John Hancock Income Securities Trust ANNUAL REPORT 12.31.02 [A 2" x 1" John Hancock (Signature)/John Hancock Funds logo in lower, center middle of page. A tag line below reads "JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS."] [A photo of Maureen R. Ford, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, in upper left-hand corner.] WELCOME Table of contents Your fund at a glance page 1 Managers' report page 2 Fund's investments page 6 Financial statements page 17 Trustees & officers page 31 For your information page 37 Dear Fellow Shareholders, Investors were probably never happier to close out a year than they were in 2002, since it was the third consecutive year that the stock market declined -- something that hadn't occurred in 60 years. Driving the fall were fears of war, a weak economy, disappointing profits, rising oil prices and a string of corporate scandals. All market sectors and investment styles suffered. As a result, the broad Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell by 22.09% for the year, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 15.05% and the technology laden Nasdaq Composite Index lost 31.53%. Despite a fourth-quarter rally, only 3.8% of U.S. stock mutual funds made money last year, and the average U.S. stock fund lost 22.42%, according to Lipper, Inc. Bond Funds provided the only bright spot, producing mostly positive results, with the average long-term bond fund rising 7.9%. It was the third year in which bonds outperformed stocks and gained ground, confirming yet again the importance of having a portfolio well-diversified among stocks, bonds and cash. In fact, the disparity between stock and bond results over the last three years means that many investors' portfolios may have shifted substantially in their mix between stocks and bonds. We recommend working with your investment professional to rebalance your assets according to your long-term goals. After three down years, no one can predict when the bear market cycle will turn. Currently, uncertainties abound, as the good news seen in signs of improving economic and corporate data, and efforts by Washington to stimulate the economy, are offset by the possibility of war and other geopolitical risks. While all these factors are beyond our control, investors can take charge of how they maneuver through the inevitable bull and bear market cycles. We've said it before, but it bears repeating: the key is to keep a long-term perspective and work with your investment professional to develop and maintain a properly diversified portfolio. We believe this offers the best protection in the tough times and the best means to reach your long-term goals. Sincerely, /S/ MAUREEN R. FORD Maureen R. Ford, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer YOUR FUND AT A GLANCE The Fund seeks a high level of current income consistent with prudent invest- ment risk by investing in a diversified portfolio of debt securities. Over the last twelve months * Bonds gained ground for the third straight year as the U.S. economy weakened and interest rates declined. * Treasury and government bonds were the best performers, followed by corporate and mortgage-backed securities. * The Fund added mortgage-backed securities and lower-quality corporate bonds, which offered the best relative values and attractive yields. [Bar chart with heading "John Hancock Income Securities Trust." Under the heading is a note that reads "Fund performance for the year ended December 31, 2002." The chart is scaled in increments of 2% with 0% at the bottom and 8% at the top. The first bar represents the 8.00% total return for John Hancock Income Securities Trust. A note below the chart reads "The total return for the Fund is at net asset value with all distributions reinvested."] Top 10 issuers 20.3% Federal National Mortgage Assn. 12.8% United States Treasury 4.7% Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. 2.9% Government National Mortgage Assn. 1.6% Financing Corp. 1.2% CIT Group, Inc. 1.1% Ford Motor Credit Co. 1.1% NiSource Finance Corp. 1.1% Household Finance Corp. 0.9% Midland Funding Corp. II As a percentage of net assets on December 31, 2002. BY BARRY H. EVANS, CFA, JEFFREY N. GIVEN, CFA, AND DAWN M. BAILLIE, PORTFOLIO MANAGERS John Hancock Income Securities Trust MANAGERS' REPORT With the recent retirement of James Ho, the Fund's day-to-day management has been assumed by other members of the team, including John Hancock's chief fixed-income officer Barry Evans, and Jeff Given and Dawn Baillie, both of whom have been with John Hancock for more than 10 years managing fixed-income investments. In 2002, U.S. bonds gained ground for the third consecutive year as interest rates declined sharply. Bonds advanced as a blossoming economic recovery sputtered during the summer and hit another rough patch in the fourth quarter, prompting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates for the 12th time in the past two years. Demand for bonds also got a boost from the faltering stock market, where depressed earnings and fraudulent financial reporting weakened investor confidence and chased many into the relative safety of bonds. "In 2002, U.S. bonds gained ground for the third consecutive year as interest rates declined sharply." High-quality bonds benefited the most from the flight to safety. In particular, Treasury bonds were the best performers as yields fell to their lowest levels in more than 40 years. Corporate bonds struggled early in the year as corporate scandals and poor earnings led to some concerns about creditworthiness, but they outperformed during the last half of the year. Mortgage- backed securities trailed the rest of the bond market thanks to a huge wave of mortgage refinancing. FUND PERFORMANCE For the year ended December 31, 2002, John Hancock Income Securities Trust produced a total return of 8.00% at net asset value. The average closed-end BBB-rated corporate debt fund returned 7.53%, according to Lipper, Inc., while the Lehman Brothers Government/Credit Bond Index returned 11.04%. [Photos of Barry Evans, Jeffrey Given and Dawn Baillie flush right next to first paragraph.] PORTFOLIO THEMES In the first half of the year, the Fund was positioned for an economic recovery that failed to materialize. More than half of the portfolio was invested in corporate bonds, with an emphasis on companies that would benefit the most from a rebounding economy, such as utilities, telecommunications and media. However, these sectors wrestled with overcapacity, competitive pressures, declining earnings and lingering fallout from the high-profile scandals at Enron, WorldCom and Adelphia. "We were also able to add to the portfolio's yield by invest- ing in preferred stocks." In the summer and fall, we began to lower the portfolio's overall credit quality in anticipation of a recovery in the credit cycle. This strategy also allowed us to capture higher yields in a declining interest-rate environment and make some favorable relative-value trades -- selling bonds that had performed well in the first half of the year and buying securities that had underperformed. Accordingly, we reduced the Fund's holdings of Treasury bonds and higher-quality corporate bonds, and replaced them with lower-rated corporate bonds and mortgage-backed securities. FINDING VALUE AMONG CORPORATE BONDS As part of our trade down in the credit quality of the Fund's corporate bonds, we boosted the percentage of below-investment- grade securities (rated BB or lower) to 15% of the portfolio, up from around 10% at the beginning of the year. These "high-yield" bonds were the performance leaders in the bond market during the last few months of the year. We found some of the best values in beaten-down sectors that were already prominently featured in the portfolio, such as utilities and telecom. Examples include Calpine and Mirant, two energy-trading companies, and some of the more liquid lower-rated telecom bonds, like Telus and Citizens Communications. [Table at top left-hand side of page entitled "Top five sectors." The first listing is U.S. government agencies 30%, the second is U.S. government 13%, the third Utilities 8%, the fourth Finance 7%, and the fifth Media 5%.] We also added to our cyclical and financial holdings. Cyclical bonds underperformed as the economy lost momentum at mid-year, so we snapped up the bonds of paper company Abitibi- Consolidated, nickel producer Inco, and petrochemical company Nova Chemicals, as