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Como se presentó ante la Comisión de Bolsa y Valores el 27 de diciembre de 2019
Registro No. 333-163981
Registro No. 811-22356
ESTADOS UNIDOS
COMISIÓN NACIONAL DEL MERCADO DE VALORES
Washington, D.C.20549
FORMULARIO N-1A
DECLARACIÓN DE REGISTRO BAJO LA LEY DE VALORES DE 1933 ☐
Enmienda pre-efectiva No.
☐
Enmienda posterior a la vigencia No. (30)
☒
Y
DECLARACIÓN DE REGISTRO DEBAJO LA LEY DE INVERSIÓN DE 1940 ☐
Enmienda No. (30)
☒
CONFIANZA DE LA SERIE DE INVERSIONES ARCHER
c / o Archer Investment Corporation
9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 630
Indianápolis, IN 46240
(800) 238-7701
Copias a:
Archer Investment Corporation 9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 630 Indianápolis, IN 46240 (800) 238-7701 |
|
Ley Ropka, LLC 215 Fries Mill Road Turnersville, NJ 08012 (856) 374-1744 |
Se propone que esta presentación sea efectiva:
/ /XX/ inmediatamente después de la presentación de conformidad con el párrafo (b)
/ / / en (_) de conformidad con el párrafo (b)
/ / / 60 días después de la presentación de conformidad con el párrafo (a) (1)
/ / / en
de conformidad con el párrafo (a) (1)
/ / / 75 días después de la presentación de conformidad con el párrafo (a) (2)
/ / / en (fecha) de conformidad con el párrafo (a) (2) de la Regla 485
Si corresponde, marque la siguiente casilla:
/ / / Esta enmienda post-efectiva designa una nueva fecha efectiva para una enmienda post-efectiva presentada previamente.
CONFIANZA DE LA SERIE DE INVERSIONES ARCHER
ARCHER BALANCED FUND – Símbolo de teletipo – ARCHX
ARCHER INGRESOS FONDO – Símbolo de teletipo – ARINX
ARCHER STOCK FUND – Símbolo de teletipo – ARSKX
ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND – Símbolo de teletipo – ARDGX
FOLLETO
27 de diciembre de 2019
NOTA IMPORTANTE: a partir del 1 de enero de 2021, según lo permitido por las regulaciones adoptadas por la Comisión de Bolsa y Valores, las copias en papel de los informes de los accionistas del Fondo como este ya no se enviarán por correo, a menos que solicite específicamente copias en papel de los informes el Fondo o de su intermediario financiero, como un corredor de bolsa o banco. En cambio, los informes estarán disponibles en el sitio web del Fondo www.thearcherfunds.com, y se le notificará por correo cada vez que se publique un informe y se le proporcione un enlace al sitio web para acceder al informe.
Si ya eligió recibir informes de accionistas electrónicamente, no se verá afectado por este cambio y no necesita tomar ninguna medida. Puede optar por recibir electrónicamente informes de accionistas y otras comunicaciones del Fondo o de su intermediario financiero llamando o enviando una solicitud por correo electrónico.
Puede elegir recibir todos los informes futuros en papel sin cargo. Puede informar al Fondo o a su intermediario financiero que desea continuar recibiendo copias en papel de sus informes de accionistas llamando o enviando una solicitud por correo electrónico. Su elección de recibir informes en papel se aplicará a todos los fondos mantenidos con el complejo de fondos o su intermediario financiero.
La Comisión de Bolsa y Valores no ha aprobado o desaprobado estos valores ni ha determinado si este prospecto es verdadero o completo. Cualquier representación en contrario es un delito penal.
Tabla de contenido
RESUMEN DEL FONDO
1
ARCHER FONDO EQUILIBRADO
1
Objetivo de inversión
1
Honorarios y gastos de invertir en el fondo
1
Volumen de negocios de cartera
2
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
2
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
3
Actuación
6 6
Gestión del fondo
8
Administradores de cartera
8
RESUMEN DEL FONDO
9 9
ARCHER FONDO DE INGRESOS
9 9
Objetivo de inversión
9 9
Honorarios y gastos de invertir en el fondo
9 9
Volumen de negocios de cartera
10
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
10
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
11
Actuación
13
Gestión del fondo
14
Administradores de cartera
15
RESUMEN DEL FONDO
dieciséis
ARCHER STOCK FUND
dieciséis
Objetivo de inversión
dieciséis
Honorarios y gastos de invertir en el fondo
dieciséis
Volumen de negocios de cartera
17
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
17
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
17
Actuación
18 años
Gestión del fondo
19
Administradores de cartera
20
RESUMEN DEL FONDO
21
ARCHER DIVIDEND FONDO DE CRECIMIENTO
21
Objetivo de inversión
21
Honorarios y gastos de invertir en el fondo
21
Volumen de negocios de cartera
22
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
22
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
22
Actuación
25
Gestión del fondo
27
INFORMACIÓN ADICIONAL SOBRE LOS FONDOS
28
OBJETIVOS DE INVERSIÓN, ESTRATEGIAS PRINCIPALES DE INVERSIÓN, RIESGOS RELACIONADOS,
28
Y DIVULGACIÓN DE LAS CARTERAS DE LA CARTERA
28
ARCHER FONDO EQUILIBRADO
28
Objetivo de inversión
28
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
28
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
30
Cambio en los objetivos de inversión
33
Posiciones temporales defensivas
33
Divulgación de participaciones de cartera
34
¿Es el fondo adecuado para usted?
34
ARCHER FONDO DE INGRESOS
35
Objetivo de inversión
35
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
35
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
36
Cambio en los objetivos de inversión
39
Posiciones temporales defensivas
39
Divulgación de participaciones de cartera
40
¿Es el fondo adecuado para usted?
40
ARCHER STOCK FUND
41
Objetivo de inversión
41
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
41
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
41
Cambio en los objetivos de inversión
44
Posiciones temporales defensivas
44
Divulgación de participaciones de cartera
44
¿Es el fondo adecuado para usted?
45
ARCHER DIVIDEND FONDO DE CRECIMIENTO
46
Objetivo de inversión
46
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
46
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
46
Posiciones temporales defensivas
50
Divulgación de participaciones de cartera
50
¿Es el fondo adecuado para usted?
50
GESTIÓN, ORGANIZACIÓN Y ESTRUCTURA DE CAPITAL
51
El asesor
51
Los gestores de cartera
52
Pagos a intermediarios y otros intermediarios financieros
53
INFORMACIÓN DEL ACCIONISTA
53
Precio de las acciones del fondo
53
Cómo comprar acciones
54
COMPRA Y VENTA DE ACCIONES DEL FONDO, IMPUESTOS Y COMPENSACIÓN FINANCIERA INTERMEDIA 62
Compra y venta de acciones de fondos
62
Información sobre los impuestos
62
ASPECTOS FINANCIEROS MÁS DESTACADOS
63
ARCHER FONDO EQUILIBRADO
63
ARCHER FONDO DE INGRESOS
64
ARCHER STOCK FUND
sesenta y cinco
ARCHER DIVIDEND FONDO DE CRECIMIENTO
66
POLÍTICA DE PRIVACIDAD
67
CÓMO OBTENER MÁS INFORMACIÓN
68
RESUMEN DEL FONDO
ARCHER FONDO EQUILIBRADO
Objetivo de inversión
El Archer Balanced Fund (el "Fondo") busca el rendimiento total.
Honorarios y gastos de invertir en el fondo
Esta tabla describe los honorarios y gastos que puede pagar si compra y mantiene acciones del Fondo.
Honorarios de accionistas (honorarios pagados directamente de su inversión) |
|
Tarifa de canje (como un porcentaje del monto canjeado dentro de los noventa (90) días de la compra) |
1,00% |
|
|
Gastos operativos anuales del fondo (gastos que paga cada año como porcentaje del valor de su inversión) |
|
Comisión de gestión |
0,50% |
Distribución y / o servicio (12b-1) Tarifas |
Ninguna |
Otros gastos |
1.11% |
Honorarios y gastos del fondo adquirido (1) |
0.02% |
Gastos operativos totales del fondo anual |
1,63% |
Exención de tarifas y / o reembolso de gastos (2) |
(0,41%) |
Gastos operativos totales del fondo anual después de la exención de tarifas y / o reembolso de gastos |
1,22% |
(1) Los honorarios y gastos del fondo adquiridos representan el gasto proporcional incurrido indirectamente por el fondo como resultado de invertir en fondos del mercado monetario u otras compañías de inversión que tienen sus propios gastos. Los honorarios y gastos no se utilizan para calcular el valor del activo neto del Fondo y no se correlacionan con la relación de Gastos con el Activo neto promedio que se encuentra en la sección "Aspectos financieros más destacados" de este Folleto.
(2) El Asesor acordó contractualmente renunciar a su comisión de gestión y / o reembolsar ciertos gastos operativos del Fondo, pero solo en la medida necesaria para que los gastos operativos totales del Fondo, excluidas las comisiones y comisiones de corretaje, las comisiones 12b-1, los costos por préstamos (como los gastos de intereses y dividendos sobre valores vendidos en corto), impuestos, gastos extraordinarios y cualquier gasto indirecto (como comisiones y gastos de los fondos adquiridos) no exceden el 1,20% del activo neto diario promedio del fondo. De conformidad con el Acuerdo de limitación de gastos, si el Asesor así lo solicita, cualquier gasto operativo del Fondo renunciado o reembolsado por el Asesor de conformidad con el Acuerdo que tuvo el efecto de reducir los Gastos operativos del Fondo al 1,20% en los últimos tres años anteriores a la recuperación. reembolsado al Asesor por el Fondo; siempre que, sin embargo, dicha recuperación no causará que el índice de gastos del Fondo, después de que se haya tenido en cuenta la recuperación, exceda el menor límite de gastos vigente en el momento de la exención o el límite de gastos vigente en el momento de la recuperación . El acuerdo contractual está vigente hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2023. El Acuerdo de Servicios de Gestión puede, con un aviso por escrito de sesenta (60) días, rescindirse con respecto al Fondo, en cualquier momento sin el pago de ninguna multa, por parte de la Junta de Fideicomisarios o por el voto de la mayoría de los valores con derecho a voto en circulación del Fondo, o por la Administración.
Ejemplo:
Este ejemplo tiene la intención de ayudarlo a comparar el costo de invertir en Archer Balanced Fund con el costo de invertir en otros fondos mutuos.
El Ejemplo asume que invierte $ 10,000 en el Fondo durante los períodos de tiempo indicados y luego canjea todas sus acciones al final de esos períodos. El ejemplo también supone que su inversión tiene un rendimiento del 5% cada año y que los gastos operativos del Fondo (que dan efecto a la limitación de gastos solo durante los primeros tres años) siguen siendo los mismos. Aunque sus costos reales pueden ser más altos o más bajos, según estos supuestos, sus costos serían:
1
1 AÑO |
3 AÑOS |
5 AÑOS |
10 AÑOS |
$ 124 |
$ 474 |
$ 848 |
$ 1,898 |
Volumen de negocios de cartera
El Fondo paga los costos de transacción, como las comisiones, cuando compra y vende valores (o "entrega" su cartera). Una tasa de rotación de cartera más alta puede indicar costos de transacción más altos y puede generar impuestos más altos cuando las acciones del Fondo se mantienen en una cuenta imponible. Estos costos, que no se reflejan en los gastos operativos anuales del fondo o en el ejemplo, afectan el rendimiento del Fondo. Durante el año fiscal más reciente, la tasa de rotación de la cartera del Fondo fue del 13,91% del valor promedio de su cartera.
Principales estrategias de inversión del fondo
El Fondo busca alcanzar su objetivo de rentabilidad total, invirtiendo en una cartera diversificada de valores de renta variable y renta variable. El rendimiento total se compone de ingresos y apreciación del capital. El asesor utiliza un enfoque de arriba hacia abajo para evaluar las industrias y sectores de la economía que están deprimidos o han caído en desgracia con los inversores y luego busca empresas de calidad en esas industrias o sectores que tienen valor en la opinión del asesor. Dentro de cada uno, el asesor busca encontrar compañías con solidez financiera sólida y una administración sólida que vendan por debajo de su valor intrínseco.
Como Fondo equilibrado, en circunstancias normales, el Fondo invertirá hasta un 70%, pero no menos del 25% de sus activos totales en valores de renta variable. El componente de capital de la cartera del Fondo consistirá principalmente en valores de grandes empresas de capitalización (es decir, empresas con capitalizaciones de mercado de más de $ 10 mil millones), pero el Fondo también puede invertir en compañías de pequeña y mediana capitalización si el asesor cree que tales inversiones brindan oportunidades para mayores rendimientos Los valores de renta variable en los que el Fondo puede invertir incluyen principalmente acciones ordinarias, así como valores convertibles en acciones ordinarias y fondos cotizados en bolsa (ETF) que invierten principalmente en valores de renta variable. El Fondo también puede invertir en fideicomisos de inversión inmobiliaria (REIT).
Además, en circunstancias normales, el Fondo invertirá al menos el 30%, pero no menos del 25% de sus activos totales en valores de renta fija, efectivo y equivalentes de efectivo. Los valores de renta fija en los que el Fondo puede invertir incluyen valores emitidos por el gobierno de los EE. UU. Y sus agencias e instrumentos, bonos corporativos, bonos del gobierno extranjero, bonos municipales y bonos de cupón cero, pagarés estructurados y productos similares, REIT de hipotecas, mutuales del mercado monetario fondos y otros instrumentos del mercado monetario, certificados de depósito híbridos y compañías de inversión (como EFT) que invierten principalmente en valores de renta fija. Los valores de renta fija en la cartera del Fondo tendrán principalmente vencimientos de 5 años o menos; sin embargo, de vez en cuando, el Fondo puede invertir en valores de renta fija con vencimientos de hasta 30 años. El Fondo generalmente invierte en títulos de renta fija con calificación de grado de inversión en el momento de la compra (al menos BBB / Baa o superior) según lo determine una de las siguientes organizaciones de calificación :, Fitch Ratings ("Fitch") o Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") o, si no está calificado, determinado por el asesor como de calidad comparable. De vez en cuando, según las condiciones generales del mercado y las perspectivas presentadas por el título individual, el Fondo puede invertir en valores de renta fija sin grado de inversión, comúnmente conocidos como bonos basura. El Fondo no invertirá más del 5% de sus activos en bonos basura (determinado al momento de la compra).
El Fondo puede invertir en valores de renta variable o renta fija de empresas extranjeras que operan en países desarrollados. Los valores de renta variable se limitarán al Depositario estadounidense patrocinado o no patrocinado.
2
Recibos (ADR) negociados en bolsas de valores de EE. UU. Los ADR generalmente son emitidos por un banco estadounidense o una compañía fiduciaria y representan la propiedad de los valores subyacentes emitidos por una compañía extranjera. El Fondo puede perseguir su objetivo de inversión directa o indirectamente invirtiendo en ETF, siempre que dicha inversión se ajuste a las políticas de inversión del Fondo. Al evaluar los ETF, el asesor considera la estrategia de inversión del ETF, la experiencia de su patrocinador, su historial de desempeño, la volatilidad, los datos comparativos de rendimiento y riesgo, el tamaño de los activos y la relación de gastos.
Para fines de gestión de efectivo, el Fondo también puede invertir en instrumentos del mercado monetario a corto plazo y de alta calidad, como obligaciones a corto plazo del gobierno de los EE. UU., Sus agencias o instrumentos, obligaciones bancarias, papel comercial o fondos mutuos del mercado monetario. Al mantener algo de efectivo o equivalentes de efectivo, el Fondo puede evitar darse cuenta de las ganancias y pérdidas de la venta de acciones cuando hay reembolsos de accionistas. Sin embargo, el Fondo puede tener dificultades para cumplir su objetivo de inversión cuando mantiene una posición de efectivo significativa.
El Fondo no buscará obtener ganancias anticipando movimientos del mercado a corto plazo. El asesor tiene la intención de comprar valores que lo cumplan principalmente para los objetivos a largo plazo. Sin embargo, cuando el asesor considere que el cambio beneficiará al Fondo, la rotación de la cartera no será un factor limitante. En consecuencia, los Fondos pueden experimentar una tasa de rotación de cartera superior a la normal.
El Fondo puede vender participaciones que el asesor cree que han reducido el potencial de revalorización del capital y / o ingresos, han tenido un rendimiento inferior al mercado o sus sectores económicos relevantes, han excedido sus valores de mercado justos, han experimentado un cambio en los fundamentos o están sujetos a otros factores que puede contribuir al bajo rendimiento relativo.
Principales riesgos de invertir en el fondo
Los inversores en el Fondo deben tener una perspectiva a largo plazo y, por ejemplo, ser capaces de tolerar disminuciones de valor potencialmente abruptas.
Los precios de los valores en poder del Fondo pueden disminuir en respuesta a ciertos eventos que tienen lugar en todo el mundo, incluidos aquellos que involucran directamente a las compañías cuyos valores son propiedad del Fondo; condiciones que afectan la economía general; cambios generales del mercado; inestabilidad política, social o económica local, regional o global; y fluctuaciones de divisas, tasas de interés y precios de productos básicos. Las acciones ordinarias y otros valores de renta variable comprados por el Fondo pueden implicar grandes oscilaciones de precios y un potencial de pérdida.
Las inversiones en valores emitidos por entidades con sede fuera de los Estados Unidos también pueden verse afectadas por los controles de divisas; diferentes normas y prácticas contables, de auditoría, de informes financieros y legales; expropiación; cambios en la política fiscal; mayor volatilidad del mercado; diferentes estructuras del mercado de valores; mayores costos de transacción; y diversas dificultades administrativas, como retrasos en la compensación y liquidación de las transacciones de cartera o en el pago de dividendos. Estos riesgos pueden aumentar en relación con las inversiones en los mercados emergentes. Las inversiones en valores emitidos por entidades domiciliadas en los Estados Unidos también pueden estar sujetas a muchos de estos riesgos.
Puede perder dinero invirtiendo en el Fondo. El rendimiento del Fondo podría verse afectado por:
Riesgo de gestión. La estrategia de inversión del asesor puede no producir los resultados previstos.
3
Riesgo de la empresa. El valor del Fondo puede disminuir en respuesta a las actividades y perspectivas financieras de una compañía individual en la cartera del Fondo. El valor de una empresa individual puede ser más volátil que el mercado en su conjunto.
Riesgo de valor. El Fondo invierte en valores infravalorados. Es posible que el mercado no esté de acuerdo con la determinación del asesor de que un valor está infravalorado, y el precio del valor puede no aumentar a lo que el asesor cree que es su valor total. Incluso puede disminuir en valor.
Riesgos patrimoniales. Los mercados de valores pueden ser volátiles. En otras palabras, los precios de las acciones pueden aumentar o disminuir rápidamente en respuesta a los acontecimientos que afectan a una empresa o industria específica, o a las cambiantes condiciones económicas, políticas o de mercado. Las inversiones del Fondo pueden disminuir en valor si los mercados bursátiles funcionan mal. También existe el riesgo de que las inversiones del Fondo tengan un rendimiento inferior al de los mercados de valores en general o a segmentos particulares de los mercados de valores.
Riesgo de pequeñas y medianas empresas. Las empresas pequeñas y medianas implican un mayor riesgo de pérdida y fluctuación de precios que las empresas más grandes. Sus valores también pueden ser menos líquidos y más volátiles. Como resultado, el Fondo podría tener mayores dificultades para comprar o vender una garantía de un emisor de micro o pequeña capitalización a un precio aceptable, especialmente en períodos de volatilidad del mercado.
Riesgos de renta fija.
Riesgo crediticio. Es posible que el emisor de una garantía de renta fija no pueda hacer pagos de intereses y capital cuando vencen. En general, cuanto más baja es la calificación crediticia de un valor, mayor es el riesgo de que el emisor incumpla su obligación.
Cambio en el riesgo de calificación. Si una agencia de calificación otorga una calificación de deuda más baja, el valor de la deuda disminuirá porque los inversores exigirán una tasa de rendimiento más alta.
Riesgo de tipo de interés. El valor del Fondo puede fluctuar en función de los cambios en los tipos de interés y las condiciones del mercado. A medida que disminuyen las tasas de interés, el valor de las inversiones del Fondo puede disminuir. Los valores con vencimientos efectivos más largos son más sensibles a los cambios en las tasas de interés que aquellos con vencimientos efectivos más cortos. Además, los emisores de ciertos tipos de valores pueden pagar por adelantado el principal antes de lo programado cuando las tasas de interés aumentan, lo que obliga al Fondo a reinvertir en valores de menor rendimiento. Los pagos de capital más lentos de lo esperado también pueden extender la vida promedio de los valores de renta fija, bloqueando las tasas de interés por debajo del mercado y reduciendo el valor de estos valores.
Riesgo de duración. Los precios de los valores de renta fija con vencimientos efectivos más largos son más sensibles a los cambios en las tasas de interés que aquellos con vencimientos efectivos más cortos.
Riesgo de valores de alto rendimiento. En la medida en que el Fondo invierta en valores de alto rendimiento (bonos basura), estará sujeto a mayores niveles de riesgo de tasa de interés y crédito que los fondos que no invierten en dichos valores. Estos valores se consideran predominantemente especulativos con respecto a la capacidad continua del emisor para realizar pagos de capital e intereses. Una recesión económica podría afectar negativamente al mercado de estos valores y reducir la capacidad del Fondo para vender estos valores (riesgo de liquidez). Si el emisor de un valor está en incumplimiento con respecto a los pagos de intereses o capital, el Fondo puede perder toda su inversión.
Bonos de cupón cero. Se requiere que el Fondo distribuya los ingresos devengados con respecto a los bonos de cupón cero a los accionistas, incluso cuando en realidad no se reciben ingresos por el bono. De vez en cuando, el Fondo
4 4
puede tener que liquidar otros valores de cartera para satisfacer sus obligaciones de distribución en dichos bonos de cupón cero.
Riesgos Extranjeros. En la medida en que el Fondo invierta en valores extranjeros, estará sujeto a riesgos adicionales que pueden aumentar el potencial de pérdidas en el Fondo. Estos riesgos pueden incluir, entre otros, riesgos de país (conflictos políticos, diplomáticos, regionales, terrorismo, guerra, inestabilidad social y económica, devaluaciones de la moneda y políticas que tienen el efecto de limitar o restringir la inversión extranjera o el movimiento de activos), diferentes intercambios prácticas, menos supervisión gubernamental, menos información disponible públicamente, mercados comerciales limitados y mayor volatilidad.
Riesgo de valores de la compañía de inversión. Cuando el Fondo invierte en otras compañías de inversión, como fondos mutuos del mercado monetario o ETF, indirectamente asume su parte proporcional de las comisiones y gastos pagaderos directamente por la otra compañía de inversión. Por lo tanto, el Fondo incurrirá en gastos más altos, muchos de los cuales pueden ser duplicados. Además, el Fondo puede verse afectado por las pérdidas de los fondos subyacentes y el nivel de riesgo derivado de las prácticas de inversión de los fondos subyacentes (como el uso de derivados por parte de los fondos subyacentes). Los ETF también están sujetos a los siguientes riesgos: (i) el precio de mercado de las acciones de un ETF puede negociarse por encima o por debajo de su valor liquidativo; (ii) el ETF puede emplear una estrategia de inversión que utilice altos índices de apalancamiento; o (iv) la negociación de las acciones de un ETF puede detenerse si los funcionarios de la bolsa de valores consideran que dicha acción es apropiada, las acciones se excluyen de la bolsa o la activación de "interruptores de circuito" en todo el mercado (que están vinculados a grandes reducciones en precios de acciones) detiene el comercio de acciones en general. El Fondo no tiene control sobre los riesgos asumidos por los fondos subyacentes en los que invierte.
Riesgo inmobiliario. En la medida en que el Fondo invierta en REIT, está sujeto a riesgos generalmente asociados con la inversión en bienes raíces, tales como (i) posibles disminuciones en el valor de los bienes inmuebles, (ii) condiciones económicas generales y locales adversas, (iii) posible falta de disponibilidad de fondos hipotecarios, (iv) cambios en las tasas de interés y (v) problemas ambientales. Además, los REIT están sujetos a ciertos otros riesgos relacionados específicamente con su estructura y enfoque, tales como: dependencia de las habilidades de gestión; diversificación limitada; los riesgos de localizar y gestionar la financiación de proyectos; fuerte dependencia del flujo de caja; posible incumplimiento por parte de los prestatarios; los costos y posibles pérdidas de autoliquidación de una o más participaciones; la posibilidad de no mantener exenciones del registro de valores; y, en muchos casos, una capitalización de mercado relativamente pequeña, lo que puede resultar en una menor liquidez del mercado y una mayor volatilidad de los precios.
