Nov 1 (Reuters) - Manulife Financial Corp MFC.TO :
* MANULIFE ANNOUNCES THREE TRANSACTIONS ON ITS LEGACY BUSINESSES THAT WILL RELEASE OVER $1 BILLION OF CAPITAL, INTENTION TO LAUNCH NORMAL COURSE ISSUER BID AND AN INCREASE TO ITS COMMON SHARE DIVIDEND
* SETS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF C$0.25PER SHARE
* ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO LAUNCH NORMAL COURSE ISSUER BID TO ACQUIRE UP TO 40 MILLION OF ITS COMMON SHARES
* INCREASE OF 14% OR 3 CENTS PER SHARE TO ITS QUARTERLY COMMON SHAREHOLDERS' DIVIDEND
* MANULIFE FINANCIAL - EXPECTS TO RECOGNIZE AN UP-FRONT AFTER-TAX GAIN OF APPROXIMATELY $175 MILLION RELATED TO TRANSACTIONS
* ONGOING EARNINGS EXPECTED TO BE REDUCED BY ABOUT $20 MILLION AFTER-TAX PER QUARTER BEGINNING IN Q4 OF 2018
* MAY UNDERTAKE REPURCHASES OF ITS COMMON SHARES OUTSIDE OF CANADA AND UNITED STATES IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS
* MANULIFE - DEALS TO REINSURE ABOUT $8 BILLION OF POLICY LIABILITIES RELATED TO LEGACY U.S. GROUP PAY-OUT ANNUITIES TO JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE CO
* MANULIFE - DEALS TO REINSURE ABOUT $4 BILLION OF POLICY LIABILITIES RELATED TO LEGACY U.S. INDIVIDUAL PAY-OUT ANNUITIES TO RGA REINSURANCE COMPANY
* TRANSACTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RELEASE A TOTAL OF OVER $1 BILLION IN CAPITAL OVER NEXT 12 MONTHS
* MANULIFE - DEALS TO REINSURE MORTALITY, LAPSE RISK ON ABOUT $1 BILLION OF POLICY LIABILITIES RELATED TO CANADIAN LEGACY UNIVERSAL LIFE BUSINESS