well as TFM, a Mexican railroad company. Among financial companies, we added CIT Group, a diversified financial services firm that was spun off by Tyco in July, and Capital One, a bank with a sizable credit-card business. [Pie chart in middle of page with heading "Portfolio diversification As a percentage of net assets on 12-31-02." The chart is divided into four sections (from top to left): Corporate bonds 53%, U.S. government & agency bonds 42%, Preferred stocks 4% and Short-term investments & other 1%.] SHIFTING INTO MORTGAGES The other main shift occurred within the highest-quality portion of the portfolio. We took profits in some of the Fund's top-rated securities -- including Treasury bonds, asset-backed securities, and high-grade corporate bonds -- and invested the proceeds in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities became attractive in late summer after struggling for much of the year. Mortgage bonds tend to perform best when interest rates are stable, but interest-rate volatility was high in 2002. In addition, the general decline in rates sparked a mortgage refinancing boom that also weighed on mortgage-backed securities. [Table at top of page entitled "SCORECARD." The header for the left column is "INVESTMENT" and the header for the right column is "RECENT PERFORMANCE...AND WHAT'S BEHIND THE NUMBERS." The first listing is NiSource followed by an up arrow with the phrase "Indiana utility reduced leverage by issuing equity." The second listing is Household Finance followed by an up arrow with the phrase "Sub-prime lender acquired by HSBC." The third listing is Calpine followed by a down arrow with the phrase "Energy generator hurt by high debt and excess capacity."] We also traded into mortgage-backed securities carrying current interest rates, which are historically low. Emphasizing lower-coupon mortgages enabled the Fund to maintain its income stream and avoid any adverse impact from the heavy refinancing activity that occurred in the fall. "We expect interest rates to rise slightly but remain in a fairly narrow range during the first half of 2003." ADDING YIELD WITH PREFERRED STOCKS We were also able to add to the portfolio's yield by investing in preferred stocks. In recent months, the preferred shares of many companies offered dividend yields that were two to three percentage points higher than prevailing corporate bond yields. Although the Fund's position in preferred stocks is small, it has boosted the Fund's income level. We focused on the preferred stocks of utilities and financial companies. OUTLOOK We expect interest rates to rise slightly but remain in a fairly narrow range during the first half of 2003. Although economic conditions are likely to improve, we think growth will be moderate and that inflation will remain low, keeping the Fed out of the picture. With corporate scandals fading and a potential U.S.-Iraq war already factored into the market, the flight-to-quality demand for Treasury bonds is likely to run dry. Our strategy emphasizing mortgage-backed securities and higher-yielding corporate bonds would fare well in a stable rate environment. This commentary reflects the views of the portfolio managers through the end of the Fund's period discussed in this report. Of course, the managers' views are subject to change as market and other conditions warrant. FUND'S INVESTMENTS Securities owned by the Fund on December 31, 2002 This schedule is divided into three main categories: publicly traded bonds, preferred stocks and short-term investments. Publicly traded bonds are further broken down by industry group. Short-term investments, which represent the Fund's cash position, are listed last. ISSUER, DESCRIPTION, INTEREST CREDIT PAR VALUE MATURITY DATE RATE RATING* (000s OMITTED) VALUE PUBLICLY TRADED BONDS 95.08% $169,797,084 (Cost $164,622,713) Aerospace 0.69% $1,226,269 Jet Equipment Trust, Equipment Trust Ctf Ser 95B2 08-15-14 (R) 10.910% CC $550 37,626 Raytheon Co., Note 03-01-10 8.300 BBB- 1,000 1,188,643 Automobile / Trucks 0.62% 1,115,415 ERAC USA Finance Co., Note 06-15-08 (R) 7.350 BBB+ 320 360,310 Note 12-15-09 (R) 7.950 BBB+ 340 392,382 Hertz Corp., Sr Note 06-01-12 7.625 BBB 380 362,723 Banks 3.10% 5,531,107 Bank of New York, Cap Security 12-01-26 (R) 7.780 A- 650 701,384 Barclays Bank Plc, Perpetual Bond (6.86% to 6-15-32 then variable) (United Kingdom) 06-15-49 ( R) 6.860 A+ 520 532,740 Capital One Bank, Note 07-30-04 6.500 BBB- 1,015 992,662 Sr Note 02-01-06 6.875 BBB- 570 551,448 Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, Bond (United Kingdom) 03-31-49 8.817 A- 380 426,498 Perpetual Bond (7.648% to 09-30-31 then variable) (United Kingdom) 08-31-49 7.648 A- 440 509,265 UBS Preferred Funding Trust I, Perpetual Bond (8.622% to 10-01-10 then variable) 10-01-49 8.622 AA- 1,085 1,311,486 Zions Financial Corp., Gtd Note (6.95% to 05-15-06 then variable) 05-15-11 6.950 BBB- 475 505,624 Building 0.19% 344,995 Toll Brothers, Inc., Note 11-15-12 ( R) 6.875 BBB- 335 344,995 Business Services -- Misc. 0.48% 861,259 Cendant Corp., Note 08-15-06 6.875 BBB 830 861,259 Chemicals 0.31% 551,100 Equistar Chemicals L.P./Equistar Funding Corp., Note 02-15-04 8.500 BB 350 346,500 Lyondell Chemical Co., Sr Sec Note 12-15-08 9.500 BB 220 204,600 Computers 0.23% 405,845 NCR Corp., Note 06-15-09 (R) 7.125 BBB- 390 405,845 Electronics 0.38% 687,675 UCAR Finance, Inc., Gtd Sr Note 02-15-12 10.250 B 865 687,675 Energy 0.74% 1,315,463 CalEnergy Co., Inc., Sr Bond 09-15-28 8.480 BBB- 550 647,226 Sr Note 10-15-07 7.630 BBB- 250 280,593 P&L Coal Holdings Corp., Sr Sub Note Ser B 05-15-08 9.625 B+ 367 387,644 Finance 7.19% 12,846,444 CIT Group, Inc., Med Term Note 12-08-03 5.570 A 1,460 1,484,763 Sr Note 04-02-07 7.375 A 525 572,360 Conseco Finance Securitizations Corp., Pass Thru Ctf Ser 2002-A Class A-3 04-15-32 5.330 AAA 870 889,904 Ford Motor Credit Co., Note 02-01-06 6.875 BBB 745 746,305 Note 10-28-09 7.375 BBB 1,290 1,278,212 General Motors Acceptance Corp., Note 08-28-07 6.125 BBB 515 521,113 Note 08-28-12 6.875 BBB 375 370,913 Household Finance Corp., Note 07-15-06 7.200 A- 405 438,185 Note 05-15-11 6.750 A- 965 1,028,872 Note 11-27-12 6.375 A- 440 459,330 ING Capital Funding Trust III, Perpetual Bond (8.439% to 12-31-10 then variable) 12-31-49 8.439 A- 1,015 1,180,279 MBNA America Bank N.A., Sub Note 11-15-12 7.125 BBB 1,135 1,187,790 MDP Acquisitions Plc, Sr Note (Ireland) 10-01-12 (R) 9.625 B 250 260,000 Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., Traded Custody Receipts 06-15-12 (R) 6.799 Baa1 990 1,089,782 Newcourt Credit Group, Inc., Note Ser B (Canada) 02-16-05 6.875 A 425 446,715 PDVSA Finance Ltd., Note (Cayman Islands) 11-16-12 8.500 BB 360 284,400 Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp., Note 04-15-12 6.700 A- 405 384,432 Yanacocha Receivables Master Trust, Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1997-A 06-15-04 (R) 8.400 BBB- 221 223,089 Food 0.52% 928,910 ConAgra Foods, Inc., Sub Note 09-15-04 7.400 BBB 145 157,120 Corn Products International, Inc., Sr Note 08-15-09 8.450 BBB- 760 771,790 Government -- U.S. 12.75% 22,762,787 United States Treasury, Bond 08-15-17 8.875 AAA 1,215 1,775,750 Bond 05-15-18 9.125 AAA 495 741,533 Bond 08-15-25 6.875 AAA 4,430 5,603,086 Bond 02-15-31 5.375 AAA 9,615 10,481,850 Note 08-15-09 6.000 AAA 2,305 2,679,922 Note 11-15-12 4.000 AAA 1,460 1,480,646 Government -- U.S. Agencies 29.54% 52,748,073 Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., 20 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 01-01-16 11.250 AAA 83 93,018 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 08-01-32+ 6.500 AAA 2,075 2,161,907 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 09-01-32 6.500 AAA 461 480,529 CMO REMIC 2479-TB 11-15-11 5.000 AAA 895 931,178 CMO REMIC 2479-PM 07-15-21 5.000 AAA 1,275 1,315,893 CMO REMIC 2496-PE 07-15-31 5.500 AAA 645 663,544 CMO REMIC 2469-PB 12-15-25 6.000 AAA 1,420 1,484,080 CMO REMIC 2367-PJ 03-15-27 6.000 AAA 371 383,121 CMO REMIC 2469-PD 12-15-30 6.000 AAA 855 894,606 Federal National Mortgage Assn., 15 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 02-01-08 7.500 AAA 17 18,272 15 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 09-01-10 7.000 AAA 182 193,803 15 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 09-01-12 7.000 AAA 44 46,954 15 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 12-01-14 5.500 AAA 871 911,852 15 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 