Riesgos de valores gubernamentales.
Riesgo de agencia. Es posible que el gobierno de los EE. UU. No brinde apoyo financiero a sus agencias o instrumentos si la ley no lo exige. Si una agencia o instrumento del gobierno de los EE. UU. En el cual el Fondo invierte incumplimientos y el gobierno de los EE. UU. No respalda la obligación, el precio o el rendimiento de las acciones del Fondo podría caer. Los valores de ciertas entidades patrocinadas por el gobierno de los EE. UU., Como Freddie Mac o Fannie Mae, no son emitidos ni garantizados por el gobierno de los EE. UU.
Sin garantía. La garantía del gobierno de EE. UU. Del pago final del principal y el pago oportuno de intereses sobre ciertos valores del gobierno de EE. UU. Que son propiedad del Fondo no implica que las acciones del Fondo estén garantizadas o que el precio de las acciones del Fondo no fluctúe.
Certificados híbridos de riesgo de depósito. A diferencia de un CD normal, un CD invocable fluctúa en valor. Si las tasas de interés bajan, el CD gana valor; Si las tasas de interés suben, el CD pierde valor. Los CD híbridos suelen ofrecer tasas de interés más altas que las disponibles y, a menudo, tienen vencimientos más largos que los CD normales.
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Riesgo de rotación de cartera. La estrategia de inversión del Fondo puede generar una alta tasa de rotación de la cartera. La alta rotación de la cartera daría lugar a gastos de la comisión de corretaje correspondientemente mayores y podría dar lugar a la distribución a los accionistas de ganancias de capital adicionales a efectos fiscales. Estos factores pueden afectar negativamente el rendimiento del Fondo.
Opción de riesgo. Los movimientos específicos del mercado de una opción y la seguridad subyacente no se pueden predecir con certeza. Cuando el Fondo suscribe una opción de compra cubierta, recibe una prima, pero también renuncia a la oportunidad de beneficiarse de un aumento de precio en el valor subyacente por encima del precio de ejercicio, siempre que su obligación como escritor continúe, y retiene el riesgo de pérdida si el precio de la seguridad disminuye. Otros riesgos asociados con la escritura de opciones de compra cubiertas incluyen la posible incapacidad de efectuar transacciones de cierre a precios favorables y un límite de apreciación de los valores reservados para la liquidación.
Riesgo de notas estructuradas. Los pagarés estructurados están sujetos a una serie de riesgos de renta fija, incluido el riesgo general de mercado, el riesgo de tasa de interés, así como el riesgo de que el emisor del pagaré no pueda realizar los pagos de intereses y / o principal al vencimiento, o puede incumplir sus obligaciones enteramente. Además, como resultado de las características derivadas integradas, las notas estructuradas generalmente están sujetas a un mayor riesgo que invertir en una nota simple o en un bono emitido por el mismo emisor. Es imposible predecir si el factor referenciado (como un índice o tasa de interés) o los precios de los valores subyacentes aumentarán o disminuirán. En la medida en que la porción de renta fija de la cartera del Fondo incluya notas estructuradas, el Fondo puede ser más volátil que otros fondos equilibrados que no invierten en notas estructuradas. Los precios de negociación reales de los pagarés estructurados pueden ser significativamente diferentes del monto principal de los pagarés. Si el Fondo vende las notas estructuradas antes del vencimiento, puede sufrir una pérdida de capital. Al vencimiento final, los pagarés estructurados pueden canjearse en efectivo o en especie, a discreción del emisor. Si las notas se canjean en especie, el Fondo recibiría acciones a un precio deprimido. En la medida en que una nota estructurada no esté protegida por el principal a través de una función de seguro, el principal de la nota no estará protegido.
Riesgo de ciberseguridad. Los incidentes de ciberseguridad pueden permitir que una parte no autorizada tenga acceso a los activos del fondo, a los datos del cliente (incluida la información de los accionistas privados) o a la información de propiedad exclusiva, o puede provocar que el fondo, el administrador, cualquier subasesor y / o sus proveedores de servicios (incluidos, entre otros) , contadores de fondos, custodios, subdepositarios, agentes de transferencia e intermediarios financieros) para sufrir violaciones de datos, corrupción de datos o perder la funcionalidad operativa.
Una inversión en el Fondo no está asegurada ni garantizada por la Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ni por ninguna otra agencia gubernamental.
El Fondo no es un programa de inversión completo. Al igual que con cualquier inversión de fondos mutuos, los rendimientos del Fondo variarán y podría perder dinero.
Actuación
El siguiente gráfico de barras y las tablas a continuación proporcionan alguna indicación de los riesgos de invertir en el Fondo al mostrar cambios en el rendimiento del Fondo de un año a otro y al mostrar cómo los rendimientos anuales promedio del Fondo durante 1, 5 y 10 años con los de un índice de mercado de base amplia y un promedio de rendimiento de fondos mutuos similares.
Recuerde, el rendimiento pasado del Fondo, antes y después de impuestos, no es necesariamente una indicación de cómo funcionará el Fondo en el futuro. La información de rendimiento actualizada estará disponible llamando al número gratuito del Fondo al 1-800-238-7701.
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Fondo equilibrado de arquero
El año calendario regresa al 31 de diciembre
La rentabilidad del año calendario hasta la fecha para el Fondo al 30 de septiembre de 2019 fue del 15,46%. Durante el período que se muestra, el rendimiento más alto para un trimestre fue del 12.02% (trimestre finalizado el 30 de junio de 2009); y el rendimiento más bajo fue (14.67)% (trimestre terminado el 31 de diciembre de 2008).
PROMEDIO DE DEVOLUCIONES TOTALES ANUALES
(para los períodos terminados el 31 de diciembre de 2018)
El fondo equilibrado |
1 año |
5 años |
10 años |
Devolución antes de impuestos |
-6,87% |
4.95% |
6,87% |
Devolución después de impuestos sobre distribuciones¹ |
-7,57% |
4,13% |
6.02% |
Devolución después de impuestos sobre distribuciones y venta de acciones de fondos¹ |
-3,98% |
3,53% |
5,16% |
Índice de cartera estadounidense moderado de Dow Jones (no refleja deducciones por honorarios, gastos o impuestos)2 |
-3,92% |
5,28% |
9,71% |
Índice de riesgo objetivo moderado Morningstar3 |
-4,76% |
4.08% |
7,96% |
Returns Las declaraciones después de impuestos se calculan utilizando las tasas históricas más altas de impuestos federales sobre el ingreso marginal individual y no reflejan el impacto de los impuestos estatales y locales o la tasa más baja en las ganancias de capital a largo plazo cuando las acciones se mantienen durante más de 12 meses. Las declaraciones reales después de impuestos dependen de la situación fiscal de un inversor y pueden diferir de las mostradas. Las declaraciones después de impuestos que se muestran no son relevantes para los inversores que poseen sus acciones del Fondo a través de acuerdos con impuestos diferidos, como planes 401 (k) o cuentas de jubilación individuales.
2 El Índice es un punto de referencia no administrado que supone la reinversión de todas las distribuciones y excluye el efecto de impuestos y tarifas. La cartera moderada de Dow Jones es miembro de los índices de riesgo relativo de Dow Jones que mide el rendimiento de las carteras conservadoras, moderadas y agresivas en función de los niveles incrementales de riesgo potencial. Los índices están diseñados para medir sistemáticamente varios niveles de riesgo en relación con el riesgo de un índice de acciones de EE. UU. Los inversores pueden identificar un punto de referencia apropiado como el índice que tiene las características de riesgo histórico más similares.
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3 El Índice de Riesgo Objetivo Moderado de Morningstar es miembro de la Serie de Riesgo Objetivo de Morningstar que abarca el espectro de riesgo de conservador a agresivo. Los índices pueden servir como puntos de referencia para ayudar con la selección y evaluación de fondos mutuos de riesgo objetivo al ofrecer un criterio objetivo para la comparación del rendimiento. Los índices de Morningstar cubren un conjunto global de acciones, bonos y productos básicos, y están diseñados específicamente para ser bloques de construcción ininterrumpidos e invencibles que ofrecen una exposición pura de clase de activos.
Gestión del fondo
Archer Investment Corporation sirve como asesor de inversiones del fondo.
Administradores de cartera
Título del fondo profesional de inversiones (si corresponde) |
|
Experiencia con este fondo |
|
Título primario con asesor de inversiones |
Troy C. Patton, CPA / ABV |
|
Desde diciembre de 2009; y con el predecesor del Fondo, el Archer Balanced Fund desde 2005 |
|
presidente |
Steven Demas |
|
Desde diciembre de 2009 y con el predecesor del Fondo, el Archer Balanced Fund desde abril de 2009 |
|
Vicepresidente sénior |
John Rosebrough, CFA |
|
Since November 2010 |
|
Senior Vice President |
For important information about the purchase and sale of fund shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please refer to “Purchase and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” found on Page 62 of this Prospectus.
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FUND SUMMARY
ARCHER INCOME FUND
Investment Objective
The investment objective of the Archer Income Fund (the “Fund”) is to provide you with current income while secondarily striving for capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of Investing in the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of the amount redeemed within 90 days of purchase) |
1.00% |
|
|
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fee |
0.50% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other Expenses |
1.18% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (1) |
0.02% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.70% |
Fee Waiver and/or expenses reimbursement (2) |
(0.72%) |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement |
0.98% |
(1) Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses represent the pro rata expense indirectly incurred by the Fund as a result of investing in money market funds or other investment companies that have their own expenses. The fees and expenses are not used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and do not correlate to the ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets found in the “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus.
(2) The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse certain Fund operating expenses, but only to the extent necessary so that the Fund’s total operating expenses, excluding brokerage fees and commissions, any 12b-1 fees, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short), taxes, extraordinary expenses and any indirect expenses (such as Fees and Expenses of Acquired Funds), do not exceed 0.96% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Pursuant to the Expense Limitation Agreement, if the Adviser so requests, any Fund Operating Expenses waived or reimbursed by the Adviser pursuant to the Agreement that had the effect of reducing Fund Operating Expenses to 0.96% within the most recent three years prior to recoupment shall be repaid to the Adviser by the Fund; provided, however, that such recoupment will not cause the Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of the expense cap in effect at the time of the waiver or the expense cap in effect at the time of recoupment. The contractual agreement is in place through December 31, 2023. The Management Services Agreement may, on sixty (60) days’ written notice, be terminated with respect to a Fund, at any time without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by Management.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Archer Income Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses (giving effect to the
9
expense limitation only during the first three years) remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR |
3 YEARS |
5 YEARS |
10 YEARS |
$100 |
$312 |
$708 |
$1,816 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 11.64% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal conditions, at least 50% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in U.S. government obligations, mortgage and asset-backed securities, corporate and municipal bonds, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), certificates of deposit linked to an index. The securities purchased will be rated BBB or better by either Fitch Ratings (Fitch), or Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s), or other equivalently rated nationally recognized organization (NRSRO). Further, under normal conditions, up to 20% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in below investment-grade fixed income securities, commonly referred to as high-yield or “junk” bonds.
The Fund will invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars and foreign currencies. These include foreign fixed income securities issued by corporations and governments and emerging market fixed income securities issued by corporations and governments.
The Fund will invest up to 10% of its assets in covered call options on the debt securities it owns. The Fund will sell covered call options to obtain market exposure or to manage risk or hedge against adverse market conditions. The option is “covered” because the Fund owns the securities at the time it sells the option.
The Fund will invest in fixed income securities primarily through exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") and mutual funds (collectively, the "Underlying Funds") that are not affiliated with the Fund or the advisor. The Fund will invest in ETFs as it may be more cost efficient than investing in individual fixed income securities while gaining exposure to a particular sector or index. An ETF is typically a registered investment company that seeks to track the performance of a particular market index. These indices include not only broad-market indices, but more specific indices as well, including those relating to particular sectors, markets, regions, or industries. An ETF is traded like a stock on a securities exchange and may be purchased and sold throughout the day based on its market price.
When deciding whether to purchase or sell a particular security, the Advisor considers an appraisal of the economy, the relative yields of securities and the investment prospects for issuers. The Advisor also, carefully assesses the particular security’s yield-to-maturity, credit quality, liquidity, call risk and current yield.
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The Fund will invest in a broad range of fixed income instruments without benchmark constraints or significant sector/instrument limitations.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Investors in the Fund should have a long-term perspective and, for example, be able to tolerate potentially sharp declines in value.
The prices of securities held by the Fund may decline in response to certain events taking place around the world, including those directly involving the companies whose securities are owned by the Fund; conditions affecting the general economy; overall market changes; local, regional, or global political, social, or economic instability; and currency, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations. The common stock and other equity type securities purchased by the Fund may involve large price swings and potential for loss.
Investments in securities issued by entities based outside the United States may also be affected by currency controls; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets. Investments in securities issued by entities domiciled in the United States may also be subject to many of these risks.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be hurt by:
Issuer Risk. Securities held by the Fund may decline in value because of changes in the financial condition of or other events affecting, the issuers of these securities.
Asset-Backed Securities Investment Risk. The Fund may run the risk that the impairment of the value of the assets underlying a security in which the Fund invests such as non-payment of loans, will result in a reduction in the value of the security.
Management Risk. The advisor’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of a particular asset class or individual security in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the advisor’s or sub-advisor’s judgments will produce the desired results.
Interest Rate Risk. When the Fund invests in bonds or in Underlying Funds that own bonds, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities.
Credit Risk. A security’s price may decline due to deterioration in the issuer’s financial condition, or the issuer may fail to repay interest and/or principal in a timely manner. The risk is higher for below investment grade bonds.
Call Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, issuers of callable bonds may repay securities with higher interest rates before maturity. This could cause the Fund to lose potential price appreciation if it reinvests the proceeds at lower interest rates.
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Liquidity Risk. If the Fund invests in illiquid assets, or if asset become illiquid there may be no willing buyer of the securities and the Fund may have to sell those securities at a lower price or may not be able to sell the securities at all each of which would have a negative effect on performance.
ETF Risk. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in Underlying Funds. There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the Underlying Funds (such as the use of derivatives). The ETFs in which the Fund invests may not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track, due to transactions costs and other expenses of the underlying funds. The shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the market discount on shares of any closed-end fund purchased by the Fund will ever decrease, and it is possible that the discount may increase.
Mortgage Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed securities have several risks, including:
– credit and market risks of mortgage-backed securities: the mortgage loans or the guarantees underlying the mortgage-backed securities may default or otherwise fail leading to non-payment of interest and principal.
– prepayment risk of mortgage-backed securities: in times of declining interest rates, the Fund’s higher yielding securities may be prepaid and the Fund will have to replace them with securities having a lower yield.
– extension risk of mortgage-backed securities: in times of rising interest rates mortgage prepayments will slow causing portfolio securities considered short or intermediate term to be long-term securities which fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter term securities.
– inverse floater, interest- and principal-only securities risk: these securities are extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates and prepayment rates.
– illiquidity of mortgage markets: the mortgage markets are currently facing additional economic pressures such as the devaluation of the underlying collateral, increased loan underwriting standards which limits the number of real estate purchasers, and excess supply of properties in certain geographic regions, which puts additional downward pressure on the value of real estate in these regions.
Foreign Risk. Investments in foreign securities may be affected by currency controls and exchange rates; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging or developing countries.
Foreign Currency Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities or Underlying Funds that hold securities that are denominated in foreign currencies, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. These currency movements may negatively impact the value of the Fund even when there is no change in the value of the security in the issuer’s home country.
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Emerging Markets Risk. Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, social and legal systems that do not protect shareholders, economies based on only a few industries, and inefficient securities markets
Junk Bonds Risk. Investments in junk bonds involve a greater risk of default and are subject to a substantially higher degree of credit risk or price changes than other types of debt securities. These securities are considered speculative because they have a higher risk of issuer default, are subject to greater price volatility and may be illiquid.
General Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The market prices of bonds, including those issued by the U.S. government, go up as interest rates fall, and go down as interest rates rise. As a result, the net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate with conditions in the bond markets. In the case of corporate bonds and commercial paper, values may fluctuate as perceptions of credit quality change. In addition, investment grade bonds may be downgraded or default. During periods of declining interest rates, or for other reasons, bonds may be “called,” or redeemed, by the bond issuer prior to the bond’s maturity date, resulting in the Fund receiving payment earlier than expected. This may reduce the Fund’s income if the proceeds are reinvested at a lower interest rate.
Government Securities Risk. Economic, business, or political developments may affect the ability of government sponsored guarantors to repay principal and to make interest payments on the securities in which the Fund invests. In addition, certain of these securities, including those issued or guaranteed by FNMA (Federal National Mortgage Association, or Fannie Mae) and FHLMC (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or Freddie Mac), are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
Municipal Securities Risk. Municipal Securities can be significantly affected by political changes as well as uncertainties in the municipal market related to taxation, legislative changes, or the rights of municipal security holders.
Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the fund, the manager, any subadviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Your investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, entity or person.
Performance
The following bar chart and tables below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years with those of a broad-based market index and a performance average of similar mutual funds.
Remember, the Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information will be available by calling the Fund toll-free at 1-800-238-7701.
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Archer Income Fund
Calendar Year returns as of December 31
The calendar year-to-date return for the Fund as of September 30, 2019, was 5.45%. During the period shown, the highest return for a quarter was 3.36% (quarter ended March 31, 2014); and the lowest return was (3.05)% (quarter ended June 30, 2013).
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
(for the periods ended December 31, 2018)
The Income Fund |
1 Year |
5 Years |
Since Inception (3/11/2011) |
Return Before Taxes |
0.35% |
2.48% |
2.58% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions¹ |
-0.80% |
1.22% |
1.21% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares¹ |
0.20% |
1.33% |
1.40% |
Barclay’s Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)2 |
0.01% |
2.52% |
2.79% |
¹ After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes or the lower rate on long-term capital gains when shares are held for more than 12 months. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
2 The Index is an unmanaged benchmark that assumes reinvestment of all distributions and excludes the effect of taxes and fees. The Barclay's Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including U.S. Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, MBS (agency fixed-rate and hybrid ARM pass-throughs), ABS, and CMBS. The U.S. Aggregate Index was created in 1986.
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Management of the Fund
Archer Investment Corporation serves as the Investment Advisor of the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Investment Professional Fund Title (if applicable) |
|
Experience with this Fund |
|
Primary Title with Investment Advisor |
Troy C. Patton, CPA/ABV |
|
Since March 2011 |
|
President |
Steven Demas |
|
Since March 2011 |
|
Senior Vice President |
John Rosebrough, CFA |
|
Since March 2011 |
|
Senior Vice President |
For important information about the purchase and sale of fund shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please refer to “Purchase and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” found on Page 62 of this Prospectus.
15
FUND SUMMARY
ARCHER STOCK FUND
Investment Objective
The investment objective of the Archer Stock Fund (the “Fund”) is capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of Investing in the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of the amount redeemed within ninety (90) days of purchase) |
1.00% |
|
|
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fee |
0.50% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other Expenses |
1.24% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1) |
0.01% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.75% |
Fee Waiver and/or expenses reimbursement (2) |
(0.51%) |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement |
1.24% |
1 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses represent the pro rata expense indirectly incurred by the Fund as a result of investing in money market funds or other investment companies that have their own expenses. The fees and expenses are not used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and do not correlate to the ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets found in the “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus.
2The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse certain Fund operating expenses, but only to the extent necessary so that the Fund’s total operating expenses, excluding brokerage fees and commissions, any 12b-1 fees, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short), taxes, extraordinary expenses and any indirect expenses (such as Fees and Expenses of Acquired Funds), do not exceed 1.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Pursuant to the Expense Limitation Agreement, if the Adviser so requests, any Fund Operating Expenses waived or reimbursed by the Adviser pursuant to the Agreement that had the effect of reducing Fund Operating Expenses to 1.23% within the most recent three years prior to recoupment shall be repaid to the Adviser by the Fund; provided, however, that such recoupment will not cause the Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of the expense cap in effect at the time of the waiver or the expense cap in effect at the time of recoupment. The contractual agreement is in place through December 31, 2023. The Management Services Agreement may, on sixty (60) days’ written notice, be terminated with respect to a Fund, at any time without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by Management.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Archer Stock Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses (giving effect to the expense limitation only during the first three years) remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
16
1 YEAR |
3 YEARS |
5 YEARS |
10 YEARS |
$126 |
$393 |
$797 |
$1,927 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 95.51% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest in a portfolio of common stocks and equity securities which include preferred stock and depository receipts of companies of all sizes. The Advisor employs security selection based on research and analysis of the company’s historical data. In selecting securities to purchase, the Advisor evaluates factors that include, but are not limited to: market capitalization, valuation metrics, and earnings and price momentum over time. Portfolio securities may be sold generally upon periodic rebalancing of the Fund’s portfolio. The Advisor considers the same factors it uses in evaluating a security for purchase and generally sells securities when it believes such securities no longer meet its investment criteria.
The Fund will invest up to 30% of its total assets in the securities of foreign issuers, including those in emerging markets, and will invest up to 10% of its total assets in real estate investment trusts (“REITS”) or foreign real estate companies. The Advisor expects that the Fund’s investment strategy may result in a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 100% on an annual basis.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Investors in the Fund should have a long-term perspective and, for example, be able to tolerate potentially sharp declines in value.
The prices of securities held by the Fund may decline in response to certain events taking place around the world, including those directly involving the companies whose securities are owned by the Fund; conditions affecting the general economy; overall market changes; local, regional, or global political, social, or economic instability; and currency, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations. The common stock and other equity type securities purchased by the Fund may involve large price swings and potential for loss.
Investments in securities issued by entities based outside the United States may also be affected by currency controls; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets. Investments in securities issued by entities domiciled in the United States may also be subject to many of these risks.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be hurt by:
17
Market Risk. Overall stock market risks may also affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.
Small and Mid-Cap Risk. Direct investments in individual small capitalization companies may be more vulnerable than larger, more established organizations to adverse business or economic developments. In particular, small capitalization companies may have limited product lines, markets, and financial resources and may be more dependent upon a relatively small management group.
Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in foreign securities may be affected by currency controls and exchange rates; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging or developing countries.
Real Estate Risks. The value of Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while the value of mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Investment in REITs involves risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies, and REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are subject to interest rate risks. Because REITs incur expenses like management fees, investments in REITs also add an additional layer of expenses
Active Trading Risk. Active trading could raise transaction costs (thus lowering return). In addition, active trading could result in increased taxable distributions to shareholders and distributions that will be taxable to shareholders at higher federal income tax rates.
Equity Risk. Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities.
Management Risk. The advisor’s investment strategy may fail to produce the intended results. The Advisor’s management practices and investment strategies might not work to meet the Fund’s investment objective.
Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the fund, the manager, any subadviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Performance
The following bar chart and tables below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years with those of a broad-based market index and a performance average of similar mutual funds.
Remember, the Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information will be available by calling the Fund toll-free at 1-800-238-7701.
18
Archer Stock Fund
Calendar Year returns as of December 31
The calendar year-to-date return for the Fund as of September 30, 2019, was 14.56%. During the period shown, the highest return for a quarter was 12.34% (quarter ended March 31, 2012); and the lowest return was (18.14)% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
(for the periods ended December 31, 2018)
The Stock Fund |
1 Year |
5 Years |
Since Inception (3/11/2011) |
Return Before Taxes |
-11.29% |
3.41% |
6.11% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions¹ |
-11.89% |
2.78% |
5.50% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares¹ |
-6.26% |
2.61% |
4.74% |
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)2 |
-4.38% |
8.49% |
11.02% |
¹ After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes or the lower rate on long-term capital gains when shares are held for more than 12 months. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
19
2 The Index is an unmanaged benchmark that assumes reinvestment of all distributions and excludes the effect of taxes and fees. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (“S&P 500”) is a market value-weighted index, representing the aggregate market value of the common equity of 500 stocks primarily traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The S&P 500 is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of common stock prices. The figures for the S&P 500 reflect all dividends reinvested but do not reflect any deductions for fees, expenses or taxes.
