American
Growth Fund Series One (the "Fund") is managed using a growth style of
investing.
As of January 1, 2021,
as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission,
paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports are no longer be sent by mail,
unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or
from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the
reports are made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each
time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund or your financial intermediary electronically by contacting the Fund at 800-525-2406, [email protected], or by contacting your financial intermediary directly.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. You can inform the Fund or your financial intermediary that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports by contacting the Fund at 800-525-2406, [email protected], or by contacting your financial intermediary directly. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all American Growth Fund, Inc. funds held directly or to all funds held through your financial intermediary, as applicable.
The Securities and Exchange
Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the
adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D | |
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) | ||||
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower | (a) | % (b) | % (c) | (a) |
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends | ||||
Redemption Fees | ||||
Exchange Fee |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) ended July 31, 2022:
Management Fees | ||||
Distribution and Service (12b-1) fees | ||||
Other Expenses | ||||
Acquired Fund fees and expenses | ||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (d) |
(a) Purchases of
Class A and Class D shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more which are not
subject to an initial sales charge generally will be subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge of 1.0% of amounts redeemed within the first year of
purchase. See Class A and D Sales Charges on page 15.
(b) Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge for the 1st 2 years is 5%, 3rd & 4th years - 4%, 5th yr. - 3%,
6th yr. - 2%, 7th yr. - 1%.
(c) In the first year after purchase.
(d) The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the Financial Highlights Table below, which do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | ||||
Class B | ||||
Class C | ||||
Class D |
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | ||||
Class B | ||||
Class C | ||||
Class D |
The primary
risks of investing in the Fund are:
l Stock Market Risk - the value
of an investment may fluctuate and could decline.
l Operational and Cybersecurity
Risk. Cybersecurity breaches may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to
fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause a fund or its
service providers to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Similar incidents affecting issuers of a fund’s securities may negatively impact
performance. Operational risk may arise from human error, error by third
parties, communication errors, or technology failures, among other
causes.
l
Market Risk - Economies
and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly
interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one
country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in other countries or
regions. Securities in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to
securities in general financial markets, a particular financial market or other
asset classes due to a number of factors, including inflation (or expectations
for inflation), deflation (or expectations for deflation), interest rates,
global demand for particular products or resources, market instability, debt
crises and downgrades, embargoes, tariffs, sanctions and other trade barriers,
regulatory events, other governmental trade or market control programs and
related geopolitical events. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments
may be negatively affected by the occurrence of global events such as war,
terrorism, environmental disasters, natural disasters or events, country
instability, and infectious disease epidemics or pandemics.
For example, the outbreak of
COVID-19 has negatively affected economies, markets and individual
companies throughout the world, including those in which the Fund invests. The
effects of this pandemic to public health and business and market conditions,
including, among other things, reduced consumer demand and economic
output, supply chain disruptions and increased government spending, may continue
to have a significant negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s
investments, increase the Fund’s volatility, exacerbate pre-existing political,
social and economic risks to the Fund, and negatively impact broad segments of
businesses and populations. In addition, governments, their regulatory
agencies, or self-regulatory organizations have taken or may take actions in
response to the pandemic that affect the instruments in which the Fund invests,
or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that could have a significant negative impact on
the Fund’s investment performance. The duration
and
extent of COVID-19 and associated economic and market conditions and uncertainty
over the long-term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate
impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which the associated conditions impact the
Fund will also depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain,
difficult to accurately predict and subject to frequent changes.
l Early
Close/Trading Halt Risk. An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts
on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or
financial instruments may be restricted, which may prevent the Fund from buying
or selling certain securities or financial instruments.
l Industry and
security risk - the risk that the value of securities in a particular industry
or the value of an individual stock or bond will decline because of changing
expectations for the performance of that industry or for the individual company
issuing the stock or bond.
l Management
Risk - risks that the Advisor´s assessment of a company´s growth prospects may
not be accurate.
l Interest Rate
Risk – as rates rise, the price of a fixed rate bond will fall.
l Credit Risk –
a bond’s issuer may be unable to make timely payments of interest and
capital.
l Foreign
Investment Risk – adverse effects from political instability, currency exchange
rates, economic conditions or regulatory and accounting
standards.
l Liquidity
Risk - a given security or asset may not be readily marketable.
l Small Cap
Risk - small cap stocks tend to have a high exposure to market fluctuations and
failure.
l Mid Cap Risk
- mid cap stocks tend to have a greater exposure to market fluctuations and
failure.
l Equity Risk –
stock and equity values fluctuate in response to a company’s financial condition
and other factors, and could decline.
l Repurchase
Agreement Risk – a seller may default or a security declines in
value.
l Depositary
Receipts Risk – generally these are subject to the same risks as Foreign
Investment Risks.
l Convertible
Securities – convertible securities have the risk of loss of principal at
maturity.
l Large Cap
Company Risk – slower response to competitors and technology and consumer
tastes, and slower growth rates during periods of economic
expansion.
l Investments
in Other Investment Companies Risk - the Fund’s investments in other investment
companies will be subject to the risks of the other investment companies’
portfolio securities and the Fund will bear indirectly the fees and expenses of
the other investment companies in which it invests.
l Exchange-Traded
Funds (“ETFs”) Risk - The Fund is subject to the risks associated with the
securities or other investments in which the ETFs invest. The Fund’s
shareholders will indirectly bear fees and expenses paid by the ETFs in which it
invests, in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. An index-based
ETF’s performance may not match that of the index it seeks to track. An actively
managed ETF’s performance will reflect its advisor’s ability to make investment
decisions that are suited to achieving the ETF’s investment
objective.
l Technology
Securities Risk - Certain technology related companies may face special risks
that their products or services may not prove to be commercially
successful.
One Year | Five Years | Ten Years | |
Class A Return before taxes* | |||
Class B Return before taxes* | ** | ||
Class C Return before taxes* | ** | ||
Class D Return before taxes* | % | ||
Class D Return after taxes on Distributions | |||
Class D Return after taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | |||
Standard and Poor’s 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees expenses, or taxes) |
** After seven years Class B & C
Shares convert to Class A Shares. The ten year return for Class B & C shares
reflects the first seven year returns for Class B & C shares and the
remaining 3 years as Class A.
The Investment Advisor
The investment
advisor is Investment Research Corporation.
Portfolio Manager
The Fund is managed by
an Investment Advisory Committee made up of Timothy Taggart, the Advisor’s
President, Robert Fleck, an employee of the Advisor, and Matthew Taggart, an employee of the Advisor.
Mr. Timothy Taggart and Mr. Fleck have both acted in this capacity since April 2011. Mr. Matthew Taggart
has acted in this capacity since April of 2021.
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
When
purchasing Fund shares there is no minimum initial or subsequent amount
required. You can purchase and sell your shares on any business day through your
financial advisor, by mail by writing to: American Growth Fund, 1636 Logan
Street, Denver, CO 80203, by wire if the purchase or sale is over $1,000, or by
calling 800-525-2406 if the purchase or sale is $5,000 or less.
Tax Consequences
Distributions from the
Fund´s long-term capital gains are taxable as capital gains, while distributions
from short-term capital gains and net investment income are generally taxable as
ordinary income.