01-01-16+ 5.500 AAA 6,630 6,868,269 15 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 04-01-17 7.000 AAA 203 216,255 15 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 01-01-18+ 5.000 AAA 1,120 1,146,949 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 10-01-23 7.000 AAA 205 217,144 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 01-01-30+ 6.000 AAA 12,860 13,290,013 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 02-01-32 7.000 AAA 359 377,628 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 04-01-32 7.000 AAA 1,456 1,531,732 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 05-01-32 7.000 AAA 2,200 2,313,715 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 06-01-32 6.500 AAA 1,494 1,555,778 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 07-01-32 6.500 AAA 1,609 1,676,355 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 07-01-32 6.500 AAA 905 942,643 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 11-01-32 6.500 AAA 1,136 1,190,930 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 01-01-33+ 5.500 AAA 85 86,673 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 02-01-33+ 5.500 AAA 350 355,359 CMO REMIC 2002-55-QB 08-25-12 5.500 AAA 1,320 1,384,229 CMO REMIC 2002-73-PE 10-25-31 5.500 AAA 1,575 1,618,313 Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1997-M8 Class A-1 01-25-22 6.940 AAA 282 294,980 Financing Corp., Bond 02-08-18 9.400 AAA 2,000 2,910,324 Government National Mortgage Assn., 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 01-15-32+ 6.000 AAA 1,080 1,123,200 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 09-15-28 to 12-15-31 6.500 AAA 2,151 2,260,188 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 07-15-31 to 03-15-32 7.000 AAA 1,415 1,499,856 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 04-15-21 9.000 AAA 93 102,959 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 11-15-19 to 02-15-25 9.500 AAA 121 136,253 30 Yr Pass Thru Ctf 11-15-20 10.000 AAA 60 69,571 Insurance 1.41% 2,513,966 Equitable Life Assurance Society USA, Surplus Note 12-01-05 (R) 6.950 A+ 250 271,904 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., Surplus Note 11-15-23 (R) 7.625 AA 485 544,501 MONY Group, Inc. (The), Sr Note 12-15-05 7.450 BBB+ 500 520,742 Sun Canada Financial Co., Sub Note 12-15-07 (R) 6.625 AA- 725 768,862 URC Holdings Corp., Sr Note 06-30-06 (R) 7.875 AA 355 407,957 Leisure 1.61% 2,882,794 Argosy Gaming Co., Sr Sub Note 09-01-11 9.000 B+ 210 222,338 Harrah's Operating Co., Inc., Sr Sub Note 12-15-05 7.875 BB+ 745 789,700 HMH Properties, Inc., Sr Note Ser A 08-01-05 7.875 BB- 345 339,825 Hyatt Equities LLC, Note 06-15-07 (R) 6.875 BBB 310 308,756 Waterford Gaming LLC Sr Note 03-15-10 (R) 9.500 B+ 205 212,175 Wynn Las Vegas LLC, 2nd Mtg Note 11-01-10 12.000 CCC+ 1,000 1,010,000 Machinery 0.24% 429,735 Kennametal, Inc., Sr Note 06-15-12 7.200 BBB 405 429,735 Media 5.38% 9,608,124 AOL Time Warner, Inc., Deb 04-15-31 7.625 BBB+ 640 657,782 AT&T Broadband Corp., Gtd Note 03-15-13 8.375 BBB 625 709,951 British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc, Sr Note (United Kingdom) 07-15-09 8.200 BB+ 945 1,020,600 Clear Channel Communications, Inc., Note 06-15-05 7.875 BBB- 650 711,632 Continental Cablevision, Inc., Sr Note 05-15-06 8.300 BBB 595 644,556 Cox Communications, Inc., Note 08-15-04 7.500 BBB 675 717,190 CSC Holdings, Inc., Sr Sub Deb 05-15-16 10.500 B+ 285 282,506 EchoStar DBS Corp., Sr Note 02-01-09 9.375 B+ 325 343,687 Garden State Newspapers, Inc., Sr Sub Note 07-01-11 8.625 B+ 275 277,750 Grupo Televisa SA, Note (Mexico) 09-13-11 8.000 BBB- 215 224,138 Sr Note (Mexico) 03-11-32 8.500 BBB- 640 608,000 Lenfest Communications, Inc., Sr Note 11-01-05 8.375 BBB 345 373,399 News America Holdings, Inc., Gtd Sr Deb 02-15-05 8.500 BBB- 525 567,676 Gtd Sr Deb 08-10-18 8.250 BBB- 540 591,800 Rogers Cablesystems Ltd., Gtd Note (Canada) 12-01-07 10.000 BBB- 80 81,600 Sr Note Ser B (Canada) 03-15-05 10.000 BBB- 445 458,350 TCI Communications, Inc., Sr Deb 02-01-12 9.800 BBB 235 282,475 Sr Deb 02-15-26 7.875 BBB 365 370,219 Time Warner, Inc., Deb 01-15-13 9.125 BBB+ 434 509,029 USA Interactive, Note 01-15-13 (R) 7.000 BBB- 170 175,784 Medical 0.87% 1,549,823 Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., Note 07-01-07 7.000 BBB- 170 180,499 HCA - The Healthcare Co., Note 06-01-06 7.125 BBB- 495 524,570 Note 09-01-10 8.750 BBB- 235 270,461 Quest Diagnostics, Inc., Sr Note 07-12-06 6.750 BBB- 355 386,824 Triad Hospitals, Inc., Sr Note 05-01-09 8.750 B- 175 187,469 Metal 0.85% 1,521,649 Great Central Mines Ltd., Sr Note (Australia) 04-01-08 8.875 BBB- 690 686,550 Inco Ltd., Bond (Canada) 09-15-32 7.200 BBB- 490 484,609 Newmont Mining Corp., Note 05-15-11 8.625 BBB 300 350,490 Mortgage Banking 2.95% 5,264,512 Commercial Mortgage Acceptance Corp., Commercial Mtg Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1999-C1 Class A-1 06-15-31 6.790 Aaa 535 587,631 ContiMortgage Home Equity Loan Trust, Home Equity Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1995-2 Class A-5 08-15-25 8.100 AAA 458 457,359 Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Securities Corp., Commercial Mtg Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1998-C1 Class A-1A 05-17-40 6.260 AAA 843 893,521 Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corp., Commercial Mtg Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1998-C1 Class C 06-15-31 6.861 A2 415 456,578 First Union National Bank-Chase Manhattan Bank Commercial Mortgage Trust, Commercial Mtg Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1999-C2 Class A-1 06-15-31 6.360 Aaa 459 492,052 GMAC Commercial Mortgage Securities, Inc., Mtg Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1998-C1 Class A-1 05-15-30 6.853 Aaa 1,169 1,240,585 LB Commercial Mortgage Trust, Commercial Mtg Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1999-C1 Class A-1 06-15-31 6.410 Aaa 578 624,831 UCFC Home Equity Loan Trust, Home Equity Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1996-D1 Class A6 02-15-25 7.180 AAA 495 511,955 Oil & Gas 4.41% 7,877,013 Alberta Energy Co. Ltd., Note (Canada) 09-15-30 8.125 A- 370 469,038 Note (Canada) 11-01-31 7.375 A- 355 416,675 Colonial Pipeline Co., Sr Note 04-15-32 (R) 7.630 A 510 608,690 Forest Oil Corp., Sr Note 06-15-08 8.000 BB 210 221,550 Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp., Sr Note 12-01-07 6.875 BBB+ 345 386,074 Nova Chemicals Corp., Sr Note (Canada) 05-15-06 7.000 BB+ 1,280 1,241,600 Occidental Petroleum Corp., Sr Deb 09-15-09 10.125 BBB 1,160 1,548,384 Pemex Project Funding Master Trust, Gtd Note 10-13-10 9.125 BBB- 1,115 1,276,675 Tosco Corp., Note 02-15-30 8.125 A- 680 866,801 Valero Energy Corp., Note 06-15-05 8.375 BBB 210 224,418 Note 03-15-06 7.375 BBB 380 404,608 XTO Energy, Inc., Sr Note 04-15-12 7.500 BB 200 212,500 Paper & Paper Products 2.22% 3,958,474 Abitibi-Consolidated, Inc., Bond (Canada) 08-01-05 8.300 BBB- 1,115 1,188,186 Corporacion Durango S.A. de C.V., Sr Note (Mexico) 07-15-09 # (R) 13.750 CC 1,250 350,000 Stone Container Corp., Sr Note 02-01-11 9.750 B 285 304,950 Sr Note 07-01-12 8.375 B 1,000 1,025,000 Weyerhaeuser Co., Note 03-15-12 6.750 BBB 1,000 1,090,338 Real Estate Investment Trusts 0.80% 1,422,827 American Health Properties, Inc., Note 01-15-07 7.500 BBB+ 270 289,779 Cabot Industrial Properties, L.P., Note 05-01-04 7.125 BBB 380 395,118 Camden Property Trust, Note 04-15-04 7.000 BBB 525 549,479 Healthcare Realty Trust, Inc., Sr Note 05-01-11 8.125 BBB- 175 188,451 Real Estate Operations 0.57% 1,011,822 Socgen Real Estate Co. LLC, Perpetual Bond Ser A (7.64% to 09-30-07 then variable) 12-31-49 (R) 7.640 A 920 1,011,822 Retail 0.90% 1,608,797 Delhaize America, Inc., Gtd Note 04-15-06 7.375 BB+ 510 498,534 Gap, Inc. (The), Note 12-15-08 10.550 BB+ 515 561,350 Staples, Inc., Note 10-01-12 (R) 7.375 BBB- 500 548,913 Telecommunications 5.52% 9,856,738 Citizens Communications Co., Note 05-15-06 8.500 BBB 790 874,842 Sr Note 08-15-04 6.375 BBB 335 343,235 Deutsche Telekom International Finance B.V., Bond (Coupon rate Step-up/down on rating) (Netherlands) 06-15-05 7.750 A- 300 328,022 Bond (Coupon rate Step-up/down on rating) (Netherlands) 06-15-10 8.000 BBB+ 1,005 1,157,493 France Telecom SA, Note (France) 03-01-11 7.750 BBB- 1,135 1,312,366 PanAmSat Corp., Sr Note 02-01-12 8.500 B- 675 644,625 PTC International Finance B.V., Gtd Sr Sub Disc Note (Netherlands) 07-01-07 10.750 B+ 170 176,800 PTC International