Management of the Fund
Archer Investment Corporation serves as the Investment Advisor of the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Investment Professional Fund Title (if applicable) |
|
Experience with this Fund |
|
Primary Title with Investment Advisor |
Troy C. Patton, CPA/ABV |
|
Since March 2011 |
|
President |
Steven Demas |
|
Since March 2011 |
|
Vice President |
John Rosebrough, CFA |
|
Since March 2011 |
|
Senior Vice President |
For important information about the purchase and sale of fund shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please refer to “Purchase and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” found on Page 62 of this Prospectus.
20
FUND SUMMARY
ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND
Investment Objective
The Archer Dividend Growth Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide income and, as a secondary focus, long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of Investing in the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of the amount redeemed within ninety (90) days of purchase) |
1.00% |
|
|
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|
Management Fee |
0.50% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
None |
Other Expenses |
1.22% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1) |
0.21% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.93% |
Fee Waiver and/or expenses reimbursement(2) |
(0.74)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement |
1.19% |
(1)
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses represent the pro rata expense indirectly incurred by the Fund as a result of investing in money market funds or other investment companies that have their own expenses. The fees and expenses are not used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and do not correlate to the ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets found in the “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus.
(2)
The Advisor contractually has agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse certain Fund operating expenses, but only to the extent necessary so that the Fund’s total operating expenses, excluding brokerage fees and commissions, any 12b-1 fees, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short), taxes, extraordinary expenses and any indirect expenses (such as Acquired Funds Fees and Expenses), do not exceed 0.98% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Pursuant to the Expense Limitation Agreement, if the Adviser so requests, any Fund Operating Expenses waived or reimbursed by the Adviser pursuant to the Agreement that had the effect of reducing Fund Operating Expenses to 0.98% within the most recent three years prior to recoupment shall be repaid to the Adviser by the Fund; provided, however, that such recoupment will not cause the Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of the expense cap in effect at the time of the waiver or the expense cap in effect at the time of recoupment. The contractual agreement is in place through December 31, 2023. The Management Services Agreement may, on sixty (60) days’ written notice, be terminated with respect to a Fund, at any time without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by Management. The Management Services Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Expense Limitation Agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees on sixty (60) days' written notice to Management or upon the termination of the Management Services Agreement between the Trust and Advisor.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Archer Dividend Growth Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
21
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses (giving effect to the expense limitation only during the first three years) remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR |
3 YEARS |
5 YEARS |
10 YEARS |
$121 |
$378 |
$823 |
$2,061 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 19.29% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its objective to provide income and, as a secondary focus, long-term capital appreciation, by investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, primarily in dividend-paying equity securities, consisting of common stocks, preferred stocks and shares of beneficial interest of real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). These companies have market capitalizations in the range $500 million and up. The market capitalization range and composition of the companies in the Fund are subject to change. The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of companies that the investment manager believes have the potential to pay above-average, stable dividend and long-term, above-average earnings growth. The Fund may from time to time emphasize one or more economic sectors in selecting its investments, including the consumer discretionary, health care, and information technology and technology-related sectors.
The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in foreign securities. The Fund may invest directly in foreign securities or indirectly through depositary receipts.
The Fund may continue to own a security as long as the dividend or interest yields satisfy the Fund's objectives, and the Adviser believes the valuation is attractive and industry trends remain favorable. Once the Advisor believes a security does not meet the long-term objectives of the fund, it may sell the securities.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Archer Dividend Growth Fund is subject to management risk and the Fund may not achieve its objective if the Advisor’s expectations regarding particular securities or interest rates are not met.
An investment in this Fund or any other fund may not provide a complete investment program. The suitability of an investment in the Fund should be considered based on the investment objective, strategies and risks described in this prospectus, considered in light of all of the other investments in your portfolio, as well as your risk tolerance, financial goals and time horizons. You may want to consult with a financial advisor to determine if this Fund is suitable for you.
22
Investors in the Fund should have a long-term perspective and, for example, be able to tolerate potentially sharp declines in value.
The prices of securities held by the Fund may decline in response to certain events taking place around the world, including those directly involving the companies whose securities are owned by the Fund; conditions affecting the general economy; overall market changes; local, regional or global political, social or economic instability; and currency, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations. The common stock and other equity type securities purchased by the Fund may involve large price swings and potential for loss.
Investments in securities issued by entities based outside the United States may also be affected by currency controls; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets. Investments in securities issued by entities domiciled in the United States may also be subject to many of these risks.
Your investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, entity or person.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be hurt by:
Active Management Risk. Due to its active management, the Fund’s performance could underperform its benchmark index and/or other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market Risk of Equity Securities. By investing in stocks, the Fund may expose you to a sudden decline in the share price of a particular portfolio holding or to an overall decline in the stock market. In addition, the Fund's principal market segment may underperform other segments or the market as a whole. The value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate daily and cyclically based on movements in the stock market and the activities of individual companies in the Fund's portfolio. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. Preferred stock is subject to the risk that the dividend on the stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer, and that participation in the growth of the issuer may be limited. Preferred stock typically has "preference" over common stock in the payment of distributions and the liquidation of a company's assets, but is subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments. In addition, preferred stock holders generally do not have voting rights with respect to the issuing company.
Issuer Risk. An issuer in which the Fund invests or to which it has exposure may perform poorly, and the value of its securities may therefore decline, which would negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Poor performance may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, breakthroughs in technology, reliance on suppliers, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, natural disasters or other events, conditions or factors.
Real Estate Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in REITs, it is subject to risks generally associated with investing in real estate, such as (i) possible declines in the value of real estate, (ii) adverse general and local economic conditions, (iii) possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, (iv) changes in interest rates, and (v) environmental problems. In addition, REITs are subject to certain other risks related specifically to their structure and focus such as: dependency upon management skills; limited diversification; the risks of
23
locating and managing financing for projects; heavy cash flow dependency; possible default by borrowers; the costs and potential losses of self-liquidation of one or more holdings; the possibility of failing to maintain exemptions from securities registration; and, in many cases, relatively small market capitalization, which may result in less market liquidity and greater price volatility.
Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are receipts issued by a bank or trust company reflecting ownership of underlying securities issued by foreign companies. Some foreign securities are traded in the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). Depositary receipts involve risks similar to the risks associated with investments in foreign securities, including those associated with investing in the particular country of an issuer, which may be related to the particular political, regulatory, economic, social and other conditions or events occurring in the country and fluctuations in its currency, as well as market risk tied to the underlying foreign company. In addition, ADR holders may have limited voting rights, may not have the same rights afforded typical company stockholders in the event of a corporate action such as an acquisition, merger or rights offering and may experience difficulty in receiving company stockholder communications.
Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in or exposure to foreign securities involve certain risks not associated with investments in or exposure to securities of U.S. companies. Foreign securities subject the Fund to the risks associated with investing in the particular country of an issuer, including the political, regulatory, economic, social, diplomatic and other conditions or events occurring in the country or region, as well as risks associated with less developed custody and settlement practices. Foreign securities may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of U.S. companies, and are subject to the risks associated with potential imposition of economic and other sanctions against a particular foreign country, its nationals or industries or businesses within the country. In addition, foreign governments may impose withholding or other taxes on the Fund’s income, capital gains or proceeds from the disposition of foreign securities, which could reduce the Fund’s return on such securities. The performance of the Fund may also be negatively impacted by fluctuations in a foreign currency’s strength or weakness relative to the U.S. dollar, particularly to the extent the Fund invests a significant percentage of its assets in foreign securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
Growth Securities Risk. Growth securities typically trade at a higher multiple of earnings than other types of equity securities. Accordingly, the market values of growth securities may never reach their expected market value and may decline in price. In addition, growth securities, at times, may not perform as well as value securities or the stock market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time.
Sector Emphasis. At times, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a related group of industries within an economic sector, including the consumer discretionary, health care, and information technology and technology-related sectors. Companies in the same economic sector may be similarly affected by economic, regulatory, political or market events or conditions, which may make the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest more broadly. Generally, the more broadly the Fund invests, the more it spreads risk and potentially reduces the risks of loss and volatility.
The Fund may be more susceptible to the particular risks that may affect companies in the consumer discretionary sector than if it were invested in a wider variety of companies in unrelated sectors. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector are subject to certain risks, including fluctuations in the performance of the overall domestic and international economy, interest rate changes, increased competition
24
and consumer confidence. Performance of such companies may be affected by factors including reduced disposable household income, reduced consumer spending, changing demographics and consumer tastes.
The Fund may be more susceptible to the particular risks that may affect companies in the health care sector than if it were invested in a wider variety of companies in unrelated sectors. Companies in the health care sector are subject to certain risks, including restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, government approval of medical products and services, competitive pricing pressures, and the rising cost of medical products and services (especially for companies dependent upon a relatively limited number of products or services). Performance of such companies may be affected by factors including, government regulation, obtaining and protecting patents (or the failure to do so), product liability and other similar litigation as well as product obsolescence.
The Fund may be more susceptible to the particular risks that may affect companies in the information technology sector, as well as other technology-related sectors (collectively, the technology sectors) than if it were invested in a wider variety of companies in unrelated sectors. Companies in the technology sectors are subject to certain risks, including the risk that new services, equipment or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. Performance of such companies may be affected by factors including obtaining and protecting patents (or the failure to do so) and significant competitive pressures, including aggressive pricing of their products or services, new market entrants, competition for market share and short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments. Such competitive pressures may lead to limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. As a result, the value of their securities may fall or fail to rise. In addition, many technology sector companies have limited operating histories and prices of these companies’ securities historically have been more volatile than other securities, especially over the short term.
Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the fund, the manager, any subadviser and/or its service providers (including, but not limited to, fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or lose operational functionality.
Dividend Tax Treatment. There may be a significant change in legislation or policy affecting taxation on dividends, which may affect the performance of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy may result in a high portfolio turnover rate. High portfolio turnover would result in correspondingly greater brokerage commission expenses and may result in the distribution to shareholders of additional capital gains for tax purposes. These factors may negatively affect the Fund’s performance.
Performance
The following bar chart and tables below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for 1, 5, and 10 years with those of a broad-based market index and a performance average of similar mutual funds.
Remember, the Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, when such is provided is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information will be available by calling the Fund toll-free at 1-800-238-7701.
25
Archer Dividend Growth Fund
Calendar Year returns as of December 31
The calendar year-to-date return for the Fund as of September 30, 2019, was 13.39%. During the period shown, the highest return for a quarter was 5.03% (quarter ended December 31, 2017); and the lowest return was (8.97)% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
(for the periods ended December 31, 2018)
The Dividend Growth Fund |
1 Year |
Since Inception (9/1/2016) |
Return Before Taxes |
-5.92% |
2.78% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions¹ |
-7.00% |
1.57% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares¹ |
-3.46% |
1.61% |
Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)2 |
-6.34% |
1.47% |
¹ After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes or the lower rate on long-term capital gains when shares are held for more than 12 months. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
2 The Index is an unmanaged benchmark that assumes reinvestment of all distributions and excludes the effect of taxes and fees. The Morningstar® Dividend Yield Focus IndexSM offers exposure to high quality U.S.-domiciled companies that have had strong financial health and an ability to sustain above average dividend payouts. Underlying Index constituents are drawn from the pool of stocks issued by U.S.-domiciled companies that trade publicly on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), the NYSE Amex Equities, or The NASDAQ Stock Market.
Management of the Fund
26
Archer Investment Corporation serves as the Investment Advisor of the Fund under the terms of an Management Services Agreement with the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Investment Professional |
|
Experience with this Fund |
|
Primary Title with Investment Advisor |
Troy C. Patton, CPA/ABV |
|
Since September 2016 |
|
President of the Advisor and the Trust |
Steven Demas |
|
Since September 2016 |
|
Senior Vice President of the Advisor |
John Rosebrough, CFA |
|
Since September 2016 |
|
Senior Vice President of the Advisor |
For important information about the purchase and sale of fund shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please refer to “Purchase and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” found on page 62 of this Prospectus.
27
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS’
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, RELATED RISKS,
AND DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
This section takes a closer look at the investment objectives of each Fund, their principal investment strategies, and certain risks of investing in each Fund. This section also provides information regarding each Fund’s disclosure of portfolio holdings.
ARCHER BALANCED FUND
The Archer Balanced Fund (the “Fund”) seeks total return.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed income securities. The advisor uses a top-down approach to evaluate industries and sectors of the economy that are depressed or have fallen out of favor with investors and then seeks quality companies in those industries or sectors that have value in the advisor’s opinion. Within each, the advisor seeks to find companies with solid financial strength and strong management that are selling below their intrinsic value.
As a Balanced fund, under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest up to 70%, but not less than 25% of its total assets in equity securities. The equity component of the Fund’s portfolio will primarily consist of securities of large capitalization companies (i.e., companies with market capitalizations over $10 billion), but the Fund may also invest in small- and mid-capitalization companies if the advisor believes that such investments provide opportunities for greater returns. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include primarily common stocks, as well as securities convertible into common stocks, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest primarily in equity securities. The Fund may also invest in equity real estate investment trusts (REITs).
The Fund may sell covered call options as part of its investment program to obtain market exposure or to manage risk or hedge against adverse market conditions. The option is “covered” because the Fund owns the stock at the time it sells the option. When the Fund sells a covered call option, the purchaser of the option has the right to buy that stock at a predetermined price (exercise price) during the life of the option. If the purchaser exercises the option, the Fund must sell the stock to the purchaser at the exercise price. As the seller of the option, the Fund receives a premium from the purchaser of the call option, which may provide additional income to the Fund. The selling of covered call options may tend to reduce volatility of the Fund because the premiums received from selling the options will reduce any losses on the underlying securities, but only by the amount of the premiums. However, selling the options may also limit the Fund’s gain on the underlying securities.
Further, under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 30%, but not less than 25% of its total assets in fixed income securities, cash and cash equivalents. Fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest include securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities, corporate bonds, preferred stock, foreign government bonds, municipal bonds, zero-coupon bonds, structured notes and similar products, mortgage REITs, money market mutual funds and other money market instruments, hybrid
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certificates of deposit, and investment companies (such as ETFs) that invest primarily in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities in the Fund’s portfolio will primarily have maturities of five years or less; however, from time to time, the Fund may invest in fixed income securities with maturities of up to 30 years. The Fund typically invests in fixed income securities rated investment grade at the time of purchase (at least BBB/Baa or higher) as determined by one of the following rating organizations: Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”) or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or, if unrated, determined by the advisor to be of comparable quality. From time to time, depending on general market conditions and the prospects presented by the individual security, the Fund may invest in non-investment grade fixed income securities, commonly known as junk bonds. The Fund will not invest more than 5% of its assets (determined at the time of purchase) in junk bonds.
Structured notes are debt securities that contain an embedded derivative component that may be linked to a particular security, index (e.g., the S&P 500 Index), currency or interest rate (e.g., a certain prime rate). Rather than paying a straight fixed or floating coupon, the interest payment typically fluctuates based on the value of the linked item, as well as the underlying debt obligation. Certificates of deposit (“CDs”) are negotiable certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank or a savings and loan association to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually up to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. The Fund may also invest in a CD that requires a third party, such as a dealer or bank, to repurchase the CD for its face value upon demand. The Fund treats such CDs as short-term securities, even though their stated maturity may extend beyond one year. In addition, the Fund may invest in CDs that grant the issuer the right to call the CD, typically after the expiration of a minimum period. This call feature essentially allows the issuer to maintain the interest rate on the CD at below-market rates. When interest rates go down, the issuer has an incentive to call the CD since it can borrow money in the market at lower rates. However, if interest rates rise, the issuer is not obligated to call the CD or raise the applicable interest rate to market levels. These hybrid CDs fluctuate in value (unlike a regular CD). If interest rates go down, a callable CD gains value; if interest rates go up, the CD loses value.
The Fund may invest in equity or fixed income securities of foreign companies operating in developed countries. Equity securities will be limited to sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) traded on U.S. stock exchanges. ADRs typically are issued by a U.S. bank or trust company and represent ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign company. The Fund may pursue its investment objective directly or indirectly by investing in ETFs, so long as such investment otherwise conforms to the Fund’s investment policies. In evaluating ETFs, the advisor considers the ETF’s investment strategy, the experience of its sponsor, its performance history, volatility, comparative return and risk data, asset size, and expense ratio.
For cash management purposes, the Fund may also invest in short-term, high quality money market instruments such as short-term obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, bank obligations, commercial paper or money market mutual funds. By keeping some cash or cash equivalents, the Fund may be able to avoid realizing gains and losses from selling stocks when there are shareholder redemptions. However, the Fund may have difficulty meeting its investment objective when holding a significant cash position.
The Fund will not seek to realize profits by anticipating short-term market movements. The advisor intends to purchase securities mainly for the long-term. However, when the advisor deems that change will benefit the Fund, portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor.
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Although the Fund will not seek to realize profits by anticipating short-term market movements as it is the advisor’s intent to purchase securities for the long-term, when the advisor deems that change will benefit the Fund, portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor. Accordingly, the Fund will likely experience high portfolio turnover which may result in higher transaction costs and which may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account.
The Fund may sell holdings that the advisor believes have reduced potential for capital appreciation and/or income, have underperformed the market or their relevant economic sectors, have exceeded their fair market values, have experienced a change in fundamentals or are subject to other factors that may contribute to relative underperformance.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Investors in the Fund should have a long-term perspective and, for example, be able to tolerate potentially sharp declines in value.
The prices of securities held by the Fund may decline in response to certain events taking place around the world, including those directly involving the companies whose securities are owned by the Fund; conditions affecting the general economy; overall market changes; local, regional or global political, social or economic instability; and currency, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations. The common stock and other equity type securities purchased by the Fund may involve large price swings and potential for loss.
Investments in securities issued by entities based outside the United States may also be affected by currency controls; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets. Investments in securities issued by entities domiciled in the United States may also be subject to many of these risks.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be hurt by:
Management Risk. The advisor’s investment strategy may fail to produce the intended results.
Company Risk. The value of the Fund may decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual company in the Fund’s portfolio. The value of an individual company can be more volatile than the market as a whole.
Value Risk. The Fund invests in undervalued securities. The market may not agree with the advisor’s determination that a security is undervalued, and the security’s price may not increase to what the advisor believes is its full value. It may even decrease in value.
Equity Risks. Stock markets can be volatile. In other words, the prices of stocks can rise or fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions. The Fund’s investments may decline in value if the stock markets perform poorly. There is also a risk that the Fund’s investments will under-perform either the securities markets generally or particular segments of the securities markets.
Small and Mid-Size Company Risk. Small and mid-size companies involve greater risk of loss and price fluctuation than larger companies. Their securities may also be less liquid and more volatile. Como un
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result, the Fund could have greater difficulty buying or selling a security of a micro- or small-cap issuer at an acceptable price, especially in periods of market volatility.
Fixed Income Risks.
Credit Risk. The issuer of a fixed income security may not be able to make interest and principal payments when due. Generally, the lower the credit rating of a security, the greater the risk that the issuer will default on its obligation.
Change in Rating Risk. If a rating agency gives a debt security a lower rating, the value of the debt security will decline because investors will demand a higher rate of return.
Interest Rate Risk. The value of the Fund may fluctuate based upon changes in interest rates and market conditions. As interest rates decline, the value of the Fund’s investments may go down. Securities with longer effective maturities are more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter effective maturities. In addition, the issuers of certain types of securities may prepay principal earlier than scheduled when interest rates rise, forcing the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities. Slower than expected principal payments may also extend the average life of fixed income securities, locking in below-market interest rates and reducing the value of these securities.
Duration Risk. Prices of fixed income securities with longer effective maturities are more sensitive to interest rate changes than those with shorter effective maturities.
High Yield Securities Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in high yield securities (junk bonds), it will be subject to greater levels of interest rate and credit risks than funds that do not invest in such securities. These securities are considered predominately speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to make principal and interest payments. An economic downturn could adversely affect the market for these securities and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these securities (liquidity risk). If the issuer of a security is in default with respect to interest or principal payments, the Fund may lose its entire investment.
Zero Coupon Bonds. The Fund is required to distribute income accrued with respect to zero coupon bonds to shareholders even where no income is actually received on the bond. From time to time, the Fund may have to liquidate other portfolio securities to satisfy its distribution obligations on such zero coupon bonds.
Foreign Risks. To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign securities, it will be subject to additional risks that can increase the potential for losses in the Fund. These risks may include, among others, country risks (political, diplomatic, regional conflicts, terrorism, war, social and economic instability, currency devaluations and policies that have the effect of limiting or restricting foreign investment or the movement of assets), different trading practices, less government supervision, less publicly available information, limited trading markets and greater volatility.
Investment Company Securities Risk. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, such as money market mutual funds or ETFs, it indirectly bears its proportionate share of any fees and expenses payable directly by the other investment company. Therefore, the Fund will incur higher expenses, many of which may be duplicative. In addition, the Fund may be affected by losses of the underlying funds and the level of risk arising from the investment practices of the underlying funds (such as the use of derivatives by the underlying funds). ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below its net asset value; (ii) the ETF may employ an investment strategy that utilizes high leverage ratios; or (iv) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted if the listing exchange’s officials deem
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such action appropriate, the shares are de-listed from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally. The Fund has no control over the risks taken by the underlying funds in which it invests.
Real Estate Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in REITs, it is subject to risks generally associated with investing in real estate, such as (i) possible declines in the value of real estate, (ii) adverse general and local economic conditions, (iii) possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, (iv) changes in interest rates, and (v) environmental problems. In addition, REITs are subject to certain other risks related specifically to their structure and focus such as: dependency upon management skills; limited diversification; the risks of locating and managing financing for projects; heavy cash flow dependency; possible default by borrowers; the costs and potential losses of self-liquidation of one or more holdings; the possibility of failing to maintain exemptions from securities registration; and, in many cases, relatively small market capitalization, which may result in less market liquidity and greater price volatility.
Government Securities Risks.
Agency Risk. It is possible that the U.S. Government would not provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities if it is not required to do so by law. If a U.S. Government agency or instrumentality in which the Fund invests defaults and the U.S. Government does not stand behind the obligation, the Fund’s share price or yield could fall. Securities of certain U.S. Government sponsored entities, such as Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Government.
No Guarantee. The U.S. Government's guarantee of ultimate payment of principal and timely payment of interest on certain U.S. Government securities owned by the Fund does not imply that the Fund's shares are guaranteed or that the price of the Fund's shares will not fluctuate.
Hybrid Certificates of Deposit Risk. Unlike a regular CD, a callable CD fluctuates in value. If interest rates go down, the CD gains value; if interest rates go up, the CD loses value. Hybrid CDs typically offer higher interest rates than those available on, and often have longer maturities than, regular CDs.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy may result in a high portfolio turnover rate. High portfolio turnover would result in correspondingly greater brokerage commission expenses and may result in the distribution to shareholders of additional capital gains for tax purposes. These factors may negatively affect the Fund’s performance.
Option Risk. Specific market movements of an option and the underlying security cannot be predicted with certainty. When the Fund writes a covered call option, it receives a premium, but also gives up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price as long as its obligation as a writer continues, and it retains the risk of loss if the price of the security declines. Other risks associated with writing covered call options include the possible inability to effect closing transactions at favorable prices and an appreciation limit on the securities set aside for settlement.
Structured Notes Risk. Structured notes are subject to a number of fixed income risks including general market risk, interest rate risk, as well as the risk that the issuer on the note may fail to make interest and/or principal payments when due, or may default on its obligations entirely. In addition, as a result of the imbedded derivative features, structured notes generally are subject to more risk that investing in a simple note or bond issued by the same issuer. It is impossible to predict whether the referenced factor (such as an index or interest rate) or prices of the underlying securities will rise or fall. To the extent that the fixed income portion of the Fund’s portfolio includes structured notes, the Fund may be more volatile than other balanced funds that do not invest in structured notes. The actual trading prices of structured notes may be
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significantly different from the principal amount of the notes. If the Fund sells the structured notes prior to maturity, it may suffer a loss of principal. At final maturity, structured notes may be redeemed in cash or in kind, which is at the discretion of the issuer. If the notes are redeemed in kind, the Fund would receive shares of stock at a depressed price. To the extent that a structured note is not principal-protected through an insurance feature, the note’s principal will not be protected.
Cybersecurity – The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.
Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund, the adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.
Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Fund’s shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.
The Fund is not a complete investment program. As with any mutual fund investment, the Fund’s returns will vary and you could lose money.
For more information about risks associated with the types of investments that the Fund may purchase, please read the Statement of Additional Information.