Payments to
Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase
shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such
as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict
of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your
salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson
or visit your financial intermediary´s Web site for more
information.
Investment Objectives,
Principal Investment Strategies, Related Risks, and Disclosure of Portfolio
Holdings
What is the Fund´s investment objective?
The Fund´s
investment objective, which is fundamental and cannot be changed without
shareholder approval, is growth of capital. Income only becomes a Fund objective
when it is in a temporary, defensive position.
How does the Fund implement its investment
objective?
In attempting to achieve its investment objective, the
Fund will typically invest at least 80% of its assets in common stocks and
securities convertible into common stocks traded on national securities
exchanges or over-the-counter markets.
We perform our own extensive internal
research to determine whether companies meet our growth criteria. If the
Investment Advisor deems it necessary, we may meet company management teams as
well as other key staff face-to-face and/or may tour corporate facilities and
manufacturing plants to help us get a more complete picture of a company before
we invest.
We limit the amount of the Fund´s assets invested in any one
industry and in any individual security. At the time of purchase, we do not
invest more than 5% of the Fund´s total assets in any one issuer nor do we
invest more than 25% in any one industry. We also follow a rigorous selection
process designed to identify undervalued securities with significant growth
potential before choosing securities for the portfolio.
Although the Fund
will normally invest in large capitalization companies, the Fund may invest in
companies of all sizes. Investment Research Corporation, the Fund´s investment
Advisor (the “Advisor”, “Investment Advisor”, or “IRC”), generally will choose
common stocks (or convertible securities) that it believes have a potential for
capital appreciation because of existing or anticipated economic conditions or
because the securities are considered undervalued or out of favor with investors
or are expected to increase in price over the short-term. Convertible debt
securities will be rated at least A by Moody´s Investor Service or Standard and
Poor’s Ratings Services, or, if unrated, will be comparable quality in the
opinion of the advisor.
We maintain a long-term investment approach and focus
on stocks we believe can appreciate over an extended time frame regardless of
interim market fluctuations. Using the following disciplined approach, we look
for companies having some or all of these characteristics:
l Large
capitalization companies, although on occasion the Fund may invest in small and
mid-cap companies, if the Advisor believes it is in the best interests of the
Fund. Large cap companies are
generally
companies with market capitalization exceeding $5 billion at the date of
acquisition;
l Growth that
is faster than the market as a whole and sustainable over the long
term;
l Strong
management team;
l Leading
market positions and growing brand identities;
l Financial,
marketing, strategy and operating strength.
Although a non-principal
strategy, the Fund may invest in foreign securities in the form of American
Depositary Receipts.
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment
companies, including exchange-traded funds.
The Fund emphasizes investments
in common stocks with the potential for capital appreciation. These stocks
generally pay regular dividends, although the Fund also may invest in
non-dividend-paying companies if, in the opinion of an Advisor, they offer
better prospects for capital appreciation.
When selecting investments for the
portfolio, a company’s environmental, social, and governance policies are not
factors.
When the
Advisor believes the securities the Fund holds may decline in value, the Fund
may sell them and, if the Advisor believes market conditions warrant, the Fund
may assume a defensive position. While in a defensive position, the Fund may
invest all or part of its assets in corporate bonds, debentures (both short and
long term) or preferred stocks rated A or above by Moody´s Investors Service,
Inc., Standard and Poor’s or Fitch Ratings (or, if unrated, of comparable
quality in the opinion of the Advisor), United States Government securities,
repurchase agreements meeting approved credit worthiness standards (e.g.,
whereby the underlying security is issued by the United States Government or any
agency thereof), or retain funds in cash or cash equivalents. There is no
maximum limit on the amount of fixed income securities in which the Fund may
invest for temporary defensive purposes. If the Fund takes a temporary defensive
position in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or
other conditions, it may not achieve its investment objective. The Fund´s
performance could be lower during periods when it retains or invests its assets
in these more defensive holdings.
A repurchase agreement is a contract under
which the seller of a security agrees to buy it back at an agreed upon price and
time in the future.
The Fund will enter into repurchase transactions only
with parties who meet creditworthiness standards approved by the Fund´s board of
directors.
The Fund may invest in foreign securities in the form of American
Depositary Receipts (ADRs) which represents ownership in the shares of a
non-U.S. company that trades in U.S. financial markets. We typically invest only
a small portion of the Fund´s portfolio in foreign corporations through ADRs. We
do not invest directly in foreign securities. When we do purchase ADRs, they are
generally denominated in U.S. dollars and traded on a U.S. exchange.
We seek
to limit exposure to illiquid securities.
Risks
Investing in any mutual fund
involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on
your investment, and the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you
invest.
l Stock Market
risk is the risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market -
such as the stock or bond market - will decline in value because of factors such
as economic conditions, future expectations or investor
confidence.
l Operational
and cybersecurity risk. Cybersecurity breaches may allow an unauthorized party
to gain access to fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or
cause a fund or its service providers to suffer data corruption or lose
operational functionality. Similar incidents affecting issuers of a fund’s
securities may negatively impact performance. Operational risk may arise from
human error, error by third parties, communication errors, or technology
failures, among other causes.
Before you invest in the Fund you should
carefully evaluate the risks. Because of the nature of the Fund, you should
consider the investment to be a long-term investment that typically provides the
best results when held for a number of years.
l Market Risk.
Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly
interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one
country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in other countries or
regions. Securities in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to
securities in general financial markets, a particular financial market or other
asset classes due to a number of factors, including inflation (or expectations
for inflation), deflation
(or
expectations for deflation), interest rates, global demand for particular
products or resources, market instability, debt crises and downgrades,
embargoes, tariffs, sanctions and other trade barriers, regulatory events, other
governmental trade or market control programs and related geopolitical events.
In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by
the occurrence of global events such as war, terrorism, environmental disasters,
natural disasters or events, country instability, and infectious disease
epidemics or pandemics.
For example,
the outbreak of COVID-19 has negatively affected economies, markets and
individual companies throughout the world, including those in which the Fund
invests. The effects of this pandemic to public health and business and market
conditions, including, among other things, reduced consumer demand and
economic output, supply chain disruptions and increased government spending, may
continue to have a significant negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s
investments, increase the Fund’s volatility, exacerbate pre-existing political,
social and economic risks to the Fund, and negatively impact broad segments of
businesses and populations. In addition, governments, their regulatory
agencies, or self-regulatory organizations have taken or may take actions in
response to the pandemic that affect the instruments in which the Fund invests,
or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that could have a significant negative impact on
the Fund’s investment performance. The duration and extent of COVID-19 and
associated economic and market conditions and uncertainty over the long-term
cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and
the extent to which the associated conditions impact the Fund will also depend
on future developments, which are highly uncertain, difficult to accurately
predict and subject to frequent changes.
l Early
Close/Trading Halt Risk is the risk that an exchange or market may close or
issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell
certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may prevent
the Fund from buying or selling certain securities or financial instruments. In
these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be
unable to accurately price its investments and may incur substantial trading
losses.
l Industry and
security risk is the risk that the value of securities in a particular industry
or the value of an individual stock or bond will decline because of changing
expectations for the performance of that industry or for the individual company
issuing the stock or bond.