Finance II SA, Gtd Sr Sub Note (Luxembourg) 12-01-09 11.250 B+ 135 143,100 Qwest Corp., Note 03-15-12 (R) 8.875 B- 620 601,400 Sprint Capital Corp., Note 11-15-03 5.700 BBB- 1,000 995,000 Note 01-30-06 7.125 Baa3 535 529,650 Telefonos de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Sr Note (Mexico) 01-26-06 8.250 BBB- 705 771,975 Telus Corp., Note (Canada) 06-01-11 8.000 BBB 895 859,200 Verizon New York, Inc., Deb Ser B 04-01-32 7.375 A+ 700 806,330 VoiceStream Wireless Corp., Sr Note 09-15-09 11.500 Baa2 295 312,700 Transportation 1.45% 2,594,668 Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., Deb 08-15-30 7.950 BBB+ 690 865,921 Continental Airlines, Inc., Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1999-1A 02-02-19 6.545 AA- 565 490,294 Humpuss Funding Corp., Note 12-15-09 (R) 7.720 B3 280 222,354 Northwest Airlines 1996-1 Pass Through Trusts, Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1996-1C 01-02-05 10.150 BB- 97 66,765 Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1996-1D 01-02-15 8.970 BB 333 159,866 NWA Trust, Sr Note Ser A 12-21-12 9.250 AA- 479 451,368 TFM S.A. de C.V., Gtd Sr Disc Note (Mexico) 06-15-09 11.750 BB- 345 338,100 Utilities 8.36% 14,933,829 AES Eastern Energy L.P., Pass Thru Ctf Ser 1999-A 01-02-17 9.000 BB+ 410 377,565 Beaver Valley Funding Corp., Sec Lease Oblig Bond 06-01-17 9.000 BBB- 463 512,810 BVPS II Funding Corp., Collateralized Lease Bond 06-01-17 8.890 BBB- 700 742,154 Calpine Canada Energy Finance ULC, Sr Note (Canada) 05-01-08# 8.500 B+ 260 113,100 Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., 1st Mtg Ser B 05-15-05 9.500 BBB 1,205 1,209,014 CMS Energy Corp., Sr Note Ser B 01-15-04 6.750 B+ 400 372,000 Commonwealth Edison Co., 1st Mtg 02-15-23 8.375 A- 290 302,913 EIP Funding-PNM, Sec Fac Bond 10-01-12 10.250 BBB- 1,081 1,075,595 GG1B Funding Corp., Deb 01-15-11 7.430 BBB- 328 324,472 HQI Transelect Chile SA, Sr Note (Chile) 04-15-11 7.875 A- 510 564,923 Hydro-Quebec, Gtd Bond Ser HY (Canada) 01-15-22 8.400 A+ 340 448,719 Indiana Michigan Power Co., 1st Mtg Note 12-15-22 8.500 BBB+ 240 251,875 Kinder Morgan, Inc., Bond 09-01-12 ( R) 6.500 BBB 335 350,098 Long Island Lighting Co., Deb 03-15-23 8.200 A- 640 669,322 MidAmerican Energy Holdings, Sr Note 10-01-12 (R) 5.875 BBB- 215 217,952 Midland Funding Corp. II, Deb Ser A 07-23-05 11.750 BB- 1,410 1,438,200 Deb Ser B 07-23-06 13.250 BB- 225 232,875 Monterrey Power S.A. de C.V., Sr Sec Bond (Mexico) 11-15-09 ( R) 9.625 BBB- 140 158,041 Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., Sec Fac Bond 01-01-18 8.770 A 735 769,182 NiSource Finance Corp., Note 11-15-03 7.500 BBB 1,350 1,360,651 Note 11-15-10 7.875 BBB 580 637,436 Pinnacle Partners, Sr Note 08-15-04 (R) 8.830 BB+ 480 452,844 Pinnacle West Capital Corp., Sr Note 04-01-06 6.400 BBB- 455 463,236 PNPP II Funding Corp., Deb 05-30-16 9.120 BBB- 495 550,851 PSEG Energy Holdings, Inc., Sr Note 02-15-08 8.625 BBB- 340 283,900 Tiers-MIR-2001-14, Coll Trust 06-15-04 (R) 7.200 BB 645 277,350 Waterford 3 Funding Corp., Sec Lease Obligation Bond 01-02-17 8.090 BBB- 720 776,751 Waste Disposal Service & Equipment 0.80% 1,436,971 Allied Waste North America, Inc., Sr Sub Note Ser B 08-01-09 10.000 B+ 875 868,437 Republic Services, Inc., Sr Note 08-15-11 6.750 BBB 520 568,534 ISSUER, DESCRIPTION SHARES VALUE PREFERRED STOCKS 4.54% $8,107,649 (Cost $8,153,904) Abbey National Plc, 7.375% (United Kingdom) 41,300 1,057,280 California Federal Preferred Capital Corp., 9.125%, Ser A 37,160 966,532 CSC Holdings, Inc., 11.125%, Ser M 14,029 1,304,697 CSC Holdings, Inc., 11.750%, Ser H 4,076 387,220 Dominion Resources, Inc., 9.500% 20,000 1,083,800 DTE Energy Co., 8.750% 10,000 272,900 KeySpan Corp., 8.750% 20,000 1,011,400 Morgan Stanley Capital Trust II, 7.250% 32,900 861,980 TECO Energy, Inc., 9.500% 31,600 628,840 Viacom, Inc., 7.250% 20,000 533,000 ISSUER, DESCRIPTION, INTEREST PAR VALUE MATURITY DATE RATE (000S OMITTED) VALUE SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS 11.81% $21,101,000 (Cost $21,101,000) Joint Repurchase Agreement 11.81% Investment in a joint repurchase agreement transaction with UBS Warburg, Inc. -- Dated 12-31-02, due 01-02-03 (Secured by U.S. Treasury Bond 8.500% due 02-15-20, U.S. Treasury Notes 4.625% due 02-28-02 and 5.375% due 06-30-03, U.S. Treasury Inflation Indexed Notes 3.500% due 01-15-11 and 3.000% due 07-15-12) 1.150% $21,101 21,101,000 TOTAL INVESTMENTS 111.43% $199,005,733 OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES, NET (11.43%) ($20,417,501) TOTAL NET ASSETS 100.00% $178,588,232 Notes to Schedule of Investments (R) 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. Rule 144A securities amounted to $11,837,556 or 6.63% of the Fund's net assets as of December 31, 2002. + All or a portion of these securities, having an aggregate value of $25,032,370 or 1.40% of the Fund's net assets, have been purchased as forward commitments; that is the Fund has agreed on a trade date to take delivery of and make payment for such securities on a delayed basis subsequent to the date of this schedule. The purchase price and interest rate of such securites are fixed at trade date, although the Fund does not earn any interest on such securities until settlement date. The Fund has instructed its Custodian Bank to segregate assets with a current value at least equal to the amount of the forward commitments. Accordingly, the market value of $25,938,681 of United States Treasury Bonds 5.375% thru 9.125% due 8-15-17 thru 2-15-31, United States Treasury Notes 6.000% due 8-15-09 and 4.000% due 11-15-12, Federal National Mortgage Assn. 5.500% thru 7.000% due 8-25-12 thru 11-01-32 has been segregated to cover the forward commitments. # Par value of foreign bond is expressed in local currency, as shown parenthetically in security description. * Credit ratings are unaudited and rated by Standard & Poor's where available, or Moody's Investors Service or John Hancock Advisers, LLC where Standard & Poor's ratings are not available. Parenthetical disclosure of a foreign country in the security description represents country of a foreign issuer; however, security is U.S. dollar-denominated. The percentage shown for each investment category is the total value of that category as a percentage of the net assets of the Fund. ASSETS AND LIABILITIES December 31, 2002 This Statement of Assets and Liabilities is the Fund's balance sheet. It shows the value of what the Fund owns, is due and owes. You'll also find the net asset value for each common share. ASSETS Investments at value (cost $193,877,617, including $27,373,949 of securities loaned) $199,005,733 Cash 37,836 Receivable for investments sold 2,190,011 Dividends and interest receivable 2,558,099 Other assets 12,966 Total assets 203,804,645 LIABILITIES Payable for investments purchased 24,845,406 Payable to affiliates 286,206 Other payables and accrued expenses 84,801 Total liabilities 25,216,413 NET ASSETS Capital paid-in 175,212,973 Accumulated net realized loss on investments (1,845,891) Net unrealized appreciation of investments 5,128,116 Accumulated net investment income 93,034 Net assets $178,588,232 NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE Based on 10,952,182 common shares outstanding $16.31 See notes to financial statements. OPERATIONS For the year ended December 31, 2002 This Statement of Operations summarizes the Fund's investment income earned and expenses incurred in operating the Fund. It also shows net gains (losses) for the period stated. INVESTMENT INCOME Interest (including securities lending income of $35,414 and net of foreign withholding taxes of $1,425) $11,118,713 Dividends 75,336 Total investment income 11,194,049 EXPENSES Investment management fee 1,068,302 Transfer agent fee 115,791 Custodian fee 88,804 Accounting and legal services fee 52,579 Printing 50,564 Auditing fee 35,000 New York Stock Exchange fee 34,451 Trustees' fee 10,811 Interest expense 7,478 Miscellaneous 5,939 Legal fee 2,500 Total expenses 1,472,219 Net investment income 9,721,830 REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN Net realized gain on investments 886,746 Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments 2,151,819 Net realized and unrealized gain 3,038,565 Increase in net assets from operations $12,760,395 See notes to financial statements. CHANGES IN NET ASSETS This Statement of Changes in Net Assets shows how the value of the Fund's net assets has changed since the end of the previous period. The dif- ference reflects earnings less expenses, any investment gains and losses, dis- tributions paid to shareholders, if any, and any increase due to reinvestment of distributions. YEAR YEAR ENDED ENDED 12-31-01 12-31-02 INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS From operations Net investment income $10,811,979 $9,721,830 Net realized gain 4,385,391 886,746 Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) (2,125,785) 2,151,819 Increase in net assets resulting from operations 13,071,585 12,760,395 Distributions to shareholders From net investment income (11,092,817) (9,996,235) From Fund share transactions 1,162,518 795,011 NET ASSETS Beginning of period 171,887,775 175,029,061 End of period 1 $175,029,061 $178,588,232 1 Includes accumulated (distributions in excess of) net investment income of ($10,149) and $93,034, respectively. See notes to financial statements. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS COMMON SHARES The Financial Highlights show how the Fund's net asset value for a share has changed since the end of the previous period. PERIOD ENDED 12-31-98 12-31-99 12-31-00 12-31-01 1 12-31-02 1 PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE Net asset value, beginning of period $16.55 $16.64 $15.37 $15.89 $16.06 Net investment income 2 1.14 1.10 1.07 1.00 0.89 Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments 0.09 (1.27) 0.52 0.19 0.28 Total from investment operations 1.23 (0.17) 1.59 1.19 1.17 Less distributions From net investment income (1.14) (1.10) (1.07) (1.02) (0.92) Net asset value, end of period $16.64 $15.37 $15.89 $16.06 $16.31 Per share market value, end of period $15.88 $12.69 $14.44 $14.65 $14.66 Total return at market value 3 (%) 1.75 (13.42) 23.06 8.69 6.42 RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA Net assets, end of period (in millions) $177 $165 $172 $175 $179 Ratio of expenses to average net assets (%) 0.81 0.80 0.84 0.80 0.84 Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (%) 6.79 6.88 6.89 6.17 5.56 Portfolio turnover (%) 240 184 248 299 371 1 As required, effective January 1, 2001, the Fund has adopted the provisions of the AICPA Audit and Accounting Guide for Investment Companies, as revised, relating to the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts on debt securities. The effect of this change on per share amounts for the year ended December 31, 2001 was to decrease net investment income per share by $0.02, increase net realized and unrealized gain per share by $0.02, and, had the Fund not made these changes to amortization and accretion, the ratio of net investment income to average net assets would have been 6.30%. The effect of this change on per share amounts for the year ended December 31, 2002 was to decrease net investment income per share by $0.03, increase net realized and unrealized gain per share by $0.03, and, had the Fund not made these changes to amortization and accretion, the ratio of net investment income to average net assets would have been 5.78%. Per share ratios and supplemental data for periods prior to January 1, 2001 have not been restated to reflect this change in presentation. 2 Based on average shares outstanding. 3 Assumes dividend reinvestment. See notes to financial statements. NOTES TO STATEMENTS NOTE A Accounting policies John Hancock Income Securities Trust (the "Fund") is a closed-end diversified investment management company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Significant accounting policies of the Fund are as follows: Valuation of investments Securities in the Fund's portfolio are valued on the basis of market quotations, valuations provided by independent pricing services or at fair value as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Trustees. Short-term debt investments maturing within 60 days are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Joint repurchase agreement Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund, along with other registered investment companies having a management contract with John Hancock Advisers, LLC (the "Adviser"), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Berkeley Financial Group, LLC, may participate in a joint repurchase agreement transaction. Aggregate cash balances are invested in one or more large repurchase agreements, whose underlying securities are obligations of the U.S. government and/or its agencies. The Fund's custodian bank receives delivery of the underlying securities for the joint account on the Fund's behalf. The Adviser is responsible for ensuring that the agreement is fully collateralized at all times. Investment transactions Investment transactions are recorded as of the date of purchase, sale or maturity. Net realized gains and losses on sales of investments are determined on the identified cost basis. Some securities may be purchased on a "when-issued" or "forward delivery" basis, which means that the securities will be delivered to the Fund at a future date, usually beyond customary settlement date. Discount and premium on securities The Fund accretes discount and amortizes premium from par value on securities from either the date of issue or the date of purchase over the life of the security. Expenses The majority of the expenses are directly identifiable to an individual fund. Expenses that are not readily identifiable to a specific fund will be allocated in such a manner as deemed equitable, taking into consideration, among other things, the nature and type of expense and the relative sizes of the funds. Securities lending The Fund may lend securities to certain qualified brokers who pay the Fund negotiated lender fees. These fees are included in interest income. The loans are collateralized at all times with cash or securities with a market value at least equal to the market value of the securities on loan. As with other extensions of credit, the Fund may bear the risk of delay of the loaned securities in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral, should the borrower of the securities fail financially. On December 31, 2002, the Fund loaned securities having a market value of $27,373,949 collateralized by securities in the amount of $28,051,444. Federal income taxes The Fund qualifies as a "regulated investment company" by complying with the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and will not be subject to federal income tax on taxable income that is distributed to shareholders. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required. For federal income tax purposes, the Fund has $1,647,579 of a capital loss carryforward available, to the extent provided by regulations, to offset future net realized capital gains. To the extent that such carryforward is used by the Fund, no capital gain distributions will be made. The entire amount of the loss carryforward expires December 31, 2008. Dividends, interest and distributions Dividend income on investment securities is recorded on the ex-dividend date or, in the case of some foreign securities on the date thereafter, when the Fund identifies the dividend. Interest income on investment securities is recorded on the accrual basis. Foreign income may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, which are accrued as applicable. The Fund records distributions to shareholders from net investment income and net realized gains on the ex-dividend date. During the year ended December 31, 2002, the tax character of distributions paid was as follows: ordinary income $9,996,235. As of December 31, 2002, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis included $103,105 of undistributed ordinary income. Such distributions and distributable earnings, on a tax basis, are determined in conformity with income tax regulations, which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Distributions in excess of tax basis earnings and profits, if any, are reported in the Fund's financial statements as a return of capital. Use of estimates The preparation of these financial statements, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, incorporates estimates made by management in determining the reported amount of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of the Fund. Actual results could differ from these estimates. NOTE B Management fee and transactions with affiliates and others The Fund has an investment management contract with the Adviser. Under the investment management contract, the Fund pays a quarterly