Change in Investment Objectives
The Fund’s investment objectives are not a fundamental policy, and may be changed by the Fund’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days written notice.
Temporary Defensive Positions
From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies, in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. For example, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in short-term U.S. Government securities or money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in such instruments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its investment strategies. As a result of engaging in these temporary measures, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
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Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
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. Currently, the Fund’s portfolio holdings are generally disclosed as required by law or regulation on a quarterly basis through reports to shareholders or filings with the SEC within 60 days after the end of each fiscal quarter in the annual and semi-annual reports to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. The annual and semi-annual reports when required to be filed are available by contacting Archer Income Fund, c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 or calling (800) 238-7701.
The Fund may be suitable for:
Long-term investors seeking total return.
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ARCHER INCOME FUND
Investment Objective
The Archer Income Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide you with current income while secondarily striving for capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal conditions, at least 50% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in U.S. government obligations, mortgage and asset-backed securities, corporate and municipal bonds, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), certificates of deposit linked to an index. The securities purchased will be rated BBB or better by either Fitch Ratings (Fitch), or Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s), or other equivalently rated nationally recognized organization (NRSRO). Further, under normal conditions, up to 20% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in below investment-grade fixed income securities, commonly referred to as high-yield or “junk” bonds.
The Fund will invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars and foreign currencies. These include foreign fixed income securities issued by corporations and governments and emerging market fixed income securities issued by corporations and governments.
The Fund will invest up to 10% of its assets in covered call options on the debt securities it owns. The Fund will sell covered call options to obtain market exposure or to manage risk or hedge against adverse market conditions. The option is “covered” because the Fund owns the stock at the time it sells the option. When the Fund sells a covered call option, the purchaser of the option has the right to buy that security at a predetermined price (exercise price) during the life of the option. If the purchaser exercises the option, the Fund must sell the security to the purchaser at the exercise price. As the seller of the option, the Fund receives a premium from the purchaser of the call option, which may provide additional income to the Fund. The selling of covered call options may tend to reduce volatility of the Fund because the premiums received from selling the options will reduce any losses on the underlying securities, but only by the amount of the premiums. However, selling the options may also limit the Fund’s gain on the underlying securities.
The Fund will invest in fixed income securities primarily through exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and mutual funds (collectively, the “Underlying Funds”) that are not affiliated with the Fund or the advisor. The Fund will invest in ETFs as it may be more cost efficient than investing in individual fixed income securities while gaining exposure to a particular sector or index. An ETF is typically a registered investment company that seeks to track the performance of a particular market index. These indices include not only broad-market indices, but more specific indices as well, including those relating to particular sectors, markets, regions, or industries. An ETF is traded like a stock on a securities exchange and may be purchased and sold throughout the day based on its market price. The 1940 Act provides that the mutual funds may not: (1) purchase more than 3% of an investment company’s outstanding shares; (2) invest more than 5% of its assets in any single such investment company (the “5% Limit”), and (3) invest more than 10% of its assets in investment companies overall (the “10% Limit”), unless: (i) the underlying investment company and/or the Fund has received an order for exemptive relief from such limitations from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”); and (ii) the underlying investment company and the Fund take appropriate steps to comply with any conditions in such order. The Fund has supervisory procedures in place which ensure compliance of these investment limitations
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When deciding whether to purchase or sell a particular security, the Advisor considers an appraisal of the economy, the relative yields of securities and the investment prospects for issuers. The Advisor also, carefully assesses the particular security’s yield-to-maturity, credit quality, liquidity, call risk and current yield.
The Fund will invest in a broad range of fixed income instruments without benchmark constraints or significant sector/instrument limitations.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Before investing in the Fund, you should carefully consider your own investment goals, the amount of time you are willing to leave your money invested and the amount of risk you are willing to take. Remember, in addition to possibly not achieving your investment goals, you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:
Interest Rate Risk. When the Fund invests in bonds or in Underlying Funds that own bonds, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. When the Fund holds variable or floating rate securities, a decrease (or, in the case of inverse floating rate securities, an increase) in market interest rates will adversely affect the income received from such securities and a decline in the value of the security.
Management Risk. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the Advisor’s investment strategies for the Fund. The value of your investment in the Fund may vary with the effectiveness of the Advisor’s research, analysis and asset allocation among portfolio securities. If the Advisor’s investment strategies do not produce the expected results, your investment could be diminished or even lost.
New Fund Risk. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. Liquidation can be initiated without shareholder approval by the Board of Trustees if it determines it is in the best interest of shareholders. As a result, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders
Fixed Income Securities Risk. Fixed income securities held by the Fund are subject to interest rate risk, call risk, prepayment and extension risk, credit risk, and liquidity risk, which are more fully described below
Call Risk. During periods of declining interest rates, a bond issuer may “call,” or repay, its high yielding bonds before their maturity dates. The Fund would then be forced to invest the unanticipated proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in its income.
Credit Risk. Fixed income securities are generally subject to the risk that the issuer may be unable to make principal and interest payments when they are due. There is also the risk that the securities could lose value because of a loss of confidence in the ability of the borrower to pay back debt. Lower rated fixed income securities involve greater credit risk, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy.
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Liquidity Risk. Trading opportunities are more limited for fixed income securities that have not received any credit ratings, have received ratings below investment grade or are not widely held. These features make it more difficult to sell or buy a security at a favorable price or time. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on its performance. Infrequent trading of securities may also lead to an increase in their price volatility. Liquidity risk also refers to the possibility that the Fund may not be able to sell a security or close out an investment contract when it wants to. If this happens, the Fund will be required to hold the security or keep the position open, and it could incur losses.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risks generally associated with fixed income securities listed above. The risk of prepayment is more likely to occur when interest rates fall because many borrowers refinance mortgages to take advantage of more favorable rates. Prepayments on mortgage-backed securities are also affected by other factors, such as the volume of home sales. The Fund’s yield will be reduced if cash from prepaid securities is reinvested in securities with lower interest rates. The risk of prepayment may also decrease the value of mortgage-backed securities. The value of these securities may decline in value because of mortgage foreclosures or defaults on the underlying obligations. Inverse floater, interest-only and principal-only securities are extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates and prepayment rates. The market value of such securities generally is more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates than is the case with traditional mortgage-backed securities, and in some cases such market value may be extremely volatile.
High-Yield Fixed income Securities Risk. High-yield fixed income securities or “junk bonds” are fixed income securities rated below investment grade by a NRSRO. Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than higher-rated securities, they are subject to a greater risk of loss of income and principal. Junk bonds are subject to greater credit risk than higher-grade securities and have a higher risk of default. Companies issuing high-yield junk bonds are more likely to experience financial difficulties that may lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than issuers of higher grade securities. Issuers of junk bonds are often highly leveraged and are more vulnerable to changes in the economy, such as a recession or rising interest rates, which may affect their ability to meet their interest or principal payment obligations.
U.S. Government and U.S. Agency Obligations Risk. U.S. Government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, such as the U.S. Treasury. Payment of principal and interest on U.S. Government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. In the latter case, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, which agency or instrumentality may be privately owned. There can be no assurance that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises) where it is not obligated to do so. As a result, there is a risk that these entities will default on a financial obligation. For instance, securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association, commonly known as “Ginnie Mae,” are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government. However, the obligations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been placed into conservatorship until the entities are restored to a solvent financial condition. Securities issued by the Student Loan Marketing Association are supported only by the credit of that agency.
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High Portfolio Turnover Rate Risk. High portfolio turnover rates could generate capital gains that must be distributed to shareholders as short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income rates (currently as high as 35%) and could increase brokerage commission costs. To the extent that a Fund experiences an increase in brokerage commissions due to a higher portfolio turnover rate, the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by the increased expenses incurred by the Fund. Rapid portfolio turnover also exposes shareholders to a higher current realization of short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income rates.
Foreign Risk. The Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund's performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. There may also be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information. The value of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions, custody fees and other costs of investing in foreign securities are generally higher than in the United States. Investments in foreign issues could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, armed conflict, confiscatory taxation, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. These risks are generally greater in emerging foreign markets than in established foreign markets. As a result, the Fund may be exposed to greater risk and will be more dependent on the advisor’s ability to assess such risk than if the Fund invested solely in more developed countries.
Foreign Currency Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in securities or Underlying Funds that hold securities that are denominated in foreign currencies, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. These currency movements may negatively impact the value of the Fund even when there is no change in the value of the security in the issuer's home country.
Underlying Fund Risk. ETFs (and other Underlying Funds) are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities such as stocks and bonds. ETFs are listed on national stock exchanges and are traded like stocks listed on an exchange. ETF shares may trade at a discount or a premium in market price if there is a limited market in such shares. ETFs are also subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. ETFs may employ leverage, which magnifies the changes in the value of the ETFs. Finally, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the advisor may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings at the most optimal time, adversely affecting performance.
ETFs Risks. You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the ETFs in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. Additional risks of investing in ETFs are described below:
ETF Strategy Risk: Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the ETF. These risks could include liquidity risk, sector risk, foreign and emerging market risk, as well as risks associated with fixed-income securities, real estate investments, and commodities.
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Leverage Risk: The Fund has no control over the risks taken by the underlying ETFs in which it invests. The Fund also may invest in ETFs which seek results that correspond to a specific benchmark or other ETFs that amplify the exposure to a particular index or sector by 2 to 3 times. These types of investments can be a form of leverage and can result in significant losses to the Fund.
Net Asset Value and Market Price Risk: The market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF share trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value.
Tracking Risk: Investment in the Fund should be made with the understanding that the ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. In addition, the ETFs in which the Fund invests will incur expenses not incurred by their applicable indices. Certain securities comprising the indices tracked by the ETFs may, from time to time, temporarily be unavailable, which may further impede the ETFs’ ability to track their applicable indices.
Cybersecurity – The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.
Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund, the adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.
Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Fund’s shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.
Change in Investment Objectives
The Fund’s investment policies are not a fundamental policy, and may be changed by the Fund’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days written notice to the shareholder.
Temporary Defensive Positions
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From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies, in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. For example, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in short-term U.S. Government securities or money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in such instruments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its investment strategies. As a result of engaging in these temporary measures, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Currently, the Fund’s portfolio holdings are generally disclosed as required by law or regulation on a quarterly basis through reports to shareholders or filings with the SEC within 60 days after the end of each fiscal quarter in the annual and semi-annual reports to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. The annual and semi-annual reports when required to be filed are available by contacting Archer Income Fund, c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 or calling (800) 238-7701.
Is the Fund right for you?
The Fund may be suitable for:
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Long-term investors seeking a fund with a value and growth strategy
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Investors who can tolerate the risks associated with fixed income securities.
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ARCHER STOCK FUND
Investment Objective
The Archer Stock Fund (the “Fund”) seeks capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest in a portfolio of common stocks and equity securities which include preferred stock and depository receipts of companies of all sizes. The Advisor employs security selection based on research and analysis of the company’s historical data. In selecting securities to purchase, the Advisor evaluates factors that include, but are not limited to: market capitalization, valuation metrics, and earnings and price momentum over time. Portfolio securities may be sold generally upon periodic rebalancing of the Fund’s portfolio. The Advisor considers the same factors it uses in evaluating a security for purchase and generally sells securities when it believes such securities no longer meet its investment criteria.
The Fund will invest up to 30% of its total assets in the securities of foreign issuers, including those in emerging markets, and will invest up to 10% of its total assets in real estate investment trusts (“REITS”) or foreign real estate companies. The Advisor expects that the Fund’s investment strategy may result in a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 100% on an annual basis.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Before investing in the Fund, you should carefully consider your own investment goals, the amount of time you are willing to leave your money invested and the amount of risk you are willing to take. Remember, in addition to possibly not achieving your investment goals, you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Archer Stock Fund are:
Management Risk. The skill of the Advisor will play a significant role in the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends on the ability of the Advisor to correctly identify economic trends, especially with regard to accurately forecasting inflationary and deflationary periods. In addition, the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends on the Advisor’s ability to select investments, particularly in volatile stock markets. The Advisor could be incorrect in its analysis of industries, companies and the relative attractiveness of growth and value stocks and other matters. Neither the Trust nor the Advisor can guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Market Risk. The Fund is designed for long-term investors who can accept the risks of investing in a portfolio with significant equity holdings. Equity holdings tend to be more volatile than other investment choices such as bonds and money market instruments. The value of a Fund’s shares will fluctuate as a result of the movement of the overall stock market or of the value of the individual securities held by the Fund, and you could lose money.
REITs and Foreign Real Estate Companies Risk. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in REITs and foreign real estate companies, which are similar to entities organized and operated as REITs in the United States. REITs and foreign real estate companies pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in commercial real estate properties or real estate related loans. REITs and foreign real estate companies generally derive their income from rents on the underlying properties or interest on the underlying loans, and
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their value is impacted by changes in the value of the underlying property or changes in interest rates affecting the underlying loans owned by the REITs and/or foreign real estate companies. REITs and foreign real estate companies are more susceptible to risks associated with the ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. These risks can include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local economic conditions; decreases in market rates for rents; increases in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures, or operating expenses; and other economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting the real estate industry. In addition, REITs and foreign real estate companies depend upon specialized management skills, may not be diversified (which may increase the volatility of the REITs and/or foreign real estate companies value), may have less trading volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than the overall securities market. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). REITs are subject to the risk of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code. Foreign real estate companies may be subject to laws, rules and regulations governing those entities and their failure to comply with those laws, rules and regulations could negatively impact the performance of those entities. In addition, investments in REITs and foreign real estate companies may involve duplication of management fees and certain other expenses, as a Fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs and foreign real estate companies in which it invests.
Small, and Medium Sized Company Risk. The securities of smaller or medium-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger-sized companies or the market averages in general. In addition, such companies typically are subject to a greater degree of change in earnings and business prospects than are larger companies. Thus, to the extent a Fund invests in smaller or medium-sized companies, the Fund may be subject to greater investment risk than that assumed through investment in the equity securities of larger-sized companies.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may sell securities without regard to the length of time they have been held to take advantage of new investment opportunities, when the Advisor believes either the securities no longer meet its investment criteria or the potential for capital appreciation has lessened, or for other reasons. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may vary from year to year. A high portfolio turnover rate (100% or more) increases a Fund’s transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and dealer costs), which would adversely impact a Fund’s performance. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if a Fund had lower portfolio turnover. The turnover rate will not be a limiting factor, however, if the Advisor considers portfolio changes appropriate.
Risks of Investing In Securities of Foreign Issuers. The Fund may invest a portion of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers may be denominated in U.S. dollars or in currencies other than U.S. dollars. Investments in securities of foreign issuers present certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. These risks include fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, political, economic or legal developments (including war or other instability, expropriation of assets, nationalization and confiscatory taxation), the imposition of foreign exchange limitations (including currency blockage), withholding taxes on income or capital transactions or other restrictions, higher transaction costs (including higher brokerage, custodial and settlement costs and currency conversion costs) and possible difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations or taking judicial action. Securities of foreign issuers may not be as liquid and may be more volatile than comparable securities of domestic issuers.
In addition, there often is less publicly available information about many foreign issuers, and issuers of foreign securities are subject to different, often less comprehensive, auditing, accounting and financial
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reporting disclosure requirements than domestic issuers. There is generally less government regulation of exchanges, brokers and listed companies abroad than in the United States and, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in those countries. Because there is usually less supervision and governmental regulation of foreign exchanges, brokers and dealers than there is in the United States, the Funds may experience settlement difficulties or delays not usually encountered in the United States.
Delays in making trades in securities of foreign issuers relating to volume constraints, limitations or restrictions, clearance or settlement procedures, or otherwise could impact returns and result in temporary periods when assets of the Funds are not fully invested or attractive investment opportunities are foregone.
The Fund may invest in securities of issuers determined by the Advisor to be in developing or emerging market countries. Investments in securities of issuers in developing or emerging market countries are subject to greater risks than investments in securities of developed countries since emerging market countries tend to have economic structures that are less diverse and mature and political systems that are less stable than developed countries.
The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers in the form of depositary receipts. Depositary receipts involve substantially identical risks to those associated with direct investment in securities of foreign issuers.
In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. In addition to the increased risks of investing in securities of foreign issuers, there are often increased transaction costs associated with investing in securities of foreign issuers, including the costs incurred in connection with converting currencies, higher foreign brokerage or dealer costs and higher settlement costs or custodial costs.
Since the Fund may invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the Fund may be affected by changes in foreign currency exchange rates (and exchange control regulations) which affect the value of investments in the Fund and the accrued income and appreciation or depreciation of the investments. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets denominated in that currency and the Fund’s return on such assets as well as any temporary uninvested reserves in bank deposits in foreign currencies. In addition, the Fund will incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies.
The Funds may purchase and sell foreign currency on a spot (i.e., cash) basis in connection with the settlement of transactions in securities traded in such foreign currency. The Funds also may enter into contracts with banks, brokers or dealers to purchase or sell securities or foreign currencies at a future date (“forward contracts”). A foreign currency forward contract is a negotiated agreement between the contracting to exchange a specified amount of currency at a specified future time at a specified rate. The rate can be higher or lower than the spot rate between the currencies that are the subject of the contract.
The Funds may attempt to protect against adverse changes in the value of the U.S. dollar in relation to a foreign currency by entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency invested or to be invested, or by buying or selling a foreign currency futures contract for such amount. Such strategies may be employed before a Fund purchases a foreign security traded in the currency
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which the Fund anticipates acquiring or between the date the foreign security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment therefore is made or received. Seeking to protect against a change in the value of a foreign currency in the foregoing manner does not eliminate fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities or prevent losses if the prices of such securities decline. Furthermore, such transactions reduce or preclude the opportunity for gain if the value of the currency should move in the direction opposite to the position taken. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not entered into such contracts.
Cybersecurity – The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.
Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund, the adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.
Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Fund’s shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.
Change in Investment Objectives
The Fund’s investment policies are not a fundamental policy, and may be changed by the Fund’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days written notice to the shareholder.
Temporary Defensive Positions
From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies, in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. For example, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in short-term U.S. Government securities or money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in such instruments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its investment strategies. As a result of engaging in these temporary measures, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Currently, the
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Fund’s portfolio holdings are generally disclosed as required by law or regulation on a quarterly basis through reports to shareholders or filings with the SEC within 60 days after the end of the fiscal quarter in the annual and semi-annual reports to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. The annual and semi-annual reports when required to be filed are available by contacting Archer Income Fund, c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 or calling (800) 238-7701.
Is the Fund right for you?
The Fund may be suitable for:
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Long-term investors seeking a fund with a value strategy
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Investors who can tolerate the risks associated with common stocks
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ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND
The Archer Dividend Growth Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to provide income and, as a secondary focus, long-term capital appreciation. The investment objective of the Fund is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. If the Board decides to change a Fund's investment objective, shareholders will be given 60 days' advance notice.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Fund's primary investment strategies described in this prospectus are the strategies that the Advisor believes are most likely to be important in trying to achieve the Fund's investment objective. You should note, however, that the Fund may use other non-principal strategies and invest in other securities not described in this prospectus, which are disclosed in detail in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). For a copy of the SAI please call toll free at 1-800-238-7701 or visit the Fund's website at www.thearcherfunds.com.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its objective to provide income and, as a secondary focus, long-term capital appreciation, by investing at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large-capitalization companies, primarily in dividend-paying equity securities, consisting of common stocks, preferred stocks and shares of beneficial interest of real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). These companies have market capitalizations in the range $500 million and up. The market capitalization range and composition of the companies in the Fund are subject to change. The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of companies that the investment manager believes have the potential to pay above-average, stable dividend and long-term, above-average earnings growth. The Fund may from time to time emphasize one or more economic sectors in selecting its investments, including the consumer discretionary, health care, and information technology and technology-related sectors.
The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in foreign securities. The Fund may invest directly in foreign securities or indirectly through depositary receipts.
The Fund may continue to own a security as long as the dividend or interest yields satisfy the Fund's objectives, and the Adviser believes the valuation is attractive and industry trends remain favorable. Once the Advisor believes a security does not meet the long-term objectives of the fund, it may sell the securities.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Investors in the Fund should have a long-term perspective and, for example, be able to tolerate potentially sharp declines in value.
The prices of securities held by the Fund may decline in response to certain events taking place around the world, including those directly involving the companies whose securities are owned by the Fund; conditions affecting the general economy; overall market changes; local, regional or global political, social or economic instability; and currency, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations. The common stock and other equity type securities purchased by the Fund may involve large price swings and potential for loss.
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Investments in securities issued by entities based outside the United States may also be affected by currency controls; different accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices; expropriation; changes in tax policy; greater market volatility; differing securities market structures; higher transaction costs; and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. These risks may be heightened in connection with investments in emerging markets. Investments in securities issued by entities domiciled in the United States may also be subject to many of these risks.
Your investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, entity or person.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be hurt by:
Active Management Risk. Due to its active management, the Fund’s performance could underperform its benchmark index and/or other funds with similar investment objectives.
Market Risk of Equity Securities. By investing in stocks, the Fund may expose you to a sudden decline in the share price of a particular portfolio holding or to an overall decline in the stock market. In addition, the Fund's principal market segment may underperform other segments or the market as a whole. The value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate daily and cyclically based on movements in the stock market and the activities of individual companies in the Fund's portfolio. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. Preferred stock is subject to the risk that the dividend on the stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer, and that participation in the growth of the issuer may be limited. Preferred stock typically has "preference" over common stock in the payment of distributions and the liquidation of a company's assets, but is subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments. In addition, preferred stock holders generally do not have voting rights with respect to the issuing company.
Issuer Risk. An issuer in which the Fund invests or to which it has exposure may perform poorly, and the value of its securities may therefore decline, which would negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Poor performance may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, breakthroughs in technology, reliance on suppliers, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, natural disasters or other events, conditions or factors.
Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are receipts issued by a bank or trust company reflecting ownership of underlying securities issued by foreign companies. Some foreign securities are traded in the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). Depositary receipts involve risks similar to the risks associated with investments in foreign securities, including those associated with investing in the particular country of an issuer, which may be related to the particular political, regulatory, economic, social and other conditions or events occurring in the country and fluctuations in its currency, as well as market risk tied to the underlying foreign company. In addition, ADR holders may have limited voting rights, may not have the same rights afforded typical company stockholders in the event of a corporate action such as an acquisition, merger or rights offering and may experience difficulty in receiving company stockholder communications.
Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in or exposure to foreign securities involve certain risks not associated with investments in or exposure to securities of U.S. companies. Foreign securities subject the Fund to the risks associated with investing in the particular country of an issuer, including the political, regulatory, economic, social, diplomatic and other conditions or events occurring in the country or region, as well as risks associated with less developed custody and settlement practices. Foreign securities may be more
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volatile and less liquid than securities of U.S. companies, and are subject to the risks associated with potential imposition of economic and other sanctions against a particular foreign country, its nationals or industries or businesses within the country. In addition, foreign governments may impose withholding or other taxes on the Fund’s income, capital gains or proceeds from the disposition of foreign securities, which could reduce the Fund’s return on such securities. The performance of the Fund may also be negatively impacted by fluctuations in a foreign currency’s strength or weakness relative to the U.S. dollar, particularly to the extent the Fund invests a significant percentage of its assets in foreign securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
Growth Securities Risk. Growth securities typically trade at a higher multiple of earnings than other types of equity securities. Accordingly, the market values of growth securities may never reach their expected market value and may decline in price. In addition, growth securities, at times, may not perform as well as value securities or the stock market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time.
Dividend Tax Treatment. There may be a significant change in legislation or policy affecting taxation on dividends, which may affect the performance of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund will sell a security when its portfolio managers believe it is appropriate to do so, regardless of how long the Fund has owned that security. Buying and selling securities generally involves some expense to the Fund, such as commissions paid to brokers and other transaction costs. By selling a security, the Fund may realize taxable capital gains that it will subsequently distribute to shareholders. Generally speaking, the higher the Fund’s annual portfolio turnover, the greater its brokerage costs and the greater the likelihood that it will realize taxable capital gains. On the other hand, the Fund may from time to time realize commission costs in order to engage in tax minimization strategies if the result is a greater enhancement to the value of the Fund share than the transaction cost to achieve it. Increased brokerage costs may adversely affect the Fund’s performance. Also, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or you purchase shares through a tax-deferred account, the distribution of capital gains may affect your after-tax return.