l Management
risk is the risk that the Advisor´s assessment of a company´s ability to
increase earnings faster than the rest of the market is not correct, the
securities in the portfolio may not increase in value, and could decrease in
value.
l Interest rate
risk is the risk that changes in interest rates may affect the yield, liquidity
and value of investments in income producing or debt securities. As rates rise,
the price of a fixed rate bond will fall.
l Credit risk
is the possibility that a bond´s issuer (or an entity that insures a bond) will
be unable to make timely payments of interest and principal.
l Foreign
investment risk is the risk that foreign securities may be adversely affected by
political instability, changes in currency exchange rates, foreign economic
conditions or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards.
l Liquidity
risk is the possibility that securities cannot be readily sold, or can only be
sold at a price lower than the price that the Fund has valued them. From time to
time, there may be little or no active trading market for a particular
investment in which the Fund may invest or is invested.
l Small Cap
stocks tend to have a high risk exposure to market fluctuations and
failure.
l Mid Cap
stocks also tend to have a greater risk exposure to market fluctuations and
failure but normally not as much so as the Small Cap stocks.
l Equity Risk.
In general, stocks and other equity security values fluctuate, and sometimes
widely fluctuate, in response to changes in a company’s financial condition as
well as general market, economic and political conditions and other
factors.
l Repurchase
Agreements Risk. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements under which it
purchases a security that a seller has agreed to repurchase from the Fund at a
later date at the same price plus interest. If a seller defaults and the
security declines in value, the Fund might incur a loss. If the seller declares
bankruptcy, the Portfolio Fund may not be able to sell the security at the
desired time.
l Depositary
Receipts Risk. Investments in depositary receipts (including American Depositary
Receipts, European Depositary Receipts and Global Depositary Receipts) are
generally subject to the same risks of investing in the foreign securities that
they evidence or into which they may be converted. In addition, issuers
underlying unsponsored depositary receipts may not provide as much information
as U.S. issuers and issuers underlying sponsored depositary receipts.
Unsponsored depositary receipts also may not
carry
the same voting privileges as sponsored depositary receipts.
l Convertible
Securities have the risk of loss of principal at maturity, however, this loss is
limited to the value of the bond floor.
l Large Cap
Company Risk is the risk that larger more established companies may be unable to
respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in technology and
consumer tastes. Many larger companies also may not be able to attain the high
growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods
of economic expansion.
l Investments
in Other Investment Companies is the risk that the Fund’s investments in other
investment companies will be subject to the risks of the purchased investment
company’s portfolio securities. The Fund’s shareholders must bear not only their
proportionate share of the Fund’s fees and expenses, but they also must bear
indirectly the fees and expenses of the other investment company. In addition,
the Fund’s net asset value is subject to fluctuations in the net asset values of
the other investment companies in which it invests. The ability of the Fund to
meet its investment objective will depend, to a significant degree, on the
ability of the other investment companies to meet their
objectives.
l Exchange-Traded
Funds (“ETFs”). ETFs are investment companies whose shares are listed on a
securities exchange and trade like a stock throughout the day. Investments in
ETFs are subject to a variety of risks, including risks associated with the
underlying securities that the ETF holds. The Fund’s net asset value will be
subject to fluctuations in the market values of the ETFs in which it invests.
Also, ETFs that track particular indices typically will be unable to match the
performance of the index exactly due to the ETF’s operating expenses and
transaction costs, among other things. Similar to investments in other
investment companies, the Fund’s shareholders must bear not only their
proportionate share of the Fund’s fees and expenses, but they also must bear
indirectly the fees and expenses of the ETF. In addition, the ability of the
Fund to meet its investment objective will directly depend on the ability of the
ETFs to meet their investment objectives. The extent to which the investment
performance and risks associated with the Fund correlate to those of a
particular ETF will depend upon the extent to which the Fund’s assets are
allocated from time to time for investment in the ETF, which will
vary.
l Technology
Securities Risk is the risk that certain technology related companies may face
special risks that their products or services may not prove to be commercially
successful. Technology related companies are also strongly affected by worldwide
scientific or technological developments. As a result, their products may
rapidly become obsolete. Such companies are also often subject to governmental
regulation and may, therefore, be adversely affected by governmental
policies.
Please see
the Statement of Additional Information for further discussion of
risks.
Portfolio Holdings
A
description of the Fund´s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure
of the Fund´s portfolio securities is available in the Fund´s SAI which is
available on the Fund´s website, www.americangrowthfund.com.
Annual Fund operating expenses
For the
year ended July 31, 2022, the Fund paid $157,175 in administrative expenses and
$193,950 in investment advisory fees. Distribution and service fees for the year
ended July 31, 2022 for Class A were $31,227, for Class B were $2,446 and for
Class C were $13,901. Director’s fees for the year ended July 31, 2022 were
$34,744. Other expenses totaled $405,627 which were $105,904 in rent expenses,
$81,143 in transfer agent fees, $28,955 in accounting fees, $12,421 in custody
fees, $48,722 for auditing fees, $51,596 in legal fees, $35,365 for D&O /
E&O Insurance, $13,465 in registration and filing fees and $28,056 in
miscellaneous shareholder reports and "other expenses." The Expense Ratio, which
reflects the effect of expenses paid directly by the Fund, for the year ended
July 31, 2022 for Class A was 4.36%, Class B was 6.52%, Class C was 5.40% and
Class D was 4.00%.
Management,
Organization, and Capital Structure
The Investment
Advisor
Investment Research Corporation ("IRC") has been the
Advisor for the Fund since American Growth Fund, Inc.’s inception in 1958. IRC
is located at 1636 Logan Street, Denver, CO 80203. The Fund offers four classes
of shares; Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D. All classes of shares of the
Fund represent an identical interest in the investment portfolio. The Fund has
an agreement to pay IRC an annual fee for its services based on a percentage of
the Fund´s Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D
average
net assets. Under the investment advisory contract with IRC, IRC receives annual
compensation for investment advice on these classes, computed and paid monthly,
equal to 1% of the first $30 million of the Fund´s Class A, Class B, Class C,
and Class D average annual net assets and 0.75% of such assets in excess of $30
million. For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2022, this fee amounted to 1.00% of
the average net assets on each of the Fund´s four classes.
For the year ended
July 31, 2022, under an agreement with IRC, the Fund paid $157,175 for the costs
and expenses related to employees of IRC who provided administrative, clerical
and accounting services to the Fund. In addition, the Fund paid $100,761 to an
affiliated company of IRC for the rental of office space.
The Fund, and
therefore, the Fund shareholders, pays the Fund´s operating expenses.
On
September 23, 2010 an Investment Advisory Committee was formed with the purpose
of offering investment advice to a senior portfolio manager of the Fund. The
current members of the Investment Advisory Committee are Timothy Taggart, Robert
Fleck and Matthew Taggart.
On November 19, 2021, the Board of Directors
reviewed and approved the expenses to be reimbursed by the Fund to IRC and
approved the continuance of the Investment Advisory Agreement with IRC. A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Directors approving the
Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s Semi-Annual Report
to Shareholders for the half-year ended January 31, 2023.