management fee to the Adviser, equivalent on an annual basis, to the sum of (a) 0.65% of the first $150,000,000 of the Fund's average weekly net asset value, (b) 0.375% of the next $50,000,000, (c) 0.35% of the next $100,000,000 and (d) 0.30% of the Fund's average weekly net asset value in excess of $300,000,000. In the event normal operating expenses of the Fund, exclusive of taxes, interest, brokerage commissions and extraordinary expenses, exceed 1.5% of the first $30,000,000 of the Fund's average weekly net asset value and 1.0% of the Fund's average weekly net asset value in excess of $30,000,000, the fee payable to the Adviser will be reduced to the extent of such excess, and the Adviser will make additional arrangements necessary to eliminate any remaining excess expenses. There were no management fee reductions during the year ended December 31, 2002. The Fund has an agreement with the Adviser to perform necessary tax, accounting and legal services for the Fund. The compensation for the year was at an annual rate of approximately 0.03% of the average net assets of the Fund. Ms. Maureen R. Ford and Mr. John M. DeCiccio are directors and/or officers of the Adviser and/or its affiliates, as well as Trustees of the Fund. The compensation of unaffiliated Trustees is borne by the Fund. The unaffiliated Trustees may elect to defer for tax purposes their receipt of this compensation under the John Hancock Group of Funds Deferred Compensation Plan. The Fund makes investments into other John Hancock funds, as applicable, to cover its liability for the deferred compensation. Investments to cover the Fund's deferred compensation liability are recorded on the Fund's books as an other asset. The deferred compensation liability and the related other asset are always equal and are marked to market on a periodic basis to reflect any income earned by the investment as well as any unrealized gains or losses. The Deferred Compensation Plan investments had no impact on the operations of the Fund. NOTE C Fund share transactions This listing illustrates the number of Fund shares reinvested, the reclassification of capital accounts and the number of shares outstanding at the beginning and end of the last two periods, along with the corresponding dollar value. The Fund has an 30 million shares authorized with no par value. YEAR ENDED 12-31-01 YEAR ENDED 12-31-02 SHARES AMOUNT SHARES AMOUNT Beginning of period 10,819,590 $173,576,723 10,898,374 $174,131,001 Distributions reinvested 78,784 1,162,518 53,808 795,011 Reclassification of capital accounts -- (608,240) -- 286,961 End of period 10,898,374 $174,131,001 10,952,182 $175,212,973 NOTE D Investment transactions Purchases and proceeds from sales or maturities of securities, other than short-term securities and obligations of the U.S. government, during the year ended December 31, 2002, aggregated $403,222,655 and $387,421,771, respectively. Purchases and proceeds from sales or maturities of obligations of U.S. government aggregated $231,299,547 and $233,725,342, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2002. The cost of investments owned on December 31, 2002, including short-term investments, for federal income tax purposes was $194,379,269. Gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments aggregated $7,899,988 and $3,273,524, respectively, resulting in net unrealized appreciation of $4,626,464. The difference between book basis and tax basis net unrealized appreciation of investments is attributable primarily to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales and amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts on debt securities. NOTE E Reclassification of accounts During the year ended December 31, 2002, the Fund reclassified amounts to reflect an increase in accumulated net realized loss on investments of $664,549, an increase in accumulated net investment income of $377,588 and an increase in capital paid-in of $286,961. This represents the amount necessary to report these balances on a tax basis, excluding certain temporary differences, as of December 31, 2002. Additional adjustments may be needed in subsequent reporting periods. These reclassifications, which have no impact on the net asset value of the Fund, are primarily attributable to certain differences in the computation of distributable income and capital gains under federal tax rules versus accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, book and tax differences in accounting for deferred compensation. The calculation of net investment income per share in the financial highlights excludes these adjustments. NOTE F Change in accounting principle Effective January 1, 2001, the Fund adopted the provisions of the AICPA Audit and Accounting Guide for Investment Companies, as revised, relating to the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts on debt securities. The cumulative effect of this accounting change had no impact on the total net assets of the Fund, but resulted in a $834,274 reduction in the cost of investments and a corresponding increase in net unrealized appreciation of investments, based on securities held as of December 31, 2000. The effect of this change for the year ended December 31, 2001 was to decrease net investment income by $228,613, decrease unrealized appreciation of investments by $243,611 and increase net realized gain of investments by $472,224. The effect of this change for the year ended December 31, 2002 was to decrease net investment income by $377,606, decrease unrealized appreciation of investments by $287,323 and increase net realized gain on investments by $664,929. The statement of changes in net assets and the financial highlights for prior periods have not been restated to reflect this change in presentation. NOTE G Change in Independent Auditor Based on the recommendation of the Audit Committee of the Fund, the Board of Trustees has determined not to retain Ernst & Young LLP as the Fund's independent auditor and voted to appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003. During the two most recent fiscal years, Ernst & Young LLP 's audit reports contained no adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion; nor were their reports qualified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. Further, there were no disagreements between the Fund and Ernst & Young LLP on accounting principles, financial statements disclosure or audit scope, which if not resolved to the satisfaction of Ernst & Young LLP, would have caused them to make reference to the disagreement in their report. AUDITORS' REPORT Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors To the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of John Hancock Income Securities Trust, We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of John Hancock Income Securities Trust (the "Fund"), including the schedule of investments, as of December 31, 2002, and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2002, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of John Hancock Income Securities Trust at December 31, 2002, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. /S/ERNST & YOUNG LLP Boston, Massachusetts February 7, 2003 TAX INFORMATION Unaudited For federal income tax purposes, the following information is furnished with respect to the distributions of the Fund paid during its taxable year ended December 31, 2002. With respect to the ordinary dividends paid by the Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, 0.75% of the dividends qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction. Shareholders will be mailed a 2002 U.S. Treasury Department Form 1099-DIV in January 2003. This will reflect the total of all distributions that are taxable for calendar year 2002. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY The Fund is a closed-end diversified investment management company, shares of which were initially offered to the public on February 14, 1973, and are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its investment objective is to generate a high level of current income consistent with prudent investment risk. The Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of freely marketable debt securities and may invest an amount not exceeding 20% of its assets in income-producing preferred and common stock. Under normal circumstances the Fund will invest at least 80% of net assets in income securities. Income securities will consist of the following: (i) marketable corporate debt securities, (ii) governmental obligations and (iii) cash and commercial paper. "Net assets" is defined as net assets plus borrowings for investment purposes. The Fund will notify shareholders at least 60 days prior to any change in this 80% investment policy. It is contemplated that at least 75% of the value of the Fund's total assets will be represented by debt securities which have at the time of purchase a rating within the four highest grades as determined by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., or Standard & Poor's Corporation. The Fund intends to engage in short-term trading and may invest in repurchase agreements. The Fund may issue a single class of senior securities not to exceed 331/3% of its net assets at market value and may borrow from banks as a temporary measure for emergency purposes in amounts not to exceed 5% of the total assets at cost. The Fund may lend portfolio securities not to exceed 331/3% of total assets. FINANCIAL FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS The Fund may buy and sell financial futures contracts and options on futures contracts to hedge against the effects of fluctuations in interest rates and other market conditions. The Fund's ability to hedge successfully will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict accurately the future direction of interest rate changes and other market factors. There is no assurance that a liquid market for futures and options will always exist. In addition, the Fund could be prevented from opening, or realizing the benefits of closing out, a futures or options position because of position limits or limits on daily price fluctuations imposed by an exchange. The Fund will not engage in transactions in futures contracts and options on futures for speculation, but only for hedging or other permissible risk management purposes. All of the Fund's futures contracts and options on futures will be traded on an U.S. commodity exchange or board of trade. The Fund will not engage in a transaction in futures or options on futures if, immediately thereafter, the sum of initial margin deposits on existing positions and premiums paid for options on futures would exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS The Fund pays quarterly dividends from net investment income and intends to distribute any available net realized capital gains annually. All distributions are paid in cash unless the shareholder elects to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, the Fund paid to shareholders dividends from net investment income totaling $ 0.9150 per share. The dates of payment and the amounts per share are as follows: DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN The Fund offers shareholders a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the "Plan"), which offers the opportunity to earn compounded yields. Any shareholder of record of the Fund may elect to participate in the Plan and receive the Fund's common shares in lieu of all or a portion of the cash dividends. The Plan is available to all shareholders without charge. Mellon Investor Services (the "Plan Agent") will act as agent for participating shareholders. Shareholders may join the Plan by notifying the Plan Agent by telephone, in writing or by visiting the Plan Agent's Web site at www.melloninvestor.com showing an election to reinvest all or a portion of dividend payments. If received in proper form by the Plan Agent prior to the record date for a dividend, the election will be effective with respect to all dividends paid after such record date. Shareholders whose shares are held in the name of a broker or nominee should contact the broker or nominee to participate in the Plan. The Board of Trustees of the Fund will declare dividends from net investment income payable in cash or, in the case of shareholders participating in the Plan, partially or entirely in the Fund's common shares. The number of shares to be issued for the benefit of each shareholder will be determined by dividing the amount of the cash dividend otherwise payable to such shareholder on shares included under the Plan, by the per share net asset value of the common shares on the date for payment of the dividend, unless the net asset value per share on the payment date is less than 95% of the market price per share on that date, in which event the number of shares to be issued to a shareholder will be determined by dividing the amount of the cash dividend payable to such shareholder by 95% of the market price per share of the common shares on the payment date. The market price of the common shares on a particular date shall be the mean between the highest and lowest sales price on the New York Stock Exchange on that date. Net asset value will be determined in accordance with the established procedures of the Fund. However, if as of such payment date the market price of the common shares is lower than such net asset value per share, the number of shares to be issued will be determined on the basis of such market price. Fractional shares, carried out to four decimal places, will be credited to the shareholder's account. Such fractional shares will be entitled to future dividends. The shares issued to participating shareholders, including fractional shares, will be held by the Plan Agent in the name of the participant. A confirmation will be sent to each shareholder promptly, normally within five to seven days, after the payment date of the dividend. The confirmation will show the total number of shares held by such shareholder before and after the dividend, the amount of the most recent cash dividend that the shareholder has elected to reinvest and the number of shares acquired with such dividend. Participation in the Plan may be terminated at any time by contacting the Plan Agent by telephone, in writing or by visiting the Plan Agent's Web site, and such termination will be effective immediately. However, notice of termination must be received prior to the record date of any distribution to be effective for that distribution. Upon termination, certificates will be issued representing the number of full shares of common shares held by the Plan Agent. A shareholder will receive a cash payment for any fractional share held. The reinvestment of dividends will not relieve participants of any federal, state or local income tax, which may be due with respect to such dividend. Dividends reinvested in common shares will be treated on your federal income tax return as though you had received a dividend in cash in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares received, as determined by the prices for shares of the Fund on the New York Stock Exchange as of the dividend payment date. Distributions from the Fund's long-term capital gains will be processed as noted above for those electing to reinvest in common shares and will be taxable to you as long-term capital gains. The confirmation referred to above will contain all the information you will require for determining the cost basis of shares acquired and should be retained for that purpose. At year end, each account will be supplied with detailed information necessary to determine total tax liability for the calendar year. All correspondence or additional information concerning the Plan should be directed to the Plan Agent, Mellon Bank, N.A., c/o Mellon Investor Services, P.O. Box 3338, South Hackensack, New Jersey 07606-1938 (telephone 1-800-852-0218). SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATION AND ASSISTANCE If you have any questions concerning the Fund, we will be pleased to assist you. If you hold shares in your own name and not with a brokerage firm, please address all notices, correspondence, questions or other communications regarding the Fund to the transfer agent at: Mellon Investor Services 85 Challenger Road Overpeck Centre Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 Telephone: 1-800-852-0218 If your shares are held with a brokerage firm, you should contact that firm, bank or other nominee for assistance. Shareholder meeting On March 7, 2002, the Annual Meeting of the Fund was held to elect eleven Trustees and to ratify the actions of the Trustees in selecting independent auditors for the Fund. The shareholders elected the following Trustees to serve until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, with the votes tabulated as follows: WITHHELD FOR AUTHORITY Dennis S. Aronowitz 9,495,981 