Set forth below is more information about certain of the principal risks that apply to the Funds:
Market Risk – The market value of a security may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. These fluctuations may cause a security to be worth less than the price originally paid for it, or less than it was worth at an earlier time. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry or sector of the economy, or the market as a whole. Additionally, the prices of securities in which a Fund invests are affected by the economy. The value of a Fund’s investments may decline in tandem with a drop in the overall value of the stock market based on negative developments in the U.S. and global economies. Equity and debt markets around the world have experienced unprecedented volatility, including as a result of the recent European sovereign debt crisis, and these market conditions may continue or get worse. This financial environment has caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of many investments, and could make identifying investment risks and opportunities especially difficult. High public debt in the United States and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty. In addition, policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation. The impact of these changes, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.
Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) Risk – Investments in REITs will subject the Fund to various risks. The first, real estate industry risk, is the risk that REIT share prices will decline because of adverse
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developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. In general, real estate values can be affected by a variety of factors, including supply and demand for properties, the economic health of the country or of different regions, and the strength of specific industries that rent properties. REITs often invest in highly leveraged properties. The second risk is the risk that returns from REITs, which typically are small or medium capitalization stocks, will trail returns from the overall stock market. The third, interest rate risk, is the risk that changes in interest rates may hurt real estate values or make REIT shares less attractive than other income producing investments. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, REITs are subject to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions and increased competition. The general performance of the real estate industry has historically been cyclical and particularly sensitive to economic downturns.
REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from leasing those properties. They may also realize gains or losses from the sale of properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. Mortgage REITs invest primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests and receive interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. They are paid interest by the owners of the financed properties. Mortgage REITs will be affected by changes in creditworthiness of borrowers and changes in interest rates. Hybrid REITs invest both in real property and in mortgages. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects.
Qualification as a REIT under the Code in any particular year involves a complex analysis that depends on a number of factors. There can be no assurance that the entities in which the Fund invests with the expectation that they will be taxed as REITs will qualify as REITs. If an entity that intends to qualify as a REIT were to fail to qualify, it would be subject to a corporate level tax, it would not be entitled to a deduction for dividends paid to its shareholders and any distributions by the entity of long-term capital gains would not be treated as long-term capital gains by the entity’s shareholders. If the Fund were to invest in such an entity, the entity’s failure to qualify could drastically reduce the Fund’s yield on that investment.
Dividends paid by REITs will not generally qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. The Fund’s investments in REITs may include an additional risk to shareholders in that some or all of a REIT’s annual distributions to its investors may constitute a non-taxable return of capital. Any such return of capital will generally reduce the Fund’s basis in the REIT investment, but not below zero, which will increase the gain or decrease the loss recognized by the Fund on a disposition of the REIT investment. To the extent return-of-capital distributions from a particular REIT exceed the Fund’s basis in such REIT, the Fund will generally recognize gain in an amount equal to that excess.
Sector Emphasis – The Fund may invest a significant portion of its total assets in various industries in one or more sectors of the economy. To the extent a Fund’s assets are invested in a sector of the economy, the Fund will be subject to market and economic factors affecting companies in that sector.
Cybersecurity – The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.
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Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund, the adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.
Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Fund’s shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.
Temporary Defensive Positions
From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies, in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. For example, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in short-term U.S. Government securities or money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in such instruments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its investment strategies. As a result of engaging in these temporary measures, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
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. Currently, the Fund’s portfolio holdings are generally disclosed as required by law or regulation on a quarterly basis through reports to shareholders or filings with the SEC within 60 days after the end of each fiscal quarter in the annual and semi-annual reports to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. The annual and semi-annual reports when required to be filed are available by contacting Archer Income Fund, c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, 8000 Town Centre Dr, Ste 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 or calling (800) 238-7701.
The Fund may be suitable for:
Long-term investors seeking income.
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MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATION, AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE
The Advisor
Archer Investment Corporation, 9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 630, Indianapolis, IN 46240, serves as the advisor to the Archer Balanced Fund, the Archer Income Fund, the Archer Stock Fund and the Archer Dividend Growth Fund pursuant to the terms of a Management Services Agreement with the Funds. The advisor has overall supervisory management responsibility for the general management and investment of each Fund’s portfolio. The advisor sets each Fund’s overall investment strategies, identifies securities for investment, determines when securities should be purchased or sold, selects brokers or dealers to execute transactions for the Fund’s portfolio and votes any proxies solicited by portfolio companies. The Advisor was established in August 2005 in order to manage the Archer Balanced Fund a separately stated series of the Archer Investment Series Trust. Troy C. Patton, one of the Funds’ portfolio managers, is the controlling shareholder of the Advisor.
The Archer Balanced Fund is authorized to pay the Advisor a management fee equal to 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, the Archer Stock Fund is authorized to pay the Advisor a fee equal to 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, the Archer Income Fund is authorized to pay the Advisor a fee equal to 0.50% of its daily net assets and the Archer Dividend Growth Fund is authorized to pay the Advisor a fee equal to 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse its management fee and/or certain of the Fund’s operating expenses, in order to limit the Fund’s Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursement (excluding brokerage fees and commissions, any 12b-1 fees, borrowing costs such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short), taxes, extraordinary expenses and any indirect expenses (such as Fees and Expenses of Acquired Funds), to 1.20% of the Archer Balanced Fund’s average daily net assets, and to 1.23% of the Archer Stock Fund’s average daily net assets, and to 0.96% of the Archer Income Fund’s average daily net assets, and to 0.98% of the Archer Dividend Growth Fund. Pursuant to the Expense Limitation Agreement, if the Adviser so requests, any Fund Operating Expenses waived or reimbursed by the Adviser pursuant to the Agreement that had the effect of reducing Fund Operating Expenses to 1.23% within the most recent three years prior to recoupment shall be repaid to the Adviser by the Fund; provided, however, that such recoupment will not cause the Fund’s expense ratio, after recoupment has been taken into account, to exceed the lesser of the expense cap in effect at the time of the waiver or the expense cap in effect at the time of recoupment. The contractual agreement is in place through December 31, 2023. The Management Services Agreement may, on sixty (60) days’ written notice, be terminated with respect to a Fund, at any time without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by Management.
The Funds’ Advisor (not the Fund) may pay certain financial institutions (which may include banks, brokers, securities dealers and other industry professionals) a fee for providing distribution related services for the Fund’s shareholders to the extent these institutions are allowed to do so by applicable statute, rule or regulation. A discussion regarding the basis of the Board of Trustees’ approval of the management agreement with Archer will be available in the Fund’s annual Report for the fiscal period ending August 31, 2019.
If you invest in the Fund through an investment advisor, bank, broker-dealer, 401(k) plan, trust company or other financial intermediary, the policies and fees for transacting business may be different than those described in this Prospectus. Some financial intermediaries may charge transaction fees and may set
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different minimum investments or limitations on buying or selling shares. Some financial intermediaries do not charge a direct transaction fee, but instead charge a fee for services such as sub-transfer agency, accounting and/or shareholder services that the financial intermediary provides on the Fund’s behalf. This fee may be based on the number of accounts or may be a percentage of the average value of the Fund’s shareholder accounts for which the financial intermediary provides services. The Fund may pay a portion of this fee, which is intended to compensate the financial intermediary for providing the same services that would otherwise be provided by the Fund’s transfer agent or other service providers if the shares were purchased directly from the Fund. To the extent that these fees are not paid by the Fund, the advisor may pay a fee to financial intermediaries for such services.
To the extent that the advisor pays a fee to a financial intermediary for distribution or shareholder servicing, the advisor may consider a number of factors in determining the amount of payment associated with such services, including the amount of sales, assets invested in the Fund and the nature of the services provided by the financial intermediary. Although neither the Fund nor the advisor pays for the Fund to be included in a “preferred list” or other promotional program, some financial intermediaries that receive compensation as described above may have such programs in which the Fund may be included. Financial intermediaries that receive these types of payments may have a conflict of interest in recommending or selling the Fund’s shares rather than other mutual funds, particularly where such payments exceed those associated with other funds. The Fund may from time to time purchase securities issued by financial intermediaries that provide such services; however, in selecting investments for the Fund, no preference will be shown for such securities.
The Portfolio Managers
Messrs. Troy Patton, Steven Demas and John Rosebrough have day-to-day responsibility for managing the Fund’s portfolio. The investment decisions for the Funds typically are made jointly by Mr. Patton, Mr. Demas and Mr. Rosebrough, although Mr. Patton has ultimate decision-making authority.
Troy C. Patton. As its founder and owner, Mr. Patton has been the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of the Archer Investment Corporation, the Advisor of each of the Archer Investment Series Trust portfolios since September 2005. In that capacity, Mr. Patton directs the Fund’s day to day operations. Mr. Patton also serves as the founder and owner of Patton & Associates, LLC. Patton & Associates affiliates with CPA firms across the country and offers business valuation services to their clients. Mr. Patton as an ABV, Accredited in Business Valuation, values companies generally under $200 million in value. Prior to founding the advisor, Mr. Patton was the founder and president of Frontier Financial Holdings, Inc., an integrated financial services company offering investment services. Frontier managed investment portfolios, lending services, business consulting services, and traditional CPA services through an affiliated entity.
Steven Demas. Mr. Demas joined the advisor in April 2009 as a portfolio manager. Mr. Demas was previously employed at Morgan Stanley, serving as a Vice President from 2000-2009 and a Sales Manager from 2007-2009 leading over 50 financial advisors. From 1994-2000, Mr. Demas was employed by Raffensberger & Hughes/National City Investments as a financial advisor. Since 2009, Mr. Demas has participated as a portfolio manager of each of the separately stated series of the Archer Investment Series Trust. He has had substantial experience managing non-discretionary brokerage accounts since 2000, representing over $100 million in assets. Mr. Demas graduated from Indiana University in 1989 with a business degree in marketing.
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John W. Rosebrough, CFA Mr. Rosebrough joined the advisor in July 2010. Prior to joining the advisor, Mr. Rosebrough managed investment portfolios for high net worth individuals at Biechele Royce Advisors. From 2005-2009 Mr. Rosebrough served as a Portfolio Manager and Investment Analyst for Wallington Asset Management where he was a member of the Investment Committee responsible for the selection of equity and fixed income investments, was the co-manager of firm's fixed income model and served as the firm's Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Rosebrough was a Senior Fixed Income Specialist with Schwab Capital Markets Fixed Income & Specialized Products Group from 1999-2005 and was a financial advisor with National City Investments from 1995-1999. Mr. Rosebrough graduated from Indiana University in 1995 with a degree in economics and obtained the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2001.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about the Investment Professionals’ compensation, other accounts managed by the Investment Professionals and the Investment Professionals’ investments in the Funds.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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.
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
Pricing of Fund Shares
The price at which you purchase shares is based on the next calculation of net asset value (“NAV”) after an order is received, subject to the order being accepted by the Fund through its transfer agent, Mutual Shareholder Services LLC, authorized persons or designees, in good form. An order is considered to be in good form if it includes a complete and accurate application and payment in full of the purchase amount. The price you pay for your shares is based on the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”). The NAV is calculated at the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business (the Stock Exchange is closed on weekends, most Federal holidays and Good Friday). The NAV is calculated by dividing the value of the Fund’s total assets (including interest and dividends accrued but not yet received) minus liabilities (including accrued expenses) by the total number of shares outstanding directly or through its transfer agent Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC.
The Fund’s assets generally are valued at their market value. If market quotations are not readily available, or if an event occurs after the close of the trading market which has closed before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time but before the calculation of the Fund’s NAV that materially affects the value, the security will be valued by the Fund’s advisor at a fair value (the amount which the Fund might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale) as determined in good faith by the advisor according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Fair valuation also is permitted if, in the advisor’s opinion, the validity of market quotations appears to be questionable based on factors such as evidence of a thin market in the security based on a small number of quotations, a significant event occurs after the close of a market but before the Fund’s NAV calculation that may affect a security’s value, or the advisor is aware of any other data that calls into question the reliability of market quotations. Investments in foreign securities, junk bonds or other thinly traded securities are more likely to trigger fair valuation than investments in other types of securities. Without fair valuation, short-term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage
53
opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of the Fund’s portfolio 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 Fund’s NAV by short-term traders or that the Fund will realize fair valuation upon the sale of a security. Notwithstanding the good faith determination of a particular value of a security or securities through the implementation of the Fund’s fair value policies and procedures prescribed by the Board of Trustees, the ultimate price may differ resulting in an undervaluation or overvaluation of the Fund’s NAV. The NAV for a Fund investing in other investment companies is calculated based upon the NAV of the underlying investment companies in its portfolio, and the prospectuses of those companies explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.
Shares of the Fund are available exclusively to U.S. citizens. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies the person who opens an account. This means that when you open an account, we will ask for your name, residential address, date of birth, government identification number and other information that will allow us to identify you. We also may ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents, and may take additional steps to verify your identity. If we do not receive these required pieces of information, there may be a delay in processing your investment request, which could subject your investment to market risk. If we are unable to immediately verify your identity, the Fund may restrict further investment until your identity is verified. However, if we are unable to verify your identity, the Fund reserves the right to close your account without notice and return your investment to you at the NAV determined on the day in which your account is closed. If we close your account because we are unable to verify your identity, your investment will be subject to market fluctuation, which could result in a loss of a portion of your principal investment.
The minimum initial investment in the Fund’s shares is $2,500 ($250 for systematic investment plan participants) and minimum subsequent investments are $100. The advisor may, in its sole discretion, waive these minimums for individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and in certain other circumstances. The Fund may waive or lower investment minimums for investors who invest in the Fund through an asset-based fee program made available through a financial intermediary. If your investment is aggregated into an omnibus account established by an investment advisor, broker or other intermediary, the account minimums apply to the omnibus account, not to your individual investment; however, the financial intermediary may also impose minimum requirements that are different from those set forth in this prospectus. If you choose to purchase or redeem shares directly from the Fund, you will not incur charges on purchases and redemptions (other than for short-term redemptions). However, if you purchase or redeem shares through a broker-dealer or another intermediary, you may be charged a fee by that intermediary.
Initial Purchase
By Mail – To be in proper form, your initial purchase request must include:
·
a completed and signed investment application form; y
·
a check (subject to the minimum amounts) made payable to the Fund.
Mail the completed application and check to:
Archer Balanced Fund, Archer Income Fund, Archer Stock Fund or Archer Dividend Growth Fund c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400 Broadview Heights, OH 44147 |
Archer Balanced Fund, Archer Income Fund, Archer Stock Fund or Archer Dividend Growth Fund c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400 Broadview Heights, OH 44147 |
By Wire – You may also purchase shares of the Fund by wiring federal funds from your bank, which may charge you a fee for doing so. To wire money, you must call Mutual Shareholder Services at (800) 238-7701 to obtain instructions on how to set up your account and to obtain an account number.
You must provide a signed application to Mutual Shareholders Services, LLC, at the above address in order to complete your initial wire purchase. Wire orders will be accepted only on a day on which the Fund, its custodian and transfer agent are open for business. A wire purchase will not be considered made until the wired money is received and the purchase is accepted by the Fund. The purchase price per share will be the net asset value next determined after the wire purchase is received by the Fund. Any delays which may occur in wiring money, including delays which may occur in processing by the banks, are not the responsibility of the Fund or the transfer agent. There is presently no fee for the receipt of wired funds, but the Fund may charge shareholders for this service in the future.
Additional Investments:
You may purchase additional shares of the Fund at any time (subject to minimum investment requirements) by mail, wire or automatic investment. The additional mail purchase request must contain:
–
your name
– the name on your account(s)
– your account number(s)
– check made payable to the Fund
Checks should be sent to the Fund at the address listed under the heading “Initial Purchase – By Mail” in this prospectus. To send a bank wire, call Mutual Shareholder Services at (800) 238-7701 to obtain instructions.
Automatic Investment Plan
You may make regular investments in the Fund with an Automatic Investment Plan by completing the appropriate section of the account application and attaching a voided personal check. Investments may be made monthly to allow dollar-cost averaging by automatically deducting $100 or more from your bank checking account. You may change the amount of your monthly purchase at any time. If an Automatic Investment Plan purchase is rejected by your bank, your shareholder account will be charged a fee to defray bank charges.
Tax Sheltered Retirement Plans
The Fund may be an appropriate investment medium for tax-sheltered retirement plans, including: individual retirement plans (IRAs); simplified employee pensions (SEPs); 401(k) plans; qualified corporate pension and profit-sharing plans (for employees); tax-deferred investment plans (for employees of public
55
school systems and certain types of charitable organizations); and other qualified retirement plans. You should contact the Fund’s transfer agent for the procedure to open an IRA or SEP plan, as well as more specific information regarding these retirement plan options. Please consult with an attorney or tax advisor regarding these plans. You must pay custodial fees for your IRA by redemption of sufficient shares of the Fund from the IRA unless you pay the fees directly to the IRA custodian. Call Mutual Shareholder Services about the IRA custodial fees.
Other Purchase Information
The Fund may limit the amount of purchases and refuse to sell shares to any person. If your check or wire does not clear, you will be responsible for any loss incurred by the Fund. You may be prohibited or restricted from making future purchases in the Fund. Checks must be made payable to the Fund. The Fund and its transfer agent may refuse any purchase order for any reason. Cash, third party checks (except for properly endorsed IRA rollover checks), counter checks, starter checks, traveler’s checks, money orders, (other than money orders issued by a bank) credit card checks, and checks drawn on non-U.S. financial institutions will not be accepted. Cashier’s checks, bank official checks, and bank money orders may be accepted in amounts greater than $10,000. In such cases, a fifteen (15) business day hold will be applied to the funds (which mean that you may not redeem your shares until the holding period has expired). Cashier’s checks and bank official checks in amounts less than $10,000 will also be accepted for IRA transfers from other financial institutions.
The Fund has authorized certain broker-dealers and other financial institutions (including their designated intermediaries) to accept on its behalf purchase and sell orders. The Fund is deemed to have received a purchase or sale order when the authorized person or designee accepts the order, and the order is processed at the net asset value next calculated thereafter.
How to Redeem Shares
You may receive redemption payments by check or federal wire transfer. The proceeds may be more or less than the purchase price of your shares, depending on the market value of the Fund’s securities at the time of your redemption. A wire transfer fee of $15 is charged to defray custodial charges for redemptions paid by wire transfer. This fee is subject to change. Any charges for wire redemptions will be deducted from your account by redemption of shares. The Fund typically expects that it will take up to seven (7) days following the receipt of your redemption request to pay out redemption proceeds by check or electronic transfer. The Fund typically expects to pay redemptions from cash, cash equivalents, proceeds from the sale of Fund shares, any lines of credit, and then from the sale of portfolio securities. These redemptions payment methods will be used in regular and stressed market conditions. However, if the amount you are redeeming is over the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund’s net asset value, the Fund has the right to redeem your shares by giving you the amount that exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund’s net asset value in securities instead of cash. In the event that an in-kind distribution is made, a shareholder may incur additional expenses, such as the payment of brokerage commissions, on the sale or other disposition of the securities received from the Fund. If you redeem your shares through a broker-dealer or other institution, you may be charged a fee by that institution.
By Mail – You may redeem any part of your account in the Fund at no charge by mail. Your request should be addressed to:
56
U.S. Mail: |
Overnight: |
Archer Balanced Fund, Archer Income Fund, Archer Stock Fund or Archer Dividend Growth Fund c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400 Broadview Heights, OH 44147 |
Archer Balanced Fund, Archer Income Fund, Archer Stock Fund or Archer Dividend Growth Fund c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400 Broadview Heights, OH 44147 |
Your request for redemption must include your letter of instruction, including the Fund name, account number, account name(s), the address, and the dollar amount or number of shares you wish to redeem. Requests to sell shares that are received in good order are processed at the net asset value next calculated after the Fund receives your order in proper form. To be in proper order, your request must be signed by all registered share owner(s) in the exact name(s) and any special capacity in which they are registered. The Fund may require that signatures be guaranteed if you request the redemption check be made payable to any person other than the shareholder(s) of record or mailed to an address other than the address of record, or if the mailing address has been changed within 30 days of the redemption request. The Fund may also require a signature guarantee for redemptions of $25,000 or more. Signature guarantees are for the protection of shareholders. All documentation requiring a signature guarantee stamp must utilize a New Technology Medallion stamp. For joint accounts, both signatures must be guaranteed. You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks and securities dealers, but not from a notary public. Please call Mutual Shareholder Services at (800) 238-7701 if you have questions. At the discretion of the Fund or its transfer agent, a shareholder, prior to redemption, may be required to furnish additional legal documents to insure proper authorization.
By Telephone – You may redeem any part of your account in the Fund (up to $25,000) by calling Mutual Shareholder Services at (800) 238-7701 You must first complete the Optional Telephone Redemption and Exchange section of the investment application to institute this option. Telephone redemption requests are subject to the signature guarantee requirements set forth in the previous paragraph. The Fund, its transfer agent and custodian are not liable for following redemption or exchange instructions communicated by telephone to the extent that they reasonably believe the telephone instructions to be genuine. However, if they do not employ reasonable procedures to confirm that telephone instructions are genuine, they may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Procedures employed may include recording telephone instructions and requiring a form of personal identification from the caller.
The Fund or its transfer agent may terminate the telephone redemption procedures at any time. During periods of extreme market activity, it is possible that shareholders may encounter some difficulty in telephoning the Fund, although neither the Fund nor the transfer agent have ever experienced difficulties in receiving and in a timely fashion responding to telephone requests for redemptions or exchanges. If you are unable to reach the Fund by telephone, you may request a redemption or exchange by mail.
Additional Information – If you are not certain of the requirements for redemption please call Mutual Shareholder Services at (800) 238-7701. Redemptions specifying a certain date or share price cannot be accepted and will be returned. You will be mailed the proceeds on or before the fifth day following the redemption. However, payment for redemption made against shares purchased by check will be made only after the check has been collected, which normally may take up to fifteen calendar days. Also, when the New York Stock Exchange is closed (or when trading is restricted) for any reason other than its customary weekend or holiday closing, or under any emergency circumstances (as determined by the Securities and
57
Exchange Commission) the Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment dates. You may be assessed a fee if the Fund incurs bank charges because you direct the Fund to re-issue a redemption check.
Redemption proceeds sent by check by the Fund and not cashed within 180 days will be reinvested in the Fund at the current day’s NAV. Redemption proceeds that are reinvested are subject to market risk like any other investment in the Fund.
Because the Fund incurs certain fixed costs in maintaining shareholder accounts, the Fund may require you to redeem all of your shares in the Fund on 30 days’ written notice if the value of your shares in the Fund is less than $2,000 due to redemptions, or such other minimum amount as the Fund may determine from time to time. You may increase the value of your shares in the Fund to the minimum amount within the 30-day period. All shares of the Fund are also subject to involuntary redemption if the Board of Trustees determines to liquidate the Fund. In such event, pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Board may close the Fund with notice to shareholders but without having to obtain shareholder approval. An involuntary redemption will create a capital gain or capital loss which may have tax consequences about which you should consult your tax advisor.
Funds Policy on Market Timing
The Fund discourages market timing. Market timing is an investment strategy using frequent purchases, redemptions and/or exchanges in an attempt to profit from short-term market movements. Market timing may result in dilution of the value of Fund shares held by long term shareholders, disrupt portfolio management and increase Fund expenses for all shareholders. The Board of Trustees has adopted a policy directing the Fund to reject any purchase order with respect to any investor, a related group of investors or their agent(s), where it detects a pattern of purchases and sales of the Fund that indicates market timing or trading that it determines is abusive. This policy generally applies to all Fund shareholders. The Board of Trustees has adopted a redemption policy to discourage short term traders and/or market timers from investing in the Fund. As to each Archer Fund a one percent 1.00% short-term redemption fee will be assessed by the Fund against investment proceeds withdrawn within ninety (90) calendar days of investment. Fund shares received from reinvested distributions or capital gains are not subject to the redemption fee. After excluding any shares that are associated with reinvested distributions from the redemption fee calculation, the Fund uses a “first-in, first-out” method to determine the 90-day holding period. Thus, if you bought shares on different days, the shares purchased first will be redeemed first for purposes of determining whether the redemption fee applies. The proceeds collected from redemption fees will be used for the benefit of existing shareholders.