IRC may compensate
third party intermediaries, including investment Advisors and broker-dealers,
from IRC’s own revenue for assisting IRC in establishing relationships with
other third party intermediaries such as investment Advisors and/or sub-manager
programs and disseminating information concerning IRC to financial
professionals.
The Fund and the Advisor have a Code of Ethics designed to
ensure that the interests of Fund shareholders come before the interests of the
people who manage the Fund. Among other provisions, the Code of Ethics prohibits
portfolio managers and other investment personnel from buying securities in an
initial public offering without prior written consent or from profiting from the
purchase and sale of the same security within one calendar day. In addition, the
Code of Ethics requires portfolio managers and other employees with access to
information about the purchase or sale of securities by the Fund to obtain
approval before executing personal trades in these specific securities. A copy
of the Fund´s Code of Ethics can be obtained for free online at
www.americangrowthfund.com or by calling us at 1-800-525-2406.
How is the Fund managed?
The daily
operations of the Fund are managed by its officers subject to the overall
supervision and control of the board of directors. IRC serves as the investment
adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio
Manager
The Fund is
managed by IRC through an Investment Advisory Committee, which is made up of;
Timothy Taggart, the Advisor’s and the Fund’s President who has been a member of
the Investment Advisory Committee since September of 2010 and is the President
of the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributor, World Capital Brokerage,
Inc. ("WCB"); Robert Fleck, an employee of the Advisor and Investment Advisory
Committee member since September 2010. Matthew Taggart, an employee of the
Advisor and Investment Committee member since April of 2021. Messrs. Taggart and
Mr. Fleck are jointly and primarily responsible for portfolio
management.
Since April 12, 2011, Mr. Timothy Taggart has been responsible
for managing the Fund’s security portfolio through his positions with IRC, and
the Fund’s Investment Advisory Committee; and directing the distribution of Fund
shares through his positions with WCB. Mr. T. Taggart serves on the Board of
Directors for IRC, as Treasurer and Chief Compliance officer as well as on the
Board of Directors for WCB as President and Chief Compliance Officer.
Since
April 12, 2011, Mr. Fleck has been responsible for managing the Fund’s security
portfolio through his positions with IRC, and the Fund’s Investment Advisory
Committee. Prior to that Mr. Fleck served as President and CEO of World Capital
Advisors, LLC., a registered Investment Advisor.
Since April 3, 2021, Mr.
Matthew Taggart has been responsible for managing the Fund’s security portfolio
through his positions with IRC, and the Fund’s Investment Advisory Committee.
Mr. M. Taggart joined the advisor in July of 2013.
Additional information is
available in the Statement of Additional Information available on the Fund’s
web
site
at www.americangrowthfund.com or by calling 800-525-2406.
Chief
Compliance Officer
Michael
L. Gaughan is the Fund´s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). The Fund´s CCO seeks to
ensure that policies and guidelines, set forth by the CCO and the Board of
Directors, that guard against violations of federal securities laws, are adhered
to. These policies and procedures are annually reviewed by the CCO and the Board
of Directors to determine their adequacy and their effectiveness.
Shareholder Information
Pricing of Fund
Shares
The price you pay for shares will depend on when we receive
your purchase order. If we or an authorized agent receive your order before the
close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on a business day, you will pay
that day´s closing share price, which is based on the Fund´s net asset value
(“NAV”). If we receive your order after the close of trading, you will pay the
next business day´s price. A business day is any day that the New York Stock
Exchange is open for business. Currently the Exchange is closed when the
following holidays are observed: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.´s
Birthday, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor
Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. We reserve the right to reject any purchase
order.
We determine the Fund´s NAV per share at the close of trading of the
New York Stock Exchange each business day that the Exchange is open. We
calculate this value by adding the market value of all the securities and assets
in the Fund´s portfolio, deducting all liabilities, and dividing the resulting
number by the shares outstanding. The result is the NAV per share. We price
securities and other assets for which market quotations are available at their
market value. We price debt securities on the basis of valuations provided to us
by an independent pricing service that uses methods approved by our board of
directors. Any debt securities that have a maturity of less than 60 days are
priced at amortized cost. We price all other securities at their fair value if
no bid and asked prices are quoted for such day or information as to New York or
other approved exchange transactions is not readily available, using a method
approved by the board of directors. The effect of fair value pricing as
described above is that securities may not be priced on the basis of quotations
from the primary market in which they are traded, but rather may be priced by
another method that the Trust’s Board of Trustees believes will reflect fair
value. As such, fair value pricing is based on subjective judgments and it is
possible that fair value may differ materially from the value realized on a
sale. This policy is intended to assure that the Portfolio’s net asset value
fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing. Also, fair valuation
of the Portfolio’s securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities
available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value
pricing policies will prevent dilution of the Portfolio’s net asset value by
those traders.
Purchase of Fund
Shares
Through your financial Advisor:
Your financial Advisor
can handle all the details of purchasing shares, including opening an
account.
Your Advisor may charge a separate fee for this service.
By
mail:
Complete an investment application and mail it with your check, made
payable to American Growth Fund, Inc. and class of shares you wish to purchase,
to American Growth Fund, Inc., 1636 Logan Street, Denver CO, 80203. If you are
making an initial purchase by mail, you must include a completed investment
application (or an appropriate retirement plan application if you are opening a
retirement account) with your check.
By wire:
Ask your bank to wire the
amount you want to invest to UMB Bank, NA, ABA #011000028 A/C #99041774. Include
your account number and the name of the Fund Class in which you want to invest.
If you are making an initial purchase by wire, you must call Shareholder
Services at 1-800-525-2406 so we can assign you an account number.
Please
read the complete Prospectus before investing.
Special Services Available when Purchasing Fund
Shares
To help make investing with us as easy as possible, and to
help you build your investments, we offer the following special
services.
Automatic
Investing Plan - The
Automatic Investing Plan allows you to make regular monthly investments directly
from your bank account.
Direct
Deposit - With Direct Deposit you can make additional
investments through payroll deductions or recurring government or private
payments, such as direct transfers from your bank account.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan - Through
our Dividend Reinvestment Plan, you can have your distributions reinvested in
your account. The shares that you purchase through the Dividend Reinvestment
Plan are not subject to a front-end sales charge or to a contingent deferred
sales charge. Under most circumstances, you may reinvest dividends only into
like classes of shares.
Systematic Withdrawal
Plan - Through our Systematic Withdrawal Plan you can arrange a
regular monthly or quarterly payment from your account made to you or someone
you designate. You may also have your withdrawals deposited directly to your
bank account through our MoneyLine Direct Deposit Services.
Retirement Plans
In addition to being an
appropriate investment for your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and Roth
IRA, shares in the Fund may be suitable for group retirement plans. You may
establish your IRA account even if you are already a participant in an
employer-sponsored retirement plan. For more information on how shares in the
Fund can play an important role in your retirement planning or for details about
group plans, please consult your financial Advisor, or call
1-800-525-2406.
How to Redeem
Shares
Through your financial Advisor
Your financial Advisor
can handle all the details of redeeming shares. Your Advisor may charge a
separate fee for this service.
By
mail
You can redeem your shares (sell them back to the Fund) by mail
by writing to: American Growth Fund, Inc., 1636 Logan Street, Denver, CO, 80203.
