporate bonds, and the short-term investments.
30GF Score

Get the complete analysis for HPS

Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$14.51
Price