If you invest in the Fund through a bank, broker-dealer, 401(k) plan, financial advisor or financial supermarket (“Financial Intermediary”), the Financial Intermediary may, in lieu of charging the redemption fee set forth in this Prospectus, enforce its own market timing policy. “Omnibus accounts” that include multiple customers of the Financial Intermediary also will be exempt from the redemption fee if the Financial Intermediary does not track and/or process redemption fees. Additionally, the transfer of shares from one retirement account to another, accounts participating in a wrap fee program and redemptions caused by decisions of employer-sponsored retirement plans may be exempt from the redemption fee. Redemption fees may be waived for mandatory retirement withdrawals, systematic withdrawals, redemptions made to pay for various administrative fees and, at the sole discretion of the Fund’s advisor, due to changes in an investor’s circumstances, such as death. No exceptions will be granted to persons believed to be “market-timers.”
58
While the Fund attempts to deter market timing, there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to identify and eliminate all market timers. For example, certain accounts called “omnibus accounts” include multiple shareholders. Despite the Fund’s efforts to detect and prevent abusive trading activities, it may be difficult to identify such activity in certain omnibus accounts traded through a financial intermediary. Omnibus accounts typically provide the Fund with a net purchase or redemption request on any given day where purchasers of Fund shares and redeemers of Fund shares are netted against one another and the identity of individual purchasers and redeemers whose orders are aggregated is not known by the Fund. Consequently, the Fund may not have knowledge of the identity of investors and their transactions. The netting effect often makes it more difficult to apply redemption fees, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to apply the fee to such accounts in an effective manner. Under a federal rule, the Fund is required to have an agreement with many of its intermediaries obligating the intermediaries to provide, upon the Fund’s request, information regarding the intermediary’s customers and their transactions. However, there can be no guarantee that all excessive, short-term or other abusive trading activities will be detected, even with such an agreement in place. Certain intermediaries, in particular retirement plan sponsors and administrators, may have less restrictive policies regarding short-term trading. In addition to the redemption fee, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order for any reason, including purchase orders that it does not think are in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders, or if the Fund thinks that trading is abusive. The Fund has not entered into any arrangements with any person to permit frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares.
The Distributor
Arbor Court Capital, LLC (the “Distributor”), located at 2000 Auburn Drive, Suite 120, Beachwood, Ohio 44122 serves as the principal underwriter of the Funds’ shares. The Distributor is a broker-dealer and acts as the Funds’ principal underwriter in a continuous public offering of the Funds’ shares.
Distribution (12b-1) Plan
The Fund does not have a distribution plan for its shares in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 at this time.
The Advisor, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or non-cash compensation to intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. Such payments and compensation are in addition to service fees paid by the Fund, if any. These additional cash payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. Cash compensation may also be paid to intermediaries for inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, in other sales programs or as an expense reimbursement in cases where the intermediary provides shareholder services to the Fund’s shareholders. The Advisor may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder’s fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold.
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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Dividends and Distributions. The Fund typically distributes to its shareholders as dividends substantially all of its net investment income and any realized net capital gains. These distributions are automatically reinvested in the Fund unless you request cash distributions on your application or through a written request. The Fund expects that its distributions will consist primarily of net realized capital gains. The Fund declares and pays dividends at least annually.
Taxes. Net investment income distributed by the Fund generally will consist of interest income, if any, and dividends received on investments, less expenses. The dividends you receive, whether or not reinvested, will be taxed as ordinary income.
The Fund will typically distribute net realized capital gains to its shareholders once a year. Capital gains are generated when the Fund sells its capital assets for a profit. Capital gains are taxed differently depending on how long the Fund has held the capital asset sold. Distributions of gains recognized on the sale of capital assets held for one year or less are taxed at ordinary income rates; distributions of gains recognized on the sale of capital assets held longer than one year are taxed at long-term capital gains rates regardless of how long you have held your shares. If the Fund distributes an amount exceeding its income and gains, this excess will generally be treated as a non-taxable return of capital.
Unless you indicate another option on your account application, any dividends and capital gain distributions paid to you by the Fund automatically will be invested in additional shares of the Fund. Alternatively, you may elect to have: (1) dividends paid to you in cash and the amount of any capital gain distributions reinvested; or (2) the full amount of any dividends and capital gain distributions paid to you in cash. The Fund will send dividends and capital gain distributions elected to be received as cash to the address of record or bank of record on the applicable account. Your distribution option will automatically be converted to reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions in additional Fund shares if any of the following occur:
·
Postal or other delivery service is unable to deliver checks to the address of record;
·
Dividends and capital gain distributions checks are not cashed within 180 days; or
·
Bank account of record is no longer valid.
Dividends and capital gain distribution checks issued by the Fund which are not cashed within 180 days will be reinvested in the Fund at the current day’s NAV. When reinvested, those amounts are subject to market risk like any other investment in the Fund.
You may want to avoid making a substantial investment when the Fund is about to make a taxable distribution because you would be responsible for any taxes on the distribution regardless of how long you have owned your shares.
Selling shares (including redemptions) and receiving distributions (whether reinvested or taken in cash) usually are taxable events to the Fund’s shareholders. These transactions typically create the following tax liabilities for taxable accounts:
60
Summary of Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences for Taxable Accounts
The following discussion reflects current law:
Types of Transaction |
Tax Status |
Qualified dividend income |
Generally maximum 20% on non-corporate taxpayers |
Net short-term capital gain distributions |
Ordinarily income rate |
Net long-term capital gain distributions |
Generally maximum 20% on non-corporate taxpayers |
Sale of shares (including redemptions) owned more than one year |
Gains taxed at generally maximum 20% on non-corporate taxpayers |
Sale of shares (including redemptions) owned for less than one year |
Gains are generally taxed at the same rate as ordinary income; losses are subject to special rules |
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax generally will be imposed on certain net investment income of non-corporate taxpayers, including dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and gains from the sale of shares, including redemptions.
As described generally above, designated dividends paid by the Fund to non-corporate shareholders generally will qualify for a maximum federal income tax rate of 20% to the extent such dividends are attributable to qualified dividend income from the Fund’s investment in common and preferred stock of U.S. and foreign corporations, provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met. However, to the extent that the Fund has ordinary income from investments in debt securities, for example, such as interest income, dividends paid by the Fund and attributable to that income will not qualify for the reduced tax rate.
If shares of the Fund are purchased within 30 days before or after redeeming other shares of the Fund at a loss, all or a portion of that loss will not be deductible and will increase the basis of the newly purchased shares. If shares of the Fund are sold at a loss after being held by a shareholder for six months or less, the loss will be long-term, instead of short-term, capital loss to the extent of any capital gain distributions received on the shares.
If you are a non-corporate shareholder and if the Fund does not have your correct social security or other taxpayer identification number, federal law requires us to withhold and pay to the Internal Revenue Service 28% of your distributions and sales proceeds. If you are subject to back up withholding, we also will withhold and pay to the IRS 28% of your distributions (under current law). Any tax withheld may be applied against the tax liability on your federal income tax return.
Because your tax situation is unique, you should consult your tax professional about federal, state and local tax consequences.
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PURCHASE AND SALES OF FUND SHARES, TAXES AND FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
Purchase and Sale of Funds Shares
You may purchase or sell shares of the Funds on any day the Funds are open for business by contacting your financial intermediary or other financial institution, or by contacting the Funds by telephone or by mail as set forth in the table below or by wire transfer. The minimum initial investment in a Fund is $2,500 ($250 for systematic investment plan participants) and minimum subsequent investments are $100.
By Mail (or Overnight): |
By Wire: 1-800-494-2755 |
Archer Balanced Fund, Archer Income Fund, Archer Stock Fund or Archer Dividend Growth Fund c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC 8000 Town Center Drive, Suite 400 Broadview Heights, OH 44148 |
|
Tax Information
The Funds’ distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or a combination of the two, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.ayments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Funds through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Funds and their related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of one of the Funds’ 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 one of the Funds over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
ARCHER BALANCED FUND
The financial highlights 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 Predecessor Fund and the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Sanville & Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s annual report, which is also available upon request.
|
|
Years Ended |
|||||
|
|
8/31/2019 |
8/31/2018 |
8/31/2017 |
8/31/2016 |
8/31/2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value, at Beginning of Year |
$ 13.17 |
$ 12.71 |
$ 11.85 |
$ 11.34 |
$ 11.23 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income From Investment Operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net Investment Income * |
0.22 |
0.17 |
0.19 |
0.17 |
0.18 |
||
Net Gain on Securities (Realized and Unrealized) |
0.34 |
0.68 |
0.94 |
0.50 |
0.10 |
||
Total from Investment Operations |
0.56 |
0.85 |
1.13 |
0.67 |
0.28 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Investment Income |
(0.21) |
(0.17) |
(0.19) |
(0.16) |
(0.17) |
||
Realized Gains |
(0.07) |
(0.22) |
(0.08) |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
Total from Distributions |
(0.28) |
(0.39) |
(0.27) |
(0.16) |
(0.17) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from Redemption Fees ** |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value, at End of Year |
$ 13.45 |
$ 13.17 |
$ 12.71 |
$ 11.85 |
$ 11.34 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Return *** |
4.42% |
6.75% |
9.69% |
6.02% |
2.50% |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net Assets at End of Year (Thousands) |
$ 37,699 |
$ 35,042 |
$ 33,681 |
$ 29,526 |
$ 27,476 |
||
Before Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
1.61% |
1.62% |
1.67% |
1.73% |
1.75% |
||
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets |
1.28% |
0.91% |
1.12% |
0.99% |
1.01% |
||
After Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
1.20% |
1.20% |
1.20% |
1.20% |
1.20% |
||
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets |
1.69% |
1.33% |
1.59% |
1.52% |
1.56% |
||
Portfolio Turnover |
13.91% |
24.95% |
17.91% |
26.32% |
31.82% |
* Per share net investment income (loss) has been determined on the basis of average shares outstanding during the period.
** Amount less than $0.005 per share.
*** Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends.
63
ARCHER INCOME FUND
The financial highlights 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 Predecessor Fund and the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Sanville & Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s annual report, which is also available upon request.
|
|
Years Ended |
|||||
|
|
8/31/2019 |
8/31/2018 |
8/31/2017 |
8/31/2016 |
8/31/2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value, at Beginning of Year |
$ 18.89 |
$ 19.44 |
$ 19.71 |
$ 19.26 |
$ 20.07 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net Investment Income * |
0.53 |
0.53 |
0.56 |
0.54 |
0.57 |
||
Net Gain (Loss) on Securities (Realized and Unrealized) |
0.58 |
(0.54) |
(0.26) |
0.43 |
(0.80) |
||
Total from Investment Operations |
1.11 |
(0.01) |
0.30 |
0.97 |
(0.23) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Investment Income |
(0.53) |
(0.54) |
(0.57) |
(0.52) |
(0.58) |
||
Total from Distributions |
(0.53) |
(0.54) |
(0.57) |
(0.52) |
(0.58) |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from Redemption Fees ** |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value, at End of Year |
$ 19.47 |
$ 18.89 |
$ 19.44 |
$ 19.71 |
$ 19.26 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Return *** |
6.00% |
(0.05)% |
1.54% |
5.14% |
(1.17)% |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net Assets at End of Year (Thousands) |
$ 11,933 |
$ 11,489 |
$ 12,343 |
$ 11,973 |
$ 9,874 |
||
Before Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
1.68% |
1.68% |
1.65% |
1.66% |
1.72% |
||
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets |
2.06% |
2.06% |
2.35% |
2.32% |
2.35% |
||
After Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
0.96% |
0.96% |
1.11% |
1.18% |
1.20% |
||
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets |
2.79% |
2.78% |
2.89% |
2.79% |
2.87% |
||
Portfolio Turnover |
11.64% |
17.70% |
21.32% |
13.70% |
17.33% |
* Per share net investment income (loss) has been determined on the basis of average shares outstanding during the period.
** Amount less than $0.005 per share.
*** Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends.
64
ARCHER STOCK FUND
The financial highlights 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 Predecessor Fund and the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Sanville & Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s annual report, which is also available upon request.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
Years Ended |
|||||||||
|
|
8/31/2019 |
8/31/2018 |
8/31/2017 |
8/31/2016 |
8/31/2015 |
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net Asset Value, at Beginning of Year |
$ 51.04 |
$ 42.87 |
$ 38.47 |
$ 39.86 |
$ 42.77 |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net Investment Income (Loss) * |
0.17 |
(0.10) |
(0.19) |
(0.15) |
(0.24) |
||||||
Net Gain (Loss) on Securities (Realized and Unrealized) |
(3.99) |
8.27 |
4.59 |
0,74 |
(0.54) |
||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
(3.82) |
8.17 |
4.40 |
0.59 |
(0.78) |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Distributions: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net Investment Income |
(0.13) |
– |
– |
– |
– |
||||||
Realized Gains |
(1.19) |
– |
– |
(1.98) |
(2.13) |
||||||
Total from Distributions |
(1.32) |
– |
– |
(1.98) |
(2.13) |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Proceeds from Redemption Fees ** |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net Asset Value, at End of Year |
$ 45.90 |
$ 51.04 |
$ 42.87 |
$ 38.47 |
$ 39.86 |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total Return *** |
(7.14)% |
19.06% |
11.44% |
1.31% |
(1.98)% |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net Assets at End of Year (Thousands) |
$ 17,650 |
$ 17,742 |
$ 14,342 |
$ 13,437 |
$ 13,238 |
||||||
Before Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
1.74% |
1.76% |
1.85% |
1.86% |
1.90% |
||||||
Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets |
(0.13)% |
(0.70)% |
(0.92)% |
(0.80)% |
(1.00)% |
||||||
After Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
1.23% |
1.28% |
1.40% |
1.45% |
1.45% |
||||||
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets |
0.38% |
(0.22)% |
(0.48)% |
(0.39)% |
(0.55)% |
||||||
Portfolio Turnover |
95.51% |
31.43% |
74.01% |
87.75% |
88.25% |
* Per share net investment income (loss) has been determined on the basis of average shares outstanding during the period.
** Amount less than $0.005 per share.
*** Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends.
65
ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND
The financial highlights 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 Predecessor Fund and the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Sanville & Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, are included in the Fund’s annual report, which is also available upon request.
|
|
Years Ended |
||
|
|
8/31/2019 |
8/31/2018 |
8/31/2017+ |
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value, at Beginning of Year |
$ 22.52 |
$ 20.21 |
$ 20.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (Loss) From Investment Operations: |
|
|
|
|
Net Investment Income * |
0.63 |
0.60 |
0.63 |
|
Net Gain (Loss) on Securities (Realized and Unrealized) |
(1.16) |
2.26 |
0.18 |
|
Total from Investment Operations |
(0.53) |
2.86 |
0.81 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions: |
|
|
|
|
Net Investment Income |
(0.63) |
(0.55) |
(0.60) |
|
Total from Distributions |
(0.63) |
(0.55) |
(0.60) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from Redemption Fees ** |
– |
– |
– |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value, at End of Year |
$ 21.36 |
$ 22.52 |
$ 20.21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Return *** |
(2.30)% |
14.29% |
4.04% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
Net Assets at End of Year (Thousands) |
$ 17,809 |
$ 16,618 |
$ 12,842 |
|
Before Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
1.72% |
1.84% |
1.98% |
|
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets |
2.23% |
1.94% |
2.10% |
|
After Waivers and Reimbursements |
|
|
|
|
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets |
0.98% |
0.98% |
0.98% |
|
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets |
2.96% |
2.78% |
3.09% |
|
Portfolio Turnover |
19.29% |
33.03% |
31.15% |
* Per share net investment income has been determined on the basis of average shares outstanding during the period.
** Amount less than $0.005 per share.
*** Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends.
+ For the year September 1, 2016 (commencement of investment operations) through August 31, 2017.
66
PRIVACY POLICY
The following is a description of the Fund’s policies regarding disclosure of nonpublic personal information that you provide to the Fund or that the Fund collects from other sources. In the event that you hold shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the privacy policy of your financial intermediary would govern how your nonpublic personal information would be shared with nonaffiliated third parties.
Categories of Information the Fund Collects. The Fund collects the following nonpublic personal information about you:
·
Information the Fund receives from you on applications or other forms, correspondence, or conversations (such as your name, address, phone number, social security number, and date of birth); y
·
Information about your transactions with the Fund, its affiliates, or others (such as your account number and balance, payment history, cost basis information, and other financial information).
Categories of Information the Fund Discloses. The Fund does not disclose any nonpublic personal information about its current or former shareholders to unaffiliated third parties, except as required or permitted by law. The Fund is permitted by law to disclose all of the information it collects, as described above, to service providers (such as the Fund’s custodian, administrator, transfer agent, accountant and legal counsel) to process your transactions and otherwise provide services to you.
Confidentiality and Security. The Fund restricts access to your nonpublic personal information to those persons who require such information to provide products or services to you. The Fund maintains physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to guard your nonpublic personal information.
Disposal of Information. The Fund, through its transfer agent, has taken steps to reasonably ensure that the privacy of your nonpublic personal information is maintained at all times, including in connection with the disposal of information that is no longer required to be maintained by the Fund. Such steps shall include, whenever possible, shredding paper documents and records prior to disposal, requiring off-site storage vendors to shred documents maintained in such locations prior to disposal, and erasing and/or obliterating any data contained on electronic media in such a manner that the information can no longer be read or reconstructed.
67
HOW TO GET MORE INFORMATION
Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the:
·
Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") which contains more detail about some of the matters discussed in the prospectus. The SAI is incorporated by reference (and therefore legally a part of this prospectus) into the prospectus.
·
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders which describe the Fund’s performance and list its portfolio securities. They also include a letter from Fund management describing the Fund’s investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year as well as a discussion of the market conditions and trends and their implications on the Fund.
You may obtain free copies of the Fund’s SAI or Fund’s Annual and/or Semi-Annual reports, or other information about the Fund or your account or other shareholder inquiries, by calling 1-800-238-7701. Also, copies of the foregoing may be obtained at the Fund’s Internet website found at www.thearcherfunds.com. When a Fund (or a financial intermediary through which shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold) receives a request for its SAI, its Annual Report, or its Semi-Annual report, the Fund (or financial intermediary) must send the requested document within three (3) business days of receipt of the request, by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.
You may also view and obtain copies of the SAI, and/or other Fund reports and other information directly from the SEC by:
·
visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. (Call 1-202-551-8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.)
·
sending a written request, plus a duplicating fee, to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520, or by E-mail request to: publicinfo@sec.gov
·
visiting the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet website – http://www.sec.gov
The Fund’s 1940 Act File Number with the SEC is: 811-22356.
68
ARCHER INVESTMENT SERIES TRUST
ARCHER BALANCED FUND – Ticker Symbol – ARCHX
ARCHER INCOME FUND – Ticker Symbol – ARINX
ARCHER STOCK FUND – Ticker Symbol – ARSKX
ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND – Ticker Symbol – ARDGX
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dated: December 27, 2019
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Archer Balanced Fund, the Archer Income Fund, the Archer Stock Fund and the Archer Dividend Growth Fund dated December 27, 2019 . A free copy of the Prospectus or Annual/Semi-Annual Report, when available, can be obtained by writing the transfer agent at Mutual Shareholder Services LLC, 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44148, or by calling Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC at 1-800-494-2755.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND FUNDS
1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FUNDS INVESTMENT PRACTICES
2
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
17
INVESTMENT ADVISOR
19
ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO MANAGER
21
MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT APPROVAL
24
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
27
BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE
27
TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS
31
TRUSTEE OWNERSHIP OF FUND SHARES
31
BOARD COMMITTEES
31
COMPENSATION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
33
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
34
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
35
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
36
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
36
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
37
CODE OF ETHICS
38
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
38
PROXY VOTING POLICY
40
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
40
REDEMPTION IN-KIND
41
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX MATTERS
42
CUSTODIAN
59
FUND SERVICES
60
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
61
COMPLIANCE SERVICES
61
LEGAL COUNSEL
61
DISTRIBUTOR
62
DISTRIBUTION (12B-1) PLAN
62
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
64
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND FUNDS
The Archer Investment Series Trust, an Ohio business trust (the "Trust"), is an open-end investment management company established under the laws of Ohio by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 7, 2009 (the "Trust Agreement"). The Trust Agreement permits the Board of Trustees (the "Board") to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest of separate series. The Trust currently consists of four (4) funds: The Archer Balanced Fund (the "Balanced Fund"), The Archer Income Fund (the "Income Fund"), The Archer Stock Fund (the "Stock Fund"), and The Archer Dividend Growth Fund (the “Dividend Growth Fund”). The investment objective of the Balanced Fund is total return. Total return is comprised of both income and capital appreciation. The Balanced Fund commenced operations on June 11, 2010. Prior to June 11, 2010, the Balanced Fund operated as a series of the Unified Series Trust, an open-end investment company established under the laws of Ohio by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 17, 2002. The Balanced Fund originally commenced investment operations on September 27, 2005.
The Archer Income Fund and the Archer Stock Fund each commenced investment operations on March 11, 2011. The investment objective of the Income Fund is primarily income generation while secondarily striving for capital appreciation. The investment objective of the Stock Fund is capital appreciation.
The Archer Dividend Growth Fund is a diversified open-end, management investment which commenced operations on September 1, 2016. The investment objective of the Dividend Growth Fund is to provide income and, as a secondary focus, long-term capital appreciation.
The investment advisor to the Funds is Archer Investment Corporation, Inc. (the "Advisor").
The share of each Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in the assets and liabilities belonging to that Fund and is entitled to such dividends and distributions out of income belonging to the Fund as are declared by the Trustees. The share has the same voting and other rights and preferences as any other share of any series of the Trust for matters that affect the Trust as a whole. The Fund may offer additional classes of shares in the future.
The Funds do not issue share certificates. All shares are held in non-certificate form registered on the books of the Fund and the Funds’ transfer agent for the account of the shareholder. The shares do not have cumulative voting rights or any preemptive or conversion rights, and the Trustees have the authority from time to time to divide or combine the shares of any series into a greater or lesser number of shares of that series so long as the proportionate beneficial interest in the assets belonging to that series and the rights of shares of any other series are in no way affected. In case of any liquidation of a series, the holders of shares of the series being liquidated will be entitled to receive as a class a distribution out of the assets, net of the liabilities, belonging to that series. Expenses attributable to any series are borne by that series. Any general expenses of the Trust not readily identifiable as belonging to a particular series are allocated by or under the direction of the Trustees in such manner as the Trustees determine to be fair and equitable. No shareholder is liable to further calls or to assessment by the Trust without his or her express consent.
Any Trustee of the Trust may be removed by vote of the shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust. The Trust does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. When matters are submitted to shareholders for a vote, the shareholder is entitled to one vote for the whole share he owns and
1
fractional votes for fractional shares he owns. All shares of the Fund have equal voting rights and liquidation rights. The Trust Agreement can be amended by the Trustees, except that certain amendments that could adversely affect the rights of shareholders must be approved by the shareholders affected. All shares of the Fund are subject to involuntary redemption if the Trustees determine to liquidate the Fund. The Fund will provide notice to the shareholders if the Board determines, in its sole judgment, to liquidate the Fund, but the Fund will not be required to obtain shareholder approval prior to such liquidation. An involuntary redemption will create a capital gain or a capital loss, which may have tax consequences about which you should consult your tax advisor.
For information concerning the purchase and redemption of shares of the Fund, see “How to Buy Shares” and “How to Redeem Shares” in the Fund’s Prospectus. For a description of the methods used to determine the share price and value of the Fund’s assets, see “Determination of Net Asset Value” in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI.
The Fund may authorize one or more brokers or other intermediaries (an “Intermediary”) to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such Intermediaries would be authorized to designate others to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized Intermediary or, if applicable, its authorized designee, receives the order.
Customer orders will be priced at the Fund’s net asset value next computed after they are received by an authorized Intermediary and accepted by the Fund. The performance of the Fund may be compared in publications to the performance of various indexes and investments for which reliable performance data is available. The performance of the Fund may be compared in publications to averages, performance rankings, or other information prepared by recognized mutual fund statistical services. The Fund’s Annual Report contains additional performance information and will be made available to investors upon request and without charge.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FUNDS INVESTMENT PRACTICES
The Trust’s prospectus describes the investment objective and policies of the Funds. The following information is provided for those investors wishing to have more comprehensive information than that contained in the prospectus.
A. Equity Securities. Equity securities include common stock and common stock equivalents (such as rights and warrants, and convertible securities). Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specified price valid for a specific time period. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short duration and are distributed by the issuer to its shareholders.
B. Common Stock. A common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company and its value is based on the success of the company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of its assets, and general market conditions. In addition to the general risks set forth above, investments in common stocks are subject to the risk that in the event a company in which a Fund invests is liquidated, the holders of preferred stock and creditors of that company will be paid in full before any payments are made to the Fund as a holder of common stock. It is possible that all assets of that company will be exhausted before any payments are made to the Fund.