All owners of the account must sign the request, and for redemptions of $5,000
or more, you must include a signature guarantee for each owner. Signature
guarantees are also required when redemption proceeds are going to an address
other than the address of record on an account. A signature guarantee is a
certification by a bank, brokerage firm or other financial institution that a
customer´s signature is valid; signature guarantees can be provided by members
of the STAMP program (a program made up of members who are authorized to issue
signature guarantees).
By
wire
You can redeem $1,000 or more of your shares and have the
proceeds deposited directly to your bank account the next business day after we
receive your request. Bank information must be on file before you request a wire
redemption.
By phone
You
can redeem shares by phone. All shareholders must be on the call, redemption
must be $5,000 or less per day, per telephone call and the proceeds must be sent
to the address of record and made payable to all listed shareholders. Please
remember that redemptions by check are restricted after an address change,
unless a signature guaranteed letter requesting the redemption is
submitted.
If you hold your shares in certificates, you must submit the
certificates with your request to sell the shares. We recommend that you send
your certificates by certified mail.
When you send us a properly completed
request to redeem or exchange shares, you will receive the net asset value as
determined on the business day we receive your request if we receive it before
the close of the NYSE. We will deduct any applicable contingent deferred sales
charges. We will send you a check, normally the next business day, but no later
than seven days after we receive your request to sell your shares. If you
recently purchased your shares by check, we will wait until your check has
cleared, which can take up to 15 days, before we send your redemption
proceeds.
If you are required to pay a contingent deferred sales charge when
you redeem shares, the amount subject to the fee will be based on the shares´
net asset value when you purchased them or their net asset value when you redeem
them, whichever is less. This arrangement assures that you will not pay a
contingent deferred sales charge on any increase in the value of your shares.
The redemption price for purposes of this formula will be the NAV of the shares
you are actually redeeming.
Conversion
of Class B and C Shares to Class A Shares. After approximately seven years (the
Conversion Period), Class B and C shares will be converted automatically into
Class A shares of the Fund. Class A shares are subject to an ongoing service fee
of 0.25% of average net assets and are subject to a distribution fee of 0.05% of
average net assets. Automatic conversion of Class B and C shares into Class A
shares will occur at least once each month (on the Conversion Date) on the basis
of the relative net asset values of the shares of the two classes on the
Conversion Date, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge.
Conversion of Class B and C shares to Class A shares will not be deemed a
purchase or sale of the shares for Federal income tax purposes.
In addition,
shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and distributions on Class B
and C shares also will convert automatically to Class A shares. The Conversion
Date for dividend reinvestment shares will be calculated taking into account the
length of time the shares underlying such reinvestment shares were outstanding.
If at a Conversion Date the conversion of Class B or C shares to Class A shares
of the Fund in a single account will result in less than $50 worth of Class B or
C shares being left in the account, all of the Class B and C shares of the Fund
held in the account on Conversion Date will be converted to Class A shares of
the Fund.
Share certificates for Class B and C shares of the Fund to be
converted must be delivered to the Transfer Agent at least one week prior to the
Conversion Date applicable to those shares. In the event such certificates are
not received by the Transfer Agent at least one week prior to the Conversion
Date, the related Class B and C shares will convert to Class A shares on the
next scheduled Conversion Date after such certificates are
delivered.
Generally, all redemptions will be for cash. The Fund expects to
satisfy all redemption requests, assuming they are in good order, under both
regular market conditions as well as in stressed market conditions, by selling
portfolio assets or by using holdings of cash or cash equivalents. All
redemptions will typically be processed and mailed within two business
days.
Account
Minimum
If you
redeem shares and your account balance falls below $1,000, and stays there for a
period of 12 months or longer, the Fund may redeem your account 30 days after
written notice to you.
Dividends and Distributions
The Fund´s
policy is to declare and pay income dividends and capital gains distributions to
its shareholders in December of each calendar year unless the Board of Directors
of the Fund determines that it is to the shareholders’ benefit to make
distributions on a different basis.
Unless the shareholder on his or her
application or in writing, previously requests dividend and distribution
payments in cash, income dividends and capital gains distributions will be
reinvested in Fund shares of the same class, at their relative net asset values
as of the business day next following the distribution record date. If no
instructions are given on the application form, all income dividends and capital
gains distributions will be reinvested.
The Fund intends to make
distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income and capital gains (capital
gains may be taxable at different rates depending on the length of the time the
Fund holds its assets).
We will send you a statement each year by January
31st detailing the amount and nature of all dividends and capital gains that you
were paid for the prior year.
Distributions by the Fund, whether received in
cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund, may be subject to federal
income tax. Any capital gains may be taxable at different rates depending on the
length of time the Fund held the assets. In addition, you may be subject to
state and local taxes on distributions. An exchange of the Fund´s shares for
shares of another fund will be treated as a sale of the Fund´s shares and any
gain on the transaction may be subject to tax.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund
Shares
The Fund is not designed to serve as vehicles for frequent
trading in response to short-term fluctuations in the securities markets.
Accordingly, purchases, including those that are part of exchange activity, that
American Growth Fund, Inc. has determined could involve actual or potential harm
to the Fund may be rejected. Frequent trading of a mutual fund´s shares may lead
to increased costs to that fund and less efficient management of the fund´s
portfolio, resulting in dilution of the value of the shares held by long-term
shareholders.
The Fund´s Board of Directors has not adopted policies or
procedures with respect to frequent purchases
and
redemptions by Fund shareholders. Due to the size of the Fund, the Board feels
that the Fund´s best interests are better served by allowing the Management of
the Fund to monitor such trading activity. If at any time the Management of the
Fund feels that a trade or an account is, or could, adversely affect the Fund´s
performance through frequent purchasing and redeeming of Fund shares
significantly increasing the costs of processing share purchase and/or
redemption transactions, management reserves the right to reject the trade,
suspend trading of the account(s) for a specified period of time, or both.
Rejection of a trade and/or suspension(s) of trading activity will cause a
letter to be promptly issued to the party(ies) involved.
The Fund has no
agreement with any person(s) or corporate entity that would allow for frequent
purchases and redemptions of Fund shares.
Distribution
Arrangements
Sales Charges
You can
choose from a number of share classes for the Fund. Because each share class has
a different combination of sales charges, fees and other features, you should
consult your financial Advisor to determine which class best suits your
investment goals and time frame. You may also consult the Fund´s Statement of
Additional Information for more details.
Class A
Class A shares have an
up-front sales charge of up to 5.75% that you pay when you buy shares.
The
offering price for Class A shares includes the front-end sales charge.
If you
invest $50,000 or more, your front-end sales charge will be reduced.
You may
qualify for other reduced sales charges, as described in How to Reduce Your
Sales Charge, and under certain circumstances the sales charge may be
waived.
Class A shares are also subject to an annual 12b-1 fee no greater
than 0.30% of average net assets, which is lower than the 12b-1 fee for Class B
and Class C shares.
Class A shares generally are not subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge unless purchased in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net
asset value without a sales charge and redeemed within one year of
purchase.
Additionally, IRC reserves the right to waive the front-end sales
charge on share purchases by IRC employees and members of the Board of Directors
of The American Growth Fund.