133,327 Richard P. Chapman, Jr. 9,500,587 128,721 William J. Cosgrove 9,497,641 131,667 John M. DeCiccio 9,491,533 137,775 Richard A. Farrell 9,507,640 121,668 Maureen R. Ford 9,504,409 124,899 Gail D. Fosler 9,501,226 128,082 William F. Glavin 9,442,832 186,476 Dr. John A. Moore 9,491,496 137,812 Patti McGill Peterson 9,490,842 138,466 John W. Pratt 9,501,229 128,079 The shareholders also ratified the Trustees' selection of Ernst & Young, LLP as the Fund's independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2002, with the votes tabulated as follows: 9,451,207 FOR, 60,154 AGAINST and 117,947 ABSTAINING. TRUSTEES & OFFICERS This chart provides information about the Trustees and Officers who oversee your John Hancock fund. Officers elected by the Trustees manage the day-to-day operations of the Fund and execute policies formulated by the Trustees. INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES NUMBER OF NAME, AGE TRUSTEE JOHN HANCOCK PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) AND OTHER OF FUND FUNDS OVERSEEN DIRECTORSHIPS DURING PAST 5 YEARS SINCE 1 BY TRUSTEE Dennis S. Aronowitz, Born: 1931 1988 31 Professor of Law, Emeritus, Boston University School of Law (as of 1996); Director, Brookline Bancorp. Richard P. Chapman, Jr., Born: 1935 1975 31 President and Chief Executive Officer, Brookline Bancorp. (lending) (since 1972); Chairman and Director, Lumber Insurance Co. (insurance) (until 2000); Chairman and Director, Northeast Retirement Services, Inc. (retirement administration) (since 1998). William J. Cosgrove, Born: 1933 1991 31 Vice President, Senior Banker and Senior Credit Officer, Citibank, N.A. (retired 1991); Executive Vice President, Citadel Group Representatives, Inc.; Director, Hudson City Bancorp; Trustee, Scholarship Fund for Inner City Children (since 1986). Richard A. Farrell 2, Born: 1932 1996 31 President, Farrell, Healer & Co., Inc. (venture capital management firm) (since 1980) and General Partner of the Venture Capital Fund of NE (since 1980); prior to 1980, headed the venture capital group at Bank of Boston Corporation. William F. Glavin 2, Born: 1932 1996 31 President Emeritus, Babson College (as of 1998); Vice Chairman, Xerox Corporation (until 1989); Director, Reebok, Inc. (since 1994) and Inco Ltd. Patti McGill Peterson, Born: 1943 1996 39 Executive Director, Council for International Exchange of Scholars (since 1998), Vice President, Institute of International Education (since January 1998); Senior Fellow, Cornell Institute of Public Affairs, Cornell University (until 1997); President Emerita of Wells College and St. Lawrence University; Director, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (electric utility). John A. Moore 2, Born: 1939 1996 39 President and Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Evaluating Health Risks, (nonprofit institution) (until 2001); Senior Scientist, Sciences International (health research) (since 1998); Principal, Hollyhouse (consulting) (since 2000); Director, CIIT (nonprofit research) (since 2002). John W. Pratt, Born: 1931 1996 31 Professor of Business Administration Emeritus, Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration (as of 1998). INTERESTED TRUSTEES 3 NAME, AGE NUMBER OF POSITION(S) HELD WITH FUND TRUSTEE JOHN HANCOCK PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) AND OTHER OF FUND FUNDS OVERSEEN DIRECTORSHIPS DURING PAST 5 YEARS SINCE 1 BY TRUSTEE John M. DeCiccio, Born: 1948 2001 61 Trustee Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc.; Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, John Hancock Life Insurance Company; Chairman of the Committee of Finance of John Hancock Life Insurance Company; Director, John Hancock Subsidiaries, LLC (Subsidiaries, LLC), Hancock Natural Resource Group, Independence Investment LLC, Independence Fixed Income LLC, John Hancock Advisers, LLC (the "Adviser") and The Berkeley Financial Group, LLC ("The Berkeley Group"), John Hancock Funds, LLC ("John Hancock Funds"), Massachusetts Business Development Corporation; Director, John Hancock Insurance Agency, Inc. ("Insurance Agency, Inc.") (until 1999). Maureen R. Ford, Born: 1955 2000 61 Trustee, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Executive Vice President, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., John Hancock Life Insurance Company; Chairman, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, the Adviser and The Berkeley Group; Chairman, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, John Hancock Funds; Chairman, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sovereign Asset Management Corporation ("SAMCorp."); Director, Independence Investment LLC, Subsidiaries, LLC, Independence Fixed Income LLC and Signature Services; Senior Vice President, MassMutual Insurance Co. (until 1999). PRINCIPAL OFFICERS WHO ARE NOT TRUSTEES NAME, AGE POSITION(S) HELD WITH FUND OFFICER PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) AND OF FUND DIRECTORSHIPS DURING PAST 5 YEARS SINCE William L. Braman, Born: 1953 2000 Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, the Adviser and each of the John Hancock funds; Director, SAMCorp., Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Baring Asset Management, London UK (until 2000). Richard A. Brown, Born: 1949 2000 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the Adviser, John Hancock Funds, and The Berkeley Group; Second Vice President and Senior Associate Controller, Corporate Tax Department, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. (until 2001). Thomas H. Connors, Born: 1959 1992 Vice President and Compliance Officer Vice President and Compliance Officer, the Adviser and each of the John Hancock funds; Vice President, John Hancock Funds. William H. King, Born: 1952 1991 Vice President and Treasurer Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, the Adviser; Vice President and Treasurer of each of the John Hancock funds; Assistant Treasurer of each of the John Hancock funds (until 2001). Susan S. Newton, Born: 1950 1991 Senior Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer Senior Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer, SAMCorp., the Adviser and each of the John Hancock funds, John Hancock Funds and The Berkeley Group; Vice President, Signature Services (until 2000); Director, Senior Vice President and Secretary, NM Capital. The business address for all Trustees and Officers is 101 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02199. The Statement of Additional Information of the Fund includes additional information about members of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and is available, without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-225-5291. 1 Each Trustee serves until resignation, retirement age or until his or her successor is elected. 2 Member of Audit Committee. 3 Interested Trustees hold positions with the Fund's investment adviser, underwriter and certain other affiliates. [THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] [THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] [THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] FOR YOUR INFORMATION INVESTMENT ADVISER John Hancock Advisers, LLC 101 Huntington Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02199-7603 CUSTODIAN The Bank of New York One Wall Street New York, New York 10286 TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR Mellon Investor Services 85 Challenger Road Overpeck Centre Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660 LEGAL COUNSEL Hale and Dorr LLP 60 State Street Boston, Massachusetts 02109-1803 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS Ernst & Young LLP 200 Clarendon Street Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5072 STOCK SYMBOL Listed New York Stock Exchange: JHS For shareholder assistance refer to page 29 HOW TO CONTACT US On the Internet www.jhfunds.com By regular mail Mellon Investor Services 85 Challenger Road Overpeck Centre Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660 Customer service representatives 1-800-852-0218 Portfolio commentary 1-800-344-7059 24-hour automated information 1-800-843-0090 TDD Line 1-800-231-5469 [A 1 1/2" x 1/2" John Hancock (Signature) logo in upper left hand corner. A tag line below reads "JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS."] 1-800-852-0218 1-800-843-0090 1-800-231-5469 (TDD) www.jhfunds.com PRESORTED STANDARD U. S. POSTAGE PAID MIS P600A 12/02 2/03