2
C. Preferred Stock. Preferred stock has a preference in liquidation (and, generally dividends) over common stock but is subordinated in liquidation to debt. As a general rule the market value of preferred stocks with fixed dividend rates and no conversion rights varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, with the price determined by the dividend rate. Some preferred stocks are convertible into other securities, (for example, common stock) at a fixed price and ratio or upon the occurrence of certain events. The market price of convertible preferred stocks generally reflects an element of conversion value. Because many preferred stocks lack a fixed maturity date, these securities generally fluctuate substantially in value when interest rates change; such fluctuations often exceed those of long-term bonds of the same issuer. Some preferred stocks pay an adjustable dividend that may be based on an index, formula, auction procedure or other dividend rate reset mechanism. In the absence of credit deterioration, adjustable rate preferred stocks tend to have more stable market values than fixed rate preferred stocks. All preferred stocks are also subject to the same types of credit risks of the issuer as corporate bonds. In addition, because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of an issuer, deterioration in the credit rating of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar yield characteristics. Preferred stocks may be rated by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”) although there is no minimum rating which a preferred stock must have (and a preferred stock may not be rated) to be an eligible investment for the Fund. The Advisor expects, however, that generally the preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be rated at least Baa by Moody’s or, if unrated, of comparable quality in the opinion of the Advisor. Moody’s rating with respect to preferred stocks does not purport to indicate the future status of payments of dividends.
RE. Depositary Receipts. The Fund may invest in American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). ADRs are receipts, issued by domestic banks, for shares of a foreign-based company that entitle the holder to dividends and capital gains on the underlying security. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market and ADRs in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the U.S.
Investing abroad also involves different political and economic risks. Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S. investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or convert currency into U.S. dollars, or other government intervention. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign government-sponsored enterprises. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments. There is no assurance that the Advisor will be able to anticipate or counter these potential events and their impacts on the Fund’s share price.
Prices of ADRs are quoted in U.S. dollars, and ADRs are traded in the U.S. on exchanges or over-the-counter. While ADRs do not eliminate all the risk associated with foreign investments, by investing in ADRs rather than directly in the stock of foreign issuers, the Fund will avoid currency risks during the settlement period for either purchases or sales. In general, there is a large, liquid market in the U.S. for ADRs quoted on a national securities exchange or on NASDAQ. The information available for ADRs is subject to the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards of the U.S. market or exchange on which they are traded, which standards are more uniform and more exacting than those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.
3
To the extent that the Fund acquires ADRs through banks that do not have a contractual relationship with the foreign issuer of the security underlying the ADR to issue and service such ADR, there may be an increased possibility that the Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to corporate actions such as stock splits or rights offerings involving the foreign issuer in a timely manner.
E. Investment Company Securities. Each Fund may invest in shares of other registered investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), money market mutual funds and other mutual funds in pursuit of its investment objective, in accordance with the limitations established under the 1940 Act. This may also include investments in money market mutual funds in connection with a Fund’s management of daily cash positions. Investments in the securities of other investment companies may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. By investing in another investment company, a Fund becomes a shareholder of that investment company. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly will bear a Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the other investment company, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act generally prohibits a fund from purchasing (1) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of another fund; (2) securities of another fund having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the acquiring fund; and (3) securities of the other fund and all other funds having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the acquiring fund. There are some exceptions, however, to these limitations pursuant to various rules promulgated by the SEC.
Exchange-Traded Funds. ETFs are open-end investment companies whose shares are listed on a national securities exchange. An ETF is similar to a traditional mutual fund, but trades at different prices during the day on a security exchange like a stock. Similar to investments in other investment companies discussed above, a Fund’s investments in ETFs will involve duplication of advisory fees and other expenses since the Fund will be investing in another investment company. In addition, a Fund’s investment in ETFs is also subject to its limitations on investments in investment companies discussed above. To the extent a Fund invests in ETFs which focus on a particular market segment or industry, the Fund will also be subject to the risks associated with investing in those sectors or industries. The shares of the ETFs in which a Fund will invest will be listed on a national securities exchange and the Fund will purchase or sell these shares on the secondary market at its current market price, which may be more or less than its net asset value (“NAV”) per share.
As a purchaser of ETF shares on the secondary market, a Fund will be subject to the market risk associated with owning any security whose value is based on market price. ETF shares historically have tended to trade at or near their NAV, but there is no guarantee that they will continue to do so. Unlike traditional mutual funds, shares of an ETF may be purchased and redeemed directly from the ETFs only in large blocks (typically 50,000 shares or more) and only through participating organizations that have entered into contractual agreements with the ETF. The Funds do not expect to enter into such agreements and therefore will not be able to purchase and redeem its ETF shares directly from the ETF.
F. Real Estate Investment Trusts and Foreign Real Estate Companies. Each Fund may invest in equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) pursuit of its investment objective, in accordance with the limitations established under the 1940 Act. Equity REITs pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in commercial real estate properties. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Equity REITs generally derive their income from rents on the underlying properties and their value is impacted by
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changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts. REITs are more susceptible to risks associated with the ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, may not be diversified (which may increase the volatility of the REIT’s value) and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code and to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. In addition, the Funds indirectly will bear their proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs in which they invest.
Each Fund may invest in foreign real estate companies pursuit of its investment objective, in accordance with the limitations established under the 1940 Act. Investing in foreign real estate companies makes the Funds susceptible to the risks associated with the ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general, as well as risks that relate specifically to the way foreign real estate companies are organized and operated. Foreign real estate companies may be subject to laws, rules and regulations governing those entities and their failure to comply with those laws, rules and regulations could negatively impact the performance of those entities. In addition, foreign real estate companies, like U.S. REITs and mutual funds, have expenses, including management and administration fees, which are paid by their shareholders. As a result, shareholders will absorb their proportional share of duplicate levels of fees when the Funds invest in foreign real estate companies.
G. Fixed Income Securities. The Fund may invest in investment grade fixed income securities. Fixed income securities include corporate debt securities, high yield debt securities, convertible debt securities, municipal securities, U.S. Government securities, mortgage-backed securities, zero coupon bonds, financial industry obligations, repurchase agreements, and participation interests in such securities. Preferred stock and certain common stock equivalents may also be considered to be fixed income securities. Fixed income securities are generally considered to be interest rate sensitive, which means that their value will generally decrease when interest rates rise and increase when interest rates fall. Securities with shorter maturities, while offering lower yields, generally provide greater price stability than longer term securities and are less affected by changes in interest rates. The Advisor considers fixed income securities investment grade quality if they are rated at the time of purchase Baa or higher by Moody’s, or if unrated, determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality. Investment grade municipal securities generally have adequate to strong protection of principal and interest payments. In the lower end of this category, credit quality may be more susceptible to potential future changes in circumstances and the securities have speculative elements.
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Corporate Debt Securities. The Fund may invest in corporate debt securities. These are bonds or notes issued by corporations and other business organizations, including business trusts, in order to finance their credit needs. Corporate debt securities include commercial paper which consists of short term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. Investment grade debt securities generally have adequate to strong protection of principal and interest payments. In the lower end of this category, credit quality may be more susceptible to potential future changes in circumstances and the securities have speculative elements. If the rating of a security drops below investment grade, the Advisor will dispose of the security as soon as practicable (depending on market conditions) unless the Advisor determines based on its own credit analysis that the security provides the opportunity of meeting the Fund’s objective without presenting excessive risk.
2.
High Yield Debt Securities (“Junk Bonds”). The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets (at the time of purchase) in securities that are rated below investment grade. The widespread expansion of government, consumer and corporate debt within the U.S. economy has made the corporate sector, especially
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cyclically sensitive industries, more vulnerable to economic downturns. An economic downturn could severely disrupt the market for high yield securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest.
The prices of high yield securities have been found to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments. Also, during an economic downturn, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress which would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing. If the issuer of a security owned by the Fund defaulted, the Fund could incur additional expenses to seek recovery. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and changes can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and the Fund’s net asset value. Furthermore, in the case of high yield securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities, their market prices are affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes and thereby tend to be more volatile than securities which pay interest periodically and in cash. High yield securities also present risks based on payment expectations. For example, high yield securities may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercises these provisions in a declining interest rate market, the Fund would have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors. Conversely, a high yield security’s value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of the Fund’s assets. If the Fund experiences unexpected net redemptions, this may force it to sell its high yield securities without regard to their investment merits, thereby decreasing the asset base upon which the Fund’s expenses can be spread and possibly reducing the Fund’s rate of return.
In addition, to the extent that there is no established retail secondary market, there may be thin trading of high yield securities, and this may have an impact on the Fund’s ability to accurately value high yield securities and the Fund’s assets and on the Fund’s ability to dispose of the securities. Adverse publicity and investor perception, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market.
There are also special tax considerations associated with investing in high yield securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities. For example, the Fund reports the interest on these securities as income even though it receives no cash interest until the security’s maturity or payment date. Also, the shareholders are taxed on this interest even if the Fund does not distribute cash to them. Therefore, in order to pay taxes on this interest, shareholders may have to redeem some of their shares to pay the tax or the Fund may sell some of its assets to distribute cash to shareholders. These actions are likely to reduce the Fund’s assets and may thereby increase its expense ratio and decrease its rate of return.
Finally, there are risks involved in applying credit ratings as a method for evaluating high yield securities. For example, credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value risk of high yield securities. Also, since credit rating agencies may fail to timely change the credit ratings to reflect subsequent events, the Fund (in conjunction with the Advisor) will continuously monitor the issuers of high yield securities to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to assure the securities’ liquidity so the Fund can meet redemption requests.
3.
Convertible Securities. The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities are securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of the issuer’s
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underlying common shares or the common shares of another company, or that are indexed to an unmanaged market index at the option of the holder during a specified time period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, stock purchase warrants, zero-coupon bonds or liquid-yield option notes, Eurodollar convertible securities, convertible securities of foreign issuers, stock index notes, or a combination of the features of these securities. Prior to conversion, convertible securities have the same general characteristics as non-convertible debt securities and provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of equity securities of the same or similar issuers. When the market price of a common stock underlying a convertible security increases, the price of the convertible security increasingly reflects the value of the underlying common stock and may rise accordingly. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis and thus may not depreciate to the same extent as the underlying common stock. Convertible securities are ranked senior to common stock on an issuer’s capital structure and they are usually of higher quality and normally entail less risk than the issuer’s common stock, although the extent to which risk is reduced depends in large measure on the degree to which convertible securities sell above their value as fixed income securities.
4.
U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government securities may be backed by the credit of the government as a whole or only by the issuing agency. U.S. Treasury bonds, notes, and bills and some agency securities, such as those issued by the Federal Housing Administration and the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA), are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government as to payment of principal and interest and are the highest quality government securities. Other securities issued by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, are supported only by the credit of the agency that issued them, and not by the U.S. Government. Securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit System, the Federal Land Banks, and the Federal Home Loan Banks are supported by the agency’s right to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
5.
Mortgage-Backed Securities and Asset-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property, and include single- and multi-class pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”). Such securities may be issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), commonly known as “Ginnie Mae,” Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), commonly known as “Fannie Mae,” Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), commonly known as “Freddie Mae,” or by private issuers, generally originators and investors in mortgage loans, including savings associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, investment bankers and special purpose entities (collectively, “private lenders”).
Mortgage-backed securities issued by private lenders may be supported by pools of mortgage loans or other mortgage-backed securities that are guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities, or they may be issued without any governmental guarantee of the underlying mortgage assets but with some form of non-governmental credit enhancement. Until recently, FNMA and FHLMC were government-sponsored corporations owned entirely by private stockholders. In September 2008, at the direction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, FNMA and FHLMC were placed into conservatorship under the FHFA. The U.S. Government also took steps to provide additional financial support to FNMA and FHLMC. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Treasury initiatives with respect to FNMA and FHLMC will be successful.
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Asset-backed debt obligations represent direct or indirect participation in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales contracts, other installment loan contracts, home equity loans, leases of various types of property and receivables from credit card or other revolving credit arrangements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk and bankruptcy of the originator or any other affiliated entities and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset-backed debt obligations may be supported by non-governmental credit enhancements including letters of credit, reserve funds, over-collateralization and guarantees by third parties.
The rate of principal payment on mortgage- and asset-backed securities generally depends on the rate of principal payments received on the underlying assets, which in turn may be affected by a variety of economic and other factors. As a result, the yield on any mortgage- or asset-backed security is difficult to predict with precision and actual yield to maturity may be more or less than the anticipated yield to maturity. The yield characteristics of mortgage- and asset-backed debt obligations differ from those of traditional debt obligations. Among the principal differences are that interest and principal payments are made more frequently on mortgage- and asset-backed debt obligations, usually monthly, and that principal may be prepaid at any time because the underlying assets generally may be prepaid at any time. As a result, if these debt obligations or securities are purchased at a premium, a prepayment rate that is faster than expected will reduce yield to maturity, while a prepayment rate that is slower than expected will have the opposite effect of increasing the yield to maturity. Conversely, if these debt obligations or securities are purchased at a discount, a prepayment rate that is faster than expected will increase yield to maturity, while a prepayment rate that is slower than expected will reduce yield to maturity. Mortgage-backed securities available for reinvestment by the Fund are likely to be greater during a period of declining interest rates and, as a result, are likely to be reinvested at lower interest rates than during a period of rising interest rates. Accelerated prepayments on debt obligations or securities purchased at a premium also impose a risk of loss of principal because the premium may not have been fully amortized at the time the principal is prepaid in full. The market for privately issued mortgage-backed securities is smaller and less liquid than the market for government-sponsored mortgage-backed securities.
While asset-backed securities may be issued with only one class of security, many asset-backed securities are issued in more than one class, each with different payment terms. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued with either a single class of security or multiple classes, which are commonly referred to as a CMO. Multiple class mortgage- and asset-backed securities are issued for two main reasons. First, multiple classes may be used as a method of providing selective credit support. This is accomplished typically through creation of one or more classes whose right to payments on the asset-backed security is made subordinate to the right to such payments of the remaining class or classes. Second, multiple classes may permit the issuance of securities with payment terms, interest rates or other characteristics differing both from those of each other and from those of the underlying assets. Examples include separate trading of registered interest and principal of securities (“STRIPS”) (mortgage- and asset-backed securities entitling the holder to disproportionate interests with respect to the allocation of interest and principal of the assets backing the security), and securities with class or classes having characteristics that mimic the characteristics of non-asset-backed securities, such as floating interest rates (i.e., interest rates that adjust as a specified benchmark changes) or scheduled amortization of principal.
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The Fund may invest in stripped mortgage-backed securities, which receive differing proportions of the interest and principal payments from the underlying assets, including interest-only (“IO”) and principal-only (“PO”) securities. IO and PO mortgage-backed securities may be illiquid. The market value of such securities generally is more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates than is the case with traditional mortgage-backed securities, and in some cases such market value may be extremely volatile.
Mortgage- and asset-backed securities, other than as described above, or in which the payment streams on the underlying assets are allocated in a manner different than those described above may be issued in the future. The Fund may invest in such mortgage- and asset-backed securities if such investment is otherwise consistent with its investment objective and policies and with the investment restrictions of the Fund.
If the Fund purchases mortgage- or asset-backed securities that are “subordinated” to other interests in the same mortgage pool, the Fund as a holder of those securities may only receive payments after the pool’s obligations to other investors have been satisfied. An unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may substantially limit the pool’s ability to make payments of principal or interest to the Fund as a holder of such subordinated securities, reducing the values of those securities or in some cases rendering them worthless. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include so called “subprime” mortgages. An unexpectedly high or low rate of prepayments on a pool’s underlying mortgages may have a similar effect on subordinated securities. A mortgage pool may issue securities subject to various levels of subordination, and the risk of non-payment affects securities at each level, although the risk is greater in the case of more highly subordinated securities.
6.
Zero Coupon and Pay-in-Kind Bonds. Corporate debt securities and municipal obligations include so-called “zero coupon” bonds and “pay-in-kind” bonds. Zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments. Instead they are sold at a deep discount from their face value. The Fund will accrue income on such bonds for tax and accounting purposes, in accordance with applicable law. This income will be distributed to shareholders. Because no cash is received at the time such income is accrued, the Fund may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities to satisfy its distribution obligations. Because a zero coupon bond does not pay current income, its price can be very volatile when interest rates change. In calculating its dividend, the Fund takes into account as income a portion of the difference between a zero coupon bond’s purchase price and its face value.
Zero coupon bonds may be issued by municipalities, including states, territories and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities and authorities, as well as other qualifying issuers (including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam). The income from municipal securities typically is exempt from regular federal income tax and alternative minimum tax. Municipal securities are issued to obtain funds to construct, repair or improve various public facilities such as airports, bridges, highways, hospitals, housing, schools, streets and water and sewer works, to pay general operating expenses or to refinance outstanding debts. They also may be issued to finance various private activities, including the lending of funds to public or private institutions for construction of housing, educational or medical facilities or the financing of privately owned or operated facilities. In order to be tax-exempt, municipal securities must meet certain legal requirements. Failure to meet such requirements may cause the interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable. Changes or proposed changes in federal tax laws may also cause the prices of municipal securities to fall.
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The Federal Reserve creates STRIPS (Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities) by separating the coupon payments and the principal payment from an outstanding Treasury security and selling them as individual securities. A broker-dealer creates a derivative zero by depositing a Treasury security with a custodian for safekeeping and then selling the coupon payments and principal payment that will be generated by this security separately. Examples are Certificates of Accrual on Treasury Securities (CATs), Treasury Investment Growth Receipts (TIGRs) and generic Treasury Receipts (TRs). These derivative zero coupon obligations are not considered to be government securities unless they are part of the STRIPS program. Original issue zeros are zero coupon securities issued directly by the U.S. Government, a government agency or by a corporation.
Pay-in-kind bonds allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. The value of zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds is subject to greater fluctuation in response to changes in market interest rates than bonds which make regular payments of interest. Both of these types of bonds allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments. Accordingly, such bonds may involve greater credit risks than bonds which make regular payment of interest. Even though zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds do not pay current interest in cash, the Fund is required to accrue interest income on such investments and to distribute such amounts at least annually to shareholders. Thus, the Fund could be required at times to liquidate other investments in order to satisfy its dividend requirements.
H. Financial Service Industry Obligations. Financial service industry obligations include among others, the following:
1) Certificates of Deposit. Certificates of deposit (CDs) are negotiable certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank or a savings and loan association to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to 1 year) at a stated or variable interest rate. However, the Fund may also invest in CDs that require a third party, such as a dealer or bank, to repurchase the CD for its face value upon demand. The Fund treats such CDs as short-term securities, even though their stated maturity may extend beyond one year.
2. Time Deposits. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in a banking institution or a savings and loan association for a specified period of time at a stated interest rate. Time deposits are considered to be illiquid prior to their maturity.
3. Bankers’ Acceptances. Bankers’ acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft which has been drawn on it by a customer, which instruments reflect the obligation both of the bank and of the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.
I. Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements fully collateralized by obligations issued by the U.S. Government or by agencies of the U.S. Government (“U.S. Government Obligations”). A repurchase agreement is a short-term investment in which the purchaser (i.e., the Fund) acquires ownership of a U.S. Government Obligation (which may be of any maturity) and the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation at a future time at a set price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser’s holding period (usually not more than 7 days from the date of purchase). The repurchase price exceeds the sale
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price, reflecting the Fund’s return on the transaction. This return is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying security. Any repurchase transaction in which the Fund engages will require full collateralization of the seller’s obligation during the entire term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of the seller, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses in value. However, the Fund intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with the Trust’s custodian, other banks with assets of $1 billion or more and registered securities dealers determined by the Advisor to be creditworthy.
The Trust’s custodian will take possession of the Fund’s securities subject to repurchase agreements. The Advisor or custodian will monitor the value of the underlying security the day to ensure that the value of the security always equals or exceeds the repurchase price. Repurchase agreements are also subject to credit risks.
J. Foreign Securities. The Fund may invest in foreign securities directly, or indirectly through depository receipts. Investment in securities of foreign issuers (whether directly or through depository receipts) involves somewhat different investment risks from those affecting securities of domestic issuers. In addition to credit and market risk, investments in foreign securities involve sovereign risk, which includes fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions. In addition, with respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could adversely affect investments in those countries. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements may not be comparable. Securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Transaction costs of investing in foreign securities markets are generally higher than in the U.S. and there is generally less governmental supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers than there is in the U.S. The Fund might have greater difficulty taking appropriate legal action in foreign courts. Dividend and interest income from foreign securities will generally be subject to withholding taxes by the country in which the issuer is located and may not be recoverable by the Fund or the investor. There is no assurance that the Advisor will be able to anticipate or counter these potential events and their impacts on the Fund’s share price. Certain foreign securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars and trade on domestic stock exchanges. Where securities of foreign companies are denominated in foreign currencies, exchange rate fluctuations may reduce or eliminate gains or create losses.
K. Emerging Markets Securities. The Fund, or underlying funds in which it invests, may invest in emerging markets. Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include: smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; possible repatriation of investment income and capital. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by the Fund. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.
Additional risks of emerging markets securities may include: greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability; more substantial governmental involvement in the economy; less governmental
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supervision and regulation; unavailability of currency hedging techniques; companies that are newly organized and small; differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; and less developed legal systems. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. Settlement problems may cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, hold a portion of its assets in cash pending investment, or be delayed in disposing of a portfolio security. Such a delay could result in possible liability to a purchaser of the security.
L. Options, Futures and Other Derivatives Risks. General. The Fund may use certain options (both traded on an exchange and over-the-counter (“OTC”)), futures contracts (sometimes referred to as “futures”) and options on futures contracts (collectively, “Derivative Instruments”) as a substitute for a comparable market position in the underlying security, to attempt to hedge or limit the exposure of the Fund’s position, to create a synthetic money market position, for certain tax-related purposes and to effect closing transactions.
The use of Derivative Instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the SEC, the several exchanges upon which they are traded and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”). In addition, the Fund’s ability to use Derivative Instruments will be limited by tax considerations. Pursuant to a claim for exemption filed with the National Futures Association on behalf of the Fund, the Fund is not deemed to be a commodity pool operator or a commodity pool under the Commodity Exchange Act and is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the Commodity Exchange Act. In addition to the instruments, strategies and risks described below and in the Prospectus, the Fund’s Advisor may discover additional opportunities in connection with Derivative Instruments and other similar or related techniques. These new opportunities may become available as the Advisor develops new techniques, as regulatory authorities broaden the range of permitted transactions and as new Derivative Instruments or other techniques are developed. The Advisor may utilize these opportunities to the extent that they are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and permitted by the Fund’s investment limitations and applicable regulatory authorities. The Prospectus or this SAI will be supplemented to the extent that new products or techniques involve materially different risks than those described below or in the Prospectus.
Special Risks. The use of Derivative Instruments involves special considerations and risks, certain of which are described below. Risks pertaining to particular Derivative Instruments are described in the sections that follow.
(1) Successful use of most Derivative Instruments depends upon the Advisor’s ability to predict movements of the overall securities markets, which requires different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets, due to the differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to distortion. Due to the possibility of distortion, a correct forecast of stock market trends by the Advisor may still not result in a successful transaction. The Advisor may be incorrect in its expectations as to the extent of market movements or the time span within which the movements take place, which, thus, may result in the strategy being unsuccessful.
(2) Options and futures prices can diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments. Options and futures prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term
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interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect or no correlation also may result from differing levels of demand in the options and futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how options and futures and securities are traded, and from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts.
(3) As described below, the Fund might be required to maintain assets as “cover,” maintain segregated accounts or make margin payments when it takes positions in Derivative Instruments involving obligations to third parties (e.g., Financial Instruments other than purchased options). If the Fund were unable to close out its positions in such Financial Instruments, it might be required to continue to maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position expired or matured. These requirements might impair the Fund’s ability to sell a portfolio security or make an investment when it would otherwise be favorable to do so or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time. The Fund’s ability to close out a position in a Derivative Instrument prior to expiration or maturity depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and willingness of the other party to the transaction (the “counter-party”) to enter into a transaction closing out the position. Therefore, there is no assurance that any position can be closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund.