Class
B
Class B shares have no up-front sales charge, so the full amount of
your purchase is invested in the Fund.
However, you will pay a contingent
deferred sales charge if you redeem your shares within seven years after you buy
them.
If you redeem Class B shares during the first two years after you buy
them, the shares will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 5%.
The contingent deferred sales charge is 4% during the third and fourth years, 3%
during the fifth year, 2% during the sixth year, and 1% during the seventh
year.
Under certain circumstances the contingent deferred sales charge may be
waived.
For approximately seven years after you buy your Class B shares, they
are subject to annual 12b-1 fees no greater than 1% of average daily net assets,
of which 0.25% are service fees paid to the Distributor, dealers or others for
providing services and maintaining accounts.
Because of the higher 12b-1
fees, Class B shares have higher expenses and any dividends paid on these shares
are lower than dividends on Class A shares.
Approximately seven years after
you buy them, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares with a
12b-1 fee of no more than 0.30%. Conversions may occur as late as three months
after the eighth anniversary of purchase, during which time the Class B Shares
higher 12b-1 fees apply.
Class
C
Class C shares have no up-front sales charge, so the full amount of
your purchase is invested in the Fund. However, you will pay a contingent
deferred sales charge if you redeem your shares within 12 months after you buy
them.
Under certain circumstances the contingent deferred sales charge may be
waived.
Class C shares are subject to an annual 12b-1 fee which may not be
greater than 1% of average daily net assets, of which 0.25% is service fees and
0.75% is distribution fees paid to the distributor, dealers or others for
providing personal services and maintaining shareholder accounts.
Because of
the higher 12b-1 fees, Class C shares have higher expenses and pay lower
dividends than
Class
A shares.
Conversion of Class B and C Shares to Class A Shares. After
approximately seven years (the Conversion Period), Class B and C shares will be
converted automatically into Class A shares of the Fund. Class A shares are
subject to an ongoing service fee of 0.25% of average net assets and are subject
to a distribution fee of 0.05% of average net assets. Automatic conversion of
Class B and C shares into Class A shares will occur at least once each month (on
the Conversion Date) on the basis of the relative net asset values of the shares
of the two classes on the Conversion Date, without the imposition of any sales
load, fee or other charge. Conversion of Class B and C shares to Class A shares
will not be deemed a purchase or sale of the shares for Federal income tax
purposes.
In addition, shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and
distributions on Class B and C shares also will convert automatically to Class A
shares. The Conversion Date for dividend reinvestment shares will be calculated
taking into account the length of time the shares underlying such reinvestment
shares were outstanding. If at a Conversion Date the conversion of Class B or C
shares to Class A shares of the Fund in a single account will result in less
than $50 worth of Class B or C shares being left in the account, all of the
Class B and C shares of the Fund held in the account on Conversion Date will be
converted to Class A shares of the Fund.
Share certificates for Class B and C
shares of the Fund to be converted must be delivered to the Transfer Agent at
least one week prior to the Conversion Date applicable to those shares. In the
event such certificates are not received by the Transfer Agent at least one week
prior to the Conversion Date, the related Class B and C shares will convert to
Class A shares on the next scheduled Conversion Date after such certificates are
delivered.
Class
D
Class D shares are offered to investors who owned Class D shares as
of March 1, 1996. They are also available to the Fund´s Advisor, IRC, and the
distributors, directors, certain institutional investors, corporations and
accounts managed by specific types of fiduciaries. Additionally, IRC reserves
the right to waive the front-end sales charge on purchases by IRC
employees.
Class D shares have an up-front sales charge of 5.75% that you pay
when you buy the shares. The offering price for Class D shares includes the
front-end sales charge.
If you invest $50,000 or more, your front-end sales
charge will be reduced.
You may qualify for other reduced sales charges, as
described in How to Reduce Your Sales Charge, and under certain circumstances
the sales charge may be waived.
Class D shares which are sold in amounts of
$1,000,000 or more at net asset value and if redeemed within one year of
purchase may be subject to a 1.0% contingent deferred sales charge.
The
Fund´s directors have adopted separate 12b-1 plans for Class A, B, and C that
allow each class to pay distribution fees for the sales and distributions of its
shares. Because these fees are paid out of each Class´s assets on an ongoing
basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may
cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Class A and D
Sales Charges
Amount of purchase | Sales charge as % of offering price | Sales charge as % of amount invested | Dealers commission as % of offering price |
Less than $50,000 | 5.75% | 6.10% | 5.00% |
$50,000 but less than $100,000 | 4.50% | 4.71% | 3.75% |
$100,000 but less than $250,000 | 3.50% | 3.63% | 2.75% |
$250,000 but less than $500,000 | 2.50% | 2.56% | 2.00% |
$500,000 but less than $1,000,000 | 2.00% | 2.04% | 1.60% |
$1,000,000 and over* | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
* As shown above, there is no front-end sales charge
when you purchase $1 million or more of Class A or Class D shares. However, if
your financial advisor is paid a commission on your purchase, you may have to
pay a limited contingent deferred sales charge of 1% if you redeem these shares
within the first year.
IRC will
make payments to dealers in the amount of 0.25 of 1% per year of the average
daily net asset value of outstanding Class D shares acquired after April 1, 1994
through such dealers (including shares acquired through reinvestment of
dividends and distributions on such shares). These payments are made by IRC and
not by the Class D shareholders of the Fund.
The Fund makes available free of
charge on or though the Fund´s web site at www.americangrowthfund.com the
information describing sales loads including deferred sales loads and a table of
front-end sales loads and each break point in the sales load as a percentage of
both the offering price and the net amount invested. The website includes a
discussion on how to reduce your sales charge by using letter of intent, rights
of accumulation plans, dividend reinvestment plans, withdrawal plans, exchange
privileges, and waivers for particular classes of investors. This includes
methods used to value accounts in order to determine whether a shareholder has
met sales load breakpoints as well as and any other information that the
shareholder might need to provide in order to obtain the break points.
The
web site may also explain how to purchase shares including any special purchase
plans or methods that may not be described in the prospectus or elsewhere in the
SAI if applicable.
Intermediary-Defined Sales Charge Waiver
Policies
The availability of certain initial or deferred sales charge
waivers and discounts may depend on the particular financial intermediary or
type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund
shares.
Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding
the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred
(back-end) sales load (“CDSC”) waivers, which are discussed below. In all
instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the fund or the
purchaser’s financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship
or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts.
For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary,
shareholders will have to purchase fund shares directly from the fund or through
another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.
Effective March
1, 2019, shareholders purchasing fund shares will be eligible only for the
following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred,
or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those
disclosed elsewhere in this fund’s prospectus or SAI.
Front-end sales load waivers on Class A
shares available:
l Shares
purchased in an investment advisory program.
l Shares
purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend
reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund
within the fund family).
l Employees and
registered representatives of Broker Dealers or their affiliates and their
immediate family members.
l Shares
purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided
(1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the
redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were
subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of
Reinstatement).
l A shareholder
in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value
to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are
no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and
procedures of the Broker Dealer.
