SUPPLEMENT TO THE JOHN HANCOCK GROWTH FUNDS PROSPECTUS DATED MARCH 1, 1998
On page 5, the financial highlights section is revised as follows to reflect
Emerging Growth Fund's 4-1 stock split on May 1, 1998:
Financial Highlights
The figures below have been audited
by the fund's independent auditors, Ernst & Young LLP.
Volatility, as indicated by Class B
year-by-year total investment return (%)
(scale varies from fund to fund)
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<CAPTION>
Class A- period ended: 10/91(1) 10/92 10/93 10/94 10/95(2) 10/96 10/97
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Per share operating performance
Net asset value, beginning of period $4.53 $4.82 $5.15 $6.47 $6.71 $9.02 $10.22
Net investment income (loss)(3) (0.01) (0.05) (0.04) (0.04) (0.07) (0.09) (0.07)
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 0.30 0.40 1.36 0.28 2.38 1.29 2.41
Total from investment operations 0.29 0.35 1.32 0.24 2.31 1.20 2.34
Less distributions:
Distributions from net realized gain
on investments sold - (0.02) - - - - (0.21)
Total distributions - (0.02) - - - - (0.21)
Net asset value, end of period $4.82 $5.15 $6.47 $6.71 $9.02 $10.22 $12.35
Total investment return at net asset value(4) (%) 6.29 7.32 25.68 3.59 34.56 13.27 23.35
Ratios and supplemental data
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) ($) 38,859 46,137 81,263 131,053 179,481 218,497 209,384
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (%) 0.33 1.67 1.40 1.44 1.38 1.32 1.29(5)
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (%) (0.15) (1.03) (0.70) (0.71) (0.83) (0.86) (0.57)
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 66 48 29 25 23 44 96
Average brokerage commission rate(6) ($) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.0669 0.0694
Class B- period ended: 10/88 10/89 10/90 10/91 10/92 10/93 10/94 10/95(2) 10/96 10/97
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Per share operating performance
Net asset value, beginning of period $1.97 $2.64 $3.19 $2.77 $4.81 $5.09 $6.33 $6.51 $8.70 $9.78
Net investment income (loss)(3) 0.03 (0.02) (0.05) (0.08) (0.09) (0.09) (0.09) (0.11) (0.15) (0.14)
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 0.64 0.71 (0.31) 2.12 0.39 1.33 0.27 2.30 1.23 2.29
Total from investment operations 0.67 0.69 (0.36) 2.04 0.30 1.24 0.18 2.19 1.08 2.15
Less distributions:
Dividends from net investment income - (0.01) - - - - - - - -
Distributions from net realized gain on
investments sold - (0.13) (0.06) - (0.02) - - - - (0.21)
Total distributions - (0.14) (0.06) - (0.02) - - - - (0.21)
Net asset value, end of period $2.64 $3.19 $2.77 $4.81 $5.09 $6.33 $6.51 $8.70 $9.78 $11.72
Total investment return at net
asset value(4) (%) 33.59 27.40 (11.82) 73.78 6.19 24.53 2.80 33.60 12.48 22.44
Total adjusted investment return at
net asset value(4,7) (%) 31.00 27.37 - - - - - - - -
Ratios and supplemental data
Net assets, end of period
(000s omitted) ($) 3,232 7,877 11,668 52,743 86,923 219,484 283,435 393,478 451,268 472,594
Ratio of expenses to average
net assets (%) 3.05 3.48 3.11 2.85 2.64 2.28 2.19 2.11 2.05 2.02(5)
Ratio of adjusted expenses to average
net assets(8) (%) 5.64 3.51 - - - - - - - -
Ratio of net investment income (loss)
to average net assets (%) 0.81 (0.67) (1.64) (1.83) (1.99) (1.58) (1.46) (1.55) (1.59) (1.30)
Ratio of adjusted net investment income
(loss to average net assets(8) (%) (1.78) (0.70) - - - - - - - -
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 252 90 82 66 48 29 25 23 44 96
Fee reduction per share ($) 0.073 0.001 - - - - - - - -
Average brokerage commission rate(6) ($) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.0669 0.0694
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(1) Class A shares commenced operations on August 22, 1991. (Not annualized.)
(2) On December 22, 1994, John Hancock Advisers, Inc. became the investment
adviser of the fund.
(3) Based on the average of the shares outstanding at the end of each month.
(4) Assumes dividend reinvestment and does not reflect the effect of sales
charges.
(5) Expense ratios do not include interest expense due to bank loans, which
amounted to less than $0.01 cents per share.
(6) Per portfolio share traded. Required for fiscal years that began September
1, 1995 or later.
(7) An estimated total return calculation that does not take into consideration
fee reductions by the adviser during the periods shown.
(8) Unreimbursed, without fee reduction.