(4) Losses may arise due to unanticipated market price movements, lack of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument at a particular time or due to losses from premiums paid by the Fund on options transactions.
Cover. Transactions using Derivative Instruments, other than purchased options, expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (1) an offsetting (“covered”) position in securities or other options or futures contracts or (2) cash and liquid assets with a value, marked-to-market daily, sufficient to cover its potential obligations to the extent not covered as provided in (1) above. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and will, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid assets in an account with its custodian, Huntington National Bank (the “Custodian”), or another approved custodian, in the prescribed amount as determined daily.
Assets used as cover or held in an account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding Derivative Instrument is open, unless they are replaced with other appropriate assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund’s assets to cover accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Options. The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the current market value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until expiration, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying investment and general market conditions. Options that expire unexercised have no value. Options currently are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange (“CBOE”), the American Stock and Options Exchange (“AMEX”) and other exchanges, as well as the OTC markets.
By buying a call option on a security, the Fund has the right, in return for the premium paid, to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing (selling) a call option and receiving a premium, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to deliver securities underlying the option at the exercise price if the option is exercised. By buying a put option, the Fund has the right, in
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return for the premium, to sell the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing a put option, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to purchase the securities underlying the option at the exercise price.
Because options premiums paid or received by the Fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.
The Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an option by entering into a closing transaction. For example, the Fund may terminate its obligation under a call or put option that it had written by purchasing an identical call or put option. This is known as a closing purchase transaction. Conversely, the Fund may terminate a position in a put or call option it had purchased by writing an identical put or call option. This is known as a closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit the Fund to realize profits or limit losses on an option position prior to its exercise or expiration.
Risks of Options on Securities. Exchange-traded options in the United States are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options are contracts between the Fund and its counter-party (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases an OTC option, it relies on the counter-party from whom it purchased the option to make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon exercise of the option. Failure by the counter-party to do so would result in the loss of any premium paid by the Fund as well as the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.
The Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-traded options depends on the existence of a liquid market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counter-party or by a transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. There can be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at a favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counter-party, the Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration.
If the Fund was unable to affect a closing transaction for an option it had purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit. The inability to enter into a closing purchase transaction for a covered call option written by the Fund could cause material losses because the Fund would be unable to sell the investment used as cover for the written option until the option expires or is exercised.
Options on Indices. An index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the securities included in the index. Options on indices give the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of put) the exercise price of the option. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the NYSE Composite Index or the AMEX Major Market Index or on a narrower index such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Over-the-Counter Index.
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The governing Boards of the exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same index that may be bought or written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others (regardless of whether such options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). Under these limitations, option positions of all investment companies advised by the Advisor are combined for purposes of these limits. Pursuant to these limitations, an exchange may order the liquidation of positions and may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These position limits may restrict the number of listed options that the Fund may buy or sell.
Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When the Fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple (“multiplier”), which determines the total value for the point of such difference. When the Fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights to such call as are indicated above. When the Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the Fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When the Fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and the exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.
Risks of Options on Indices. If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the underlying index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.
OTC Options. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows the Fund great flexibility to tailor the option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. A futures contract obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take delivery of) the specified security on the expiration date of the contract. An index futures contract obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take) an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount times the difference between the value of a specific index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the agreement is made. No physical delivery of the underlying securities in the index is made.
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When the Fund writes an option on a futures contract, it becomes obligated, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. If the Fund writes a call, it assumes a short futures position. If it writes a put, it assumes a long futures position. When the Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, it acquires the right in return for the premium it pays to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put).
Whether the Fund realizes a gain or loss from futures activities depends upon movements in the underlying security or index. The extent of the Fund’s loss from an unhedged short position in futures contracts or from writing unhedged call options on futures contracts is potentially unlimited. The Fund only purchases and sells futures contracts and options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade.
No price is paid upon entering into a futures contract. Instead, at the inception of a futures contract the Fund is required to deposit “initial margin” in an amount generally equal to 10% or less of the contract value. Margin also must be deposited when writing a call or put option on a futures contract, in accordance with applicable exchange rules. Unlike margin in securities transactions, initial margin does not represent a borrowing, but rather is in the nature of a performance bond or good-faith deposit that is returned to the Fund at the termination of the transaction if all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Under certain circumstances, such as periods of high volatility, the Fund may be required by an exchange to increase the level of its initial margin payment, and initial margin requirements might be increased generally in the future by regulatory action.
Subsequent “variation margin” payments are made to and from the futures commission merchant daily as the value of the futures position varies, a process known as “marking-to-market.” Variation margin does not involve borrowing, but rather represents a daily settlement of the Fund’s obligations to or from a futures commission merchant. When the Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, the premium paid plus transaction costs is all that is at risk. In contrast, when the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract or writes a call or put option thereon, it is subject to daily variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event of adverse price movements. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a time when such sales are disadvantageous.
Purchasers and sellers of futures contracts and options on futures can enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to closing transactions in options, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument purchased or sold. Positions in futures and options on futures contracts may be closed only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures contract or options position.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or an option on a futures contract can vary from the previous day’s settlement price. Once that limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of unfavorable positions.
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If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures contract or an option on a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.
Risks of Futures Contracts and Options Thereon. The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets (including the options on futures markets), due to differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to the following factors, which may create distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationships between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions.
Combined Positions. The Fund may purchase and write options in combination with the other. For example, the Fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the same underlying instrument, in order to construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.
M. Rights and Warrants. Each Fund may invest in rights and warrants pursuant to its investment strategies. Warrants are in effect longer-term call options. They give the holder the right to purchase a given number of shares of a particular company at specified prices within certain periods of time. Rights are similar to warrants except that they have a substantially shorter term. The purchaser of a warrant expects that the market price of the security will exceed the purchase price of the warrant plus the exercise price of the warrant, thus giving him a profit. Of course, since the market price may never exceed the exercise price before the expiration date of the warrant, the purchaser of the warrant risks the loss of the entire purchase price of the warrant. Warrants generally trade in the open market and may be sold rather than exercised.
Warrants are sometimes sold in unit form with other securities of an issuer. Units of warrants and common stock may be employed in financing young, unseasoned companies. The purchase price of a warrant varies with the exercise price of the warrant, the current market value of the underlying security, the life of the warrant and various other investment factors. Rights and warrants may be considered more speculative and less liquid than certain other types of investments in that they do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying securities nor do they represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company and may lack a secondary market.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
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A. Fundamental. The investment limitations described below have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Fund and are fundamental (“Fundamental”), i.e., they may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As used in the Prospectus and this SAI, the term “majority of the outstanding shares” of the Fund means the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented at such meeting; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Other investment practices which may be changed by the Board of Trustees without the approval of shareholders to the extent permitted by applicable law, regulation or regulatory policy are considered non-fundamental (“Non-Fundamental”).
1. Borrowing Money. The Fund will not borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund’s total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions.
2. Senior Securities. The Fund will not issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Fund’s engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or its staff.
3. Underwriting. The Fund will not act as underwriter of securities issued by other persons. This limitation is not applicable to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities (including restricted securities), the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under certain federal securities laws.
4. Real Estate. The Fund will not purchase or sell real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities which are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts).
5. Commodities. The Fund will not purchase or sell commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from purchasing or selling options or futures contracts, from investing in securities or other instruments backed by commodities or from investing in companies which are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities.
6. Loans. The Fund will not make loans to other persons, except (a) by loaning portfolio securities, (b) by engaging in repurchase agreements, or (c) by purchasing nonpublicly offered debt securities. For purposes of this limitation, the term “loans” shall not include the purchase of a portion of an issue of publicly distributed bonds, debentures or other securities.
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7. Concentration. The Fund will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in a particular industry or group of industries. This limitation is not applicable to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities or repurchase agreements with respect thereto.
8. Diversification. With respect to 75% of its total assets, the Fund will not purchase securities issued by any one issuer (other than cash, cash items, or securities issued or guaranteed by the government of the United States or its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result at the time of such purchase, more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or if it would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.
With respect to the percentages adopted by the Trust as maximum limitations on its investment policies and limitations, an excess above the fixed percentage will not be a violation of the policy or limitation unless the excess results immediately and directly from the acquisition of any security or the action taken. This paragraph does not apply to the borrowing policy set forth in paragraph #1 above.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing limitations, any investment company, whether organized as a trust, association or corporation, or a personal holding company, may be merged or consolidated with or acquired by the Trust, provided that if such merger, consolidation or acquisition results in an investment in the securities of any issuer prohibited by said paragraphs, the Trust shall, within ninety days after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition, dispose of all of the securities of such issuer so acquired or such portion thereof as shall bring the total investment therein within the limitations imposed by said paragraphs above as of the date of consummation.
B. Non-Fundamental. The following limitations have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Fund and are Non-Fundamental (see “Investment Limitations – Fundamental” above).
1. Pledging. The Fund will not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in Fundamental limitation (1) above. Margin deposits, security interests, liens and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques are not deemed to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation.
2. Margin Purchases. The Fund will not purchase securities or evidences of interest thereon on “margin.” This limitation is not applicable to short-term credit obtained by the Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales or redemption of securities, or to arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques.
3. Illiquid Securities. The Fund will not purchase illiquid securities which cannot be sold in the ordinary course of business or due to contractual or legal restrictions on resale.
4. Loans of Portfolio Securities. The Fund will not make loans of portfolio securities.
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INVESTMENT ADVISOR
The Advisor of each of the Archer Funds is the Archer Investment Corporation. Archer Investment Corporation has also been the investment Advisor of the Archer Balanced Fund and its Predecessor Fund since the inception of that fund on September 27, 2005. The Funds’ primary portfolio manager, Troy Patton, is the principal shareholder of the Advisor who has served as the primary portfolio manager of the Archer Balanced Fund and its Predecessor Fund since its inception in 2005.
Under the terms of the management agreement (the “Agreement”), the Advisor manages the Funds’ investments subject to approval of the Board of Trustees. As compensation for its management services, each Fund is obligated to pay the Advisor a fee computed and accrued daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.75%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 0.75% of the average daily net assets of the Balanced Fund, Income Fund, Stock Fund, and Dividend Growth Fund, respectively. The Advisor contractually has agreed to waive its fee and/or reimburse certain Fund operating expenses, but only to the extent necessary so that the Fund’s total operating expenses, excluding brokerage fees and commissions, any 12b-1 fees, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short), taxes, extraordinary expenses and any indirect expenses (such as Fees and Expenses of Acquired Funds), do not exceed, 1.20% of its average daily net assets as to the Archer Balanced Fund, 0.96% of its average daily net assets as to the Archer Income Fund, 1.23% of its average daily net assets as to the Archer Stock Fund, and 0.98% of its daily net assets as to the Archer Dividend Growth Fund. The contractual agreement is in effect through December 31, 2019. The waiver or reimbursement by the advisor is subject to repayment by the Fund within the three (3) fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the particular waiver or expense was incurred; provided that the current year’s expense ratio is less than the prior year contractual expense cap that was in place when such prior year expenses were waived.
The following table describes the advisory fees paid to the Advisor by the Archer Balanced Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Advisory Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$229,090 |
$142,848 |
$86,242 |
31 agosto 2018 |
$261,359 |
$145,092 |
$116,267 |
31 agosto 2019 |
$263,570 |
$144,915 |
$118,655 |
The following table describes the advisory fees paid to the Advisor by the Archer Income Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Advisory Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$58,794 |
$63,443 |
($4,649) |
31 agosto 2018 |
$59,653 |
$85,337 |
($25,684) |
31 agosto 2019 |
$59,262 |
$85,623 |
($26,361) |
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The following table describes the advisory fees paid to the Advisor by the Archer Stock Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Advisory Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$99,649 |
$59,473 |
$40,176 |
31 agosto 2018 |
$120,075 |
$77,426 |
$42,649 |
31 agosto 2019 |
$126,414 |
$86,777 |
$39,637 |
The following table describes the advisory fees paid to the Advisor by the Archer Dividend Growth Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Advisory Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$80,831 |
$107,662 |
($26,831) |
31 agosto 2018 |
$110,340 |
$126,345 |
($16,005) |
31 agosto 2019 |
$125,687 |
$124,435 |
$1,252 |
The Advisor may make payments to banks or other financial institutions that provide shareholder services and administer shareholder accounts. If a bank or other financial institution were prohibited from continuing to perform all or a part of such services, management of the Fund believes that there would be no material impact on the Fund or its shareholders. Banks and other financial institutions may charge their customers fees for offering these services to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory authorities, and the overall return to those shareholders availing themselves of the bank services may be lower than to those shareholders who do not. The Fund may from time to time purchase securities issued by banks and other financial institutions which provide such services; however, in selecting investments for the Fund, no preference will be shown for such securities.
About the Portfolio Manager
Messrs. Troy C. Patton, Steven Demas and John Rosebrough have day-to-day responsibility for managing the Funds’ portfolio. The investment decisions for the Funds typically are made jointly by Mr. Patton, Mr. Demas and Mr. Rosebrough, although Mr. Patton has ultimate decision-making authority with respect to such decisions
Troy C. Patton, Managing Director of the Advisor, serves as the portfolio manager of the Funds and has primary responsibility for making investment decisions for the Funds (“Portfolio Manager”). As of August 31, 2019, the Portfolio Manager was responsible for the management of the following types of accounts in addition to the Fund:
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Portfolio Manager |
Total Accounts By Type |
Total Assets By Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets By Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Troy C. Patton |
Investment Companies: 0 Pooled Investment Vehicles: 0 Other Accounts: 1600 |
N/A N/A $280,000,000 |
N/A N/A N/A |
N/A N/A N/A |
Mr. Patton is entitled to receive a share of the net profits, if any, of the Advisor’s operations, as determined from time to time by the Advisor. As of August 31, 2019, Mr. Patton beneficially owned shares of the Fund as follows:
Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund (None, $1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000, $50,001-$100,000, $100,001-$500,000, $500,001-$1,000,000, Over $1,000,000) |
Troy C. Patton |
Archer Balanced Fund $100,001-$500,000 Archer Income Fund $100,001-$500,000 Archer Stock Fund $50,001-$100,000 Archer Dividend Growth Fund $100,001-$500,000 Archer Focus Fund None Archer Multi Cap Fund None |
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As of August 31, 2019, Mr. Demas, jointly responsible for the Funds’ portfolio management, was also responsible for the management of the following types of accounts, in addition to the Funds:
Portfolio Manager |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets By Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets By Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Steven Demas |
Investment Companies: 0 Pooled Investment Vehicles: 0 Other Accounts: 156 |
N/A N/A $22,000,000 |
N/A N/A N/A |
N/A N/A N/A |
Mr. Demas is entitled to receive a share of the net profits, if any, of the Advisor’s operations, as determined from time to time by the Advisor. As of August 31, 2019, Mr. Demas beneficially owned shares of the Fund as follows:
Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund (None, $1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000, $50,001-$100,000, $100,001-$500,000, $500,001-$1,000,000, Over $1,000,000) |
Steve Demas |
Archer Balanced Fund $10,001 – $50,000 Archer Dividend Growth Fund $10,001 – $50,000 Archer Stock Fund $10,001 – $50,000 Archer Income Fund None Archer Focus Fund None Archer Multi Cap Fund None |
As of August 31, 2019, Mr. Rosebrough, is jointly responsible for the Funds’ portfolio management, was also responsible for the management of the following types of accounts.
Portfolio Manager |
Number of Accounts by Account Type |
Total Assets By Account Type |
Number of Accounts by Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
Total Assets By Account Type Subject to a Performance Fee |
John Rosebrough |
Investment Companies: 0 Pooled Investment Vehicles: 0 Other Accounts: 14 |
N/A N/A $21,000,000 |
N/A N/A N/A |
N/A N/A N/A |
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Mr. Rosebrough is entitled to receive a share of the net profits, if any, of the Advisor’s operations, as determined from time to time by the Advisor. As of August 31, 2019, Mr. Rosebrough the Portfolio Managers beneficially owned shares of the Fund as follows:
Name of Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund (None, $1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000, $50,001-$100,000, $100,001-$500,000, $500,001-$1,000,000, Over $1,000,000) |
John Rosebrough |
Archer Balanced Fund $10,001- $50,000 Archer Income Fund None Archer Stock Fund None Archer Dividend Growth Fund None Archer Focus Fund None Archer Multi Cap Fund None |
As set forth above, the Portfolio Managers provides investment advisory and other services to clients other than the Fund. In addition, the Portfolio Managers may carry on investment activities for their own account(s) and/or the accounts of immediate family members. The Fund has no interest in these activities. As a result of the foregoing, the Portfolio Managers are engaged in activities other than on behalf of the Fund. Conflicts may arise as a result of the Portfolio Managers’ differing economic interests in respect of such activities, such as with respect to allocating investment opportunities. For example, the Portfolio Managers may manage such other accounts on terms that are more favorable than the terms on which the Advisor manages the Fund, such as in cases where the Advisor receives higher fees from the other accounts than the management fee received from the Fund.
There may be circumstances under which the Portfolio Managers will cause one or more other accounts to commit a larger percentage of their assets to an investment opportunity than the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Portfolio Managers commit to such investment. There also may be circumstances under which the Portfolio Managers purchase or sell an investment for the other accounts and do not purchase or sell the same investment for the Fund, or purchase or sell an investment for the Fund and do not purchase or sell the same investment for the other accounts.
It is generally the Advisor’s policy that investment decisions for all accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers be made based on a consideration of the accounts’ respective investment objectives and policies, and other needs and requirements affecting the accounts; and that investment transactions and opportunities be fairly allocated among the Fund and other accounts. For example, the Advisor has written policies and procedures with respect to allocation of block trades and/or investment opportunities among the Fund and other clients of the Advisor. When feasible, the Portfolio Managers will group or block various orders to more efficiently execute orders and reduce commissions in order to benefit the Fund and other client accounts. In the event that the Advisor wants to purchase or sell the same security for the Fund and multiple client accounts on a given date and limited quantities are available, the purchases and sales will normally be made on a pro rata, average price per share basis. To the extent that the Fund and another of the Advisor’s clients seek to acquire the same security at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a position in such security as it desires or it may have to pay a higher price for the security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as large an execution of an order to sell or as high a price for any particular portfolio security if the other client desires to sell the same portfolio security at the same time. Pursuant to the Code of Ethics adopted by the of the Trust and the Advisor, the Portfolio Managers are prohibited from effecting transactions for their personal accounts which
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are contrary to recommendations being made to the Fund. In addition, the Portfolio Managers are prohibited from competing with the Fund in connection with such transactions.
MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT APPROVAL
Archer Investment Corporation (“AIC” or “Advisor”) is retained to manage the investments comprising the portfolios of the following series (each may be referred to herein as a “Fund” or collectively as the “Funds”) of the Archer Investment Series Trust (the “Trust”): the Archer Balanced Fund (the “Balanced Fund”), the Archer Stock Fund (the “Stock Fund”), the Archer Income Fund (the “Income Fund”),and the Archer Dividend Growth Fund (the “Dividend Growth Fund”), (collectively hereinafter referred to as the “Funds”) pursuant to the Management Service Agreement and Expense Limitation Agreement (the “Agreements”) between the Advisor and the Trust with respect to the Funds. At the in-person regular meeting of the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Trust that was held on August 12, 2019, the Independent Trustees, trustees who are not parties to the Agreements or interested persons of any party to any of the Agreements (the “Independent Trustees”) as such are defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, after a lengthy discussion of the continuation of the Agreements between AIC and the Trust on behalf of its respective Funds, unanimously approved the renewal of the Agreements for another one year term.
With the assistance and advice of legal counsel, the Trustees had requested and received information from the Advisor, in advance the meeting, that they deemed relevant or necessary to consider in the engagement process. In addition, each Trustee received a memorandum from counsel discussing, among other things, their fiduciary duties and responsibilities in reviewing and considering the agreement’s renewal. Each Trustee reviewed and discussed the foregoing information during a private session with their counsel and during the Board Meeting. Legal counsel also reviewed with the Trustees the types of information and factors that they should and should not take into consideration in making their decision regarding the continued engagement. In particular, legal counsel discussed the following material factors which the Trustees should consider in order to make an informed decision regarding the approval of the continuation of the Agreement: (i) the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided by AIC; (ii) the investment performance of each Fund; (iii) the costs of the services to be provided and profits to be realized by AIC from the relationship with each Fund; (iv) the extent to which economies of scale would be realized if the Funds grow and whether the advisory fee levels reflect those economies of scale for the benefit of the Funds’ investors; and (v) AIC’s practices regarding possible conflicts of interest. Throughout the process the Trustees had the opportunity to ask questions, and answers to their questions were considered along with the other materials provided.
In assessing these factors and reaching its decisions, the Independent Trustees took into consideration information furnished for the Board’s review and consideration throughout the year at regular Board meetings, as well as information specifically prepared and/or presented pursuant to their request in connection with the annual renewal process. The Board, requested and was provided information and reports relevant to the annual renewal of the Agreement, including: (i) reports regarding the services and organizational support provided to the Funds and their shareholders by AIC; (ii) quarterly assessments of the investment performance of the Funds by personnel of AIC; (iii) commentary on the reasons for each Fund’s performance; (iv) presentations by the Funds’ portfolio manager addressing AIC’s investment philosophy, investment strategy, and its personnel and operations; (v) the Funds and AIC compliance and audit reports; (vi) disclosure information contained in the registration statement of the Trust and the Form ADV of AIC; and (vii) a memorandum from the Funds’ legal counsel, that summarized the fiduciary duties and responsibilities of the Board in reviewing and approving each
25
Fund’s Agreement, including the material factors set forth above and the types of information included in each factor. The Board also requested and received various informational materials prepared by AIC (“AIC 15(c) Response”), including, without limitation: (i) documents containing information about AIC and its financial condition; (ii) a description of personnel and the services provided to each Fund; (iii) information on investment advice, performance; (iv) summaries of each Fund’s expenses, compliance program, current legal matters, and other general information; (v) comparative expense and performance information with other mutual funds with strategies similar to the Funds; (vi) the effect of each Fund’s size on its performance and expenses; (vii) benefits to be realized by AIC from its relationship with the Funds; (viii) the Advisor’s practices regarding possible conflicts of interest; and (ix) AIC’s efforts to promote and market the Funds. In their deliberations, the Independent Trustee did not identify any single piece of information that was most relevant to its consideration to approve the continuation of each Fund’s Management Services Agreement and each Independent Trustee may have afforded different weight to the various factors that are specifically required to be considered.
Nature, Extent and Quality of the Services Provided by AIC. In considering the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided by AIC, the Trustees reviewed the responsibilities of AIC under each Agreement. The Trustees reviewed the services being provided by AIC to each Archer Fund including, without limitation: the quality of AIC investment advisory services (including research and recommendations with respect to portfolio securities) and assuring compliance with each Fund’s investment objectives and limitations, as well as for ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements; its coordination of services for the Funds among the service providers and the Independent Trustees; and its efforts to promote the Funds and grow each Fund’s assets. The Trustees noted AIC’s continuity of, and commitment to retain and enhance, qualified personnel; and AIC’s continued cooperation with the Independent Trustees, the chief compliance officer and Legal Counsel for the Funds. The Trustees noted that several of the officers of the Trust, including the principal executive officer and president for the Trust were employees of AIC, and they served the Trust without additional compensation. The Trustees noted the continued efforts of AIC in marketing the Funds and their continued desire to expand its reach through advisor representatives and the Archer brand. After reviewing the foregoing information and further information in the materials provided by AIC (including AIC’s Form ADV), the Board concluded that the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided by AIC were of high quality, reasonable and consistent with the Board's expectations and those set forth in the current and proposed Management Services Agreement.
Investment Performance of the Funds and AIC. In considering the investment performance of the Funds and AIC, the Trustees compared the short and long-term performance of each Fund. The Trustees also considered the consistency of AIC’s management of the Funds with the investment objectives and policies along with the overall performance of each Archer Fund under the Trust along with the materials which the Board has reviewed at each quarterly Board meeting throughout the current fiscal year-to-date.
Overall, the Trustees concluded that the performance of each Fund was acceptable, although the Trustees will continue to monitor each Fund’s performance against its benchmark and peer group.
Costs of the Services to be provided and Profits to be Realized by AIC. In considering the costs of the services to be provided and profits to be realized by AIC from the relationship with the Funds, the Trustees considered: (1) AIC’s financial condition (as reported by the company) and the level of commitment to the Funds and by the principals of AIC; (2) the increasing asset levels