CDSC Waivers on Classes A, B and C shares
available:
l Death or
disability of the shareholder.
l Shares sold
as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s
prospectus.
l Return of
excess contributions from an IRA Account.
l Shares sold
as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due
to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the fund’s
prospectus.
l Shares sold
to pay Broker Dealer fees but only if the transaction is initiated by the Broker
Dealer.
l Shares
acquired through a right of reinstatement.
Front-end
load discounts available: breakpoints, and/or rights of accumulation
l
Breakpoints
as described in this prospectus.
l
Rights
of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be
automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets
held by accounts within the purchaser’s household. Eligible fund family assets
not held at the Broker Dealer may be included in the rights of accumulation
calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial Advisor about
such assets.
How to reduce your sales charge
We offer
a number of ways to reduce or eliminate the sales charge on shares. Please refer
to the Statement of Additional Information for detailed information and
eligibility requirements. You can also get additional information from your
financial advisor. You or your financial Advisor must notify us at the time you
purchase shares if you are eligible for any of these programs. In order to
obtain a breakpoint discount, it is necessary at the time of purchase for a
shareholder to inform the Fund or its intermediary of the existence of other
eligible holdings.
Letter of
intent
Through a Letter of Intent you agree to invest a certain amount
in American Growth Fund over a 13-month period to qualify for reduced front-end
sales charges.
Class A - Available
Class B and C - Although the Letter of
Intent and Rights of Accumulation do not apply to the Purchase of Class B and C
shares, you can combine your purchase of A shares with your purchase of B and C
shares to fulfill your Letter of Intent or qualify for Rights of
Accumulation.
Class D - Available
Rights of Accumulation
You can
combine your holdings or purchases of all Classes in the Fund as well as the
holdings and purchases of your spouse and children under 21 to qualify for
reduced front-end sales charges.
Class A - Available
Class B and C -
Although the Letter of Intent and Rights of Accumulation do not apply to the
Purchase of Class B and C shares, you can combine your purchase of A shares with
your purchase of B and C shares to fulfill your Letter of Intent or qualify for
Rights of Accumulation.
Class D - Available
Reinvestment of redeemed shares
Up
to 30 days after you redeem shares, you can reinvest the proceeds without paying
a front-end sales charge.
Class A - Available
Class B and C - Not
available
Class D - Available
SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, SAR/SEP, Prototype
Profit Sharing, Pension, 401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), 403(b)(7)
These
investment plans may qualify for reduced sales charges by combining the
purchases of all members of the group. Members of these groups may also qualify
to purchase shares without a front-end sales charge and a waiver of any
contingent deferred sales charge.
Class A - Available
Class B and C - Not
available
Class D - Available
Financial Highlights
The financial
highlight table is intended to help you understand the Fund´s financial
performance for the past 5 years. Certain information reflects financial results
for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that
an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming
reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information for each of
the five years in the period ended July 31, 2022 has been audited by Tait,
Weller & Baker LLP, the Fund’s independent
registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund´s financial statements, is included in the annual report, which is available upon request by contacting the Fund at 800-525-2406 or on the Fund´s web site, www.americangrowthfund.com.
Class A Year Ended July 31, | |||||
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
Per Share Operating Data: | |||||
Net Asset Value, | |||||
Beginning of Period | $8.11) | $6.70) | $6.02) | $5.28) | $4.92) |
Income gain (loss) from investment operations: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (0.24) | (0.26) | (0.24) | (0.22) | (0.21) |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.71) | 1.86) | 0.92) | 0.96) | 0.57) |
Total income gain (loss) from investment operations | (0.95) | 1.60) | 0.68) | 0.74) | 0.36) |
Distributions: | |||||
Long-term capital gains distributions | (0.92) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Total distributions | (0.92) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $6.24 | $8.11 | $6.70) | $6.02) | $5.28) |
Total Return at Net Asset Value1 | (13.4)% | 24.1% | 11.3% | 14.0% | 7.3% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $8,951 | $11,632 | $10,614) | $10,236) | $8,431) |
Ratio to average net assets: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (3.40)% | (3.46)% | (3.89)% | (4.10)% | (4.10)% |
Expenses | 4.36% | 4.42% | 5.08)% | 5.44)% | 5.51)% |
Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 3% | 4% | 0)% | 7)% | 11)% |
1. Assumes a
hypothetical initial investment on the business day before the first day of the
fiscal period with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional
shares on the reinvestment date and redemption at the net asset value calculated
on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected
in total returns.
2. The lesser of purchases or sales of Series One portfolio securities for a period, divided by the monthly average of the market value of securities owned during the period. Securities with a maturity or expiration date at the time of acquisition of one year or less are excluded from the calculation. Purchases and sales of investment securities (other than short-term securities) from the year ended July 31, 2022, aggregated $652,744 and $2,882,102, respectively.
3. Per share
amounts have been calculated using the Average Shares Method.
Class B Year Ended July 31, |
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
Per Share Operating Data: | |||||
Net Asset Value, | |||||
Beginning of Period | $6.21) | $5.31) | $4.94) | $4.48) | $4.22) |
Income gain (loss) from investment operations: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (0.29) | (0.35) | (0.37) | (0.34) | (0.33) |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.55) | 1.44) | 0.74) | 0.80) | 0.59) |
Total income gain (loss) from investment operations | (0.84) | 1.09) | 0.37) | 0.46) | 0.26) |
Distributions: | |||||
Long-term capital gains distributions | (0.69) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Total distributions | (0.69) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $4.68) | $6.21) | $5.31) | $4.94) | $4.48) |
Total Return at Net Asset Value1 | (15.1)% | 20.7% | 7.5% | 10.3% | 6.2% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $254 | $265 | $167 | $169 | $170 |
Ratio to average net assets: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (5.56)% | (6.13)% | (7.49)% | (7.55)% | (7.60)% |
Expenses | 6.52% | 7.09% | 8.68% | 8.89% | 8.95% |
Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 3% | 4% | 0% | 7% | 11% |
1. Assumes a
hypothetical initial investment on the business day before the first day of the
fiscal period with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional
shares on the reinvestment date and redemption at the net asset value calculated
on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected
in total returns.
2. The lesser of purchases or sales of Series One portfolio securities for a period, divided by the monthly average of the market value of securities owned during the period. Securities with a maturity or expiration date at the time of acquisition of one year or less are excluded from the calculation. Purchases and sales of investment securities (other than short-term securities) from the year ended July 31, 2022, aggregated $652,744 and $2,882,102, respectively.
3. Per share
amounts have been calculated using the Average Shares Method.
Class C Year Ended July 31, | |||||
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
Per Share Operating Data: | |||||
Net Asset Value, | |||||
Beginning of Period | $6.70) | $5.62) | $5.03) | $4.47) | $4.20) |
Income gain (loss) from investment operations: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (0.26) | (0.27) | (0.25) | (0.23) | (0.20) |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.58) | 1.54) | 0.84) | 0.79) | 0.47) |
Total income gain (loss) from investment operations | (0.84) | 1.27) | 0.59) | 0.56) | 0.27) |
Distributions: | |||||
Long-term capital gains distributions | (0.76) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Total distributions | (0.76) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $5.10) | $6.70) | $5.62) | $5.03) | $4.47) |
Total Return at Net Asset Value1 | (14.3)% | 22.8% | 11.7% | 12.5% | 6.4% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $1,296 | $1,480 | $1,589 | $1,578 | $2,593 |
Ratio to average net assets: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (4.44)% | (4.41)% | (4.80)% | (5.05)% | (4.60)% |
Expenses | 5.40% | 5.41% | 5.98% | 6.41% | 5.91% |
Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 3% | 4% | 0% | 7% | 11% |
1. Assumes a hypothetical initial investment on the business day before the first day of the fiscal period with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the reinvestment date and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in total returns.
2. The lesser of purchases or sales of Series One portfolio securities for a period, divided by the monthly average of the market value of securities owned during the period. Securities with a maturity or expiration date at the time of acquisition of one year or less are excluded from the calculation. Purchases and sales of investment securities (other than short-term securities) from the year ended July 31, 2022, aggregated $652,744 and $2,882,102, respectively.
3. Per share amounts have been calculated using the Average Shares Method.
Class D Year Ended July 31, | |||||
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
Per Share Operating Data: | |||||
Net Asset Value, | |||||
Beginning of Period | $8.73) | $7.18) | $6.42) | $5.61) | $5.21) |
Income gain (loss) from investment operations: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (0..23) | (0.25) | (0.23) | (0.21) | (0.19) |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | (0.76) | 1.99) | 0.99) | 1.02) | 0.59) |
Total income gain (loss) from investment operations | (0.99) | 1.74) | 0.76) | 0.81) | 0.40) |
Distributions: | |||||
Long-term capital gains distributions | (1.00) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Total distributions | (1.00) | (0.19) | - | - | - |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $6.74) | $8.73) | $7.18) | $6.42) | $5.61) |
Total Return at Net Asset Value1 | (13.1)% | 24.5)% | 11.8)% | 14.4)% | 7.7)% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $6,656 | $8,110 | $6,989 | $6,558 | $6,153 |
Ratio to average net assets: | |||||
Net investment loss3 | (3.04)% | (3.11)% | (3.49)% | (3.75)% | (3.51)% |
Expenses | 4.00% | 4.07% | 4.68% | 5.09% | 4.83% |
Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 3% | 4% | 0% | 7% | 11% |
1. Assumes a
hypothetical initial investment on the business day before the first day of the
fiscal period with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional
shares on the reinvestment date and redemption at the net asset value calculated
on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected
in total returns.
2. The lesser of purchases or sales of Series One portfolio securities for a period, divided by the monthly average of the market value of securities owned during the period. Securities with a maturity or expiration date at the time of acquisition of one year or less are excluded from the calculation. Purchases and sales of investment securities (other than short-term securities) from the year ended July 31, 2022, aggregated $652,744 and $2,882,102, respectively.
3. Per share amounts have been calculated using the Average Shares Method.
Understanding
the Financial Highlights
The tables on the
preceding pages itemize what contributed to the changes in share price during
the period. They also show the changes in share price for this period in
comparison to changes over the last four fiscal periods.
On a per share
basis, the tables include as appropriate:
l share prices at the beginning
of the period;
l investment income and capital
gains or losses;
l distributions of income and
capital gains paid to shareholders; and
l share prices at the end of the
period.
The tables also include some key statistics for the period as
appropriate:
l Total Return - the overall
percentage of return of the Fund, assuming the reinvestment of all
distributions
l Expense Ratio - operating
expenses as a percentage of average net assets;
l Net Investment Income Ratio -
net investment income as a percentage of average net assets; and
l Portfolio Turnover - the
percentage of the Fund´s buying and selling activity.
Proxy Voting
A discussion on Proxy
Voting can be found on page 10 of the Fund´s Statement of Additional
Information. The Statement of Additional Information, as well as how the Fund
issued votes for the year ended June 30, 2022, can be obtained by calling
800-525-2406 or by visiting the Fund´s web site at
www.americangrowthfund.com.
Escheatment
Certain states, including
the state of Texas, have laws that allow shareholders to designate a
representative to receive abandoned or unclaimed property (“escheatment”)
notifications by completing and submitting a designation form that generally can
be found on the official state website. If a shareholder resides in an
applicable state, and elects to designate a representative to receive
escheatment notifications, escheatment notices generally will be delivered as
required by such state laws, including, as applicable, to both the shareholder
and the designated representative. A completed designation form may be mailed to
the Fund (if Shares are held directly with the Fund) or to the shareholder’s
financial intermediary (if Shares are not held directly with the Fund).
Shareholders should refer to relevant state law for the shareholder’s specific
rights and responsibilities under his or her state’s escheatment law(s), which
can generally be found on a state’s official website.
American
Growth Fund, Inc.
1636 Logan
Street
Denver, CO 80203
800.525.2406
303.626.0600
303.626.0614
Fax
DISTRIBUTOR
World
Capital Brokerage, Inc.
1636 Logan Street
Denver, CO
80203
303.626.0631
888.742.0631
303.626.0614 Fax
INVESTMENT ADVISOR
Investment
Research Corporation
1636 Logan Street
Denver, CO
80203
303.626.0632
TRANSFER
AGENT
Fund Services, Inc.
8730 Stony Point Parkway
Stony Point
Bldg. III
Suite # 205
Richmond, Va. 23235
CUSTODIAN
UMB Bank NA Investment
Services Group
928 Grand Blvd
Fifth Floor
Kansas City, MO
64106
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Tait,
Weller & Baker LLP
Two Liberty Place
50 South 16th Street, Suite
2900
Philadelphia PA 19102-2529
Additional information about the Fund´s investments is
available in American Growth Fund´s annual and semi-annual reports to
shareholders. In American Growth Fund´s annual report, you will find a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected the Fund´s performance during its last fiscal year.
You can find
more detailed information about the Fund, including a description of the Fund´s
policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund´s portfolio
securities, in the current Statement of Additional Information, which we have
filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and which
is legally a part of this prospectus. If you want a free copy of the Statement
of Additional Information, the annual or semi-annual report, or if you have any
questions about investing in this Fund or shareholder inquiries, you can write
to us at 1636 Logan Street, Denver, CO 80203, email us at
[email protected] or view/print the annual, semi-annual and the
statement of additional information online at
http://www.americangrowthfund.com/agfs1/agflit_download.htm, or call us,
toll-free, at 800-525-2406. Requests to mail or email the Statement of
Additional Information, Annual Report or Semi Annual Report will be processed
and mailed, without charge, within three business days of your request via
first-class mail. You may also obtain additional information about the Fund from
your financial adviser.
Information about the Fund’s investments is available
in the Fund’s Annual Report and Semi-Annual reports to shareholders (as well as
the Fund´s Statement of Additional Information) can be reviewed and copied at
the Commission´s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Commission
at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on
the EDGAR Database on the Commission´s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.
Copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by
electronic request at the following E-mail address: [email protected], or by
writing the Commission´s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE, Washington,
D.C. 20549-1520.
Shareholder Service
Center
Call the Shareholder Service Center Monday through Friday,
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain time at 800-525-2406.
l For fund
information; literature, price, and performance figures.
l For
information on existing regular investment accounts and retirement plan accounts
including wire investments; wire redemptions; telephone redemptions and
telephone exchanges.
Investment Company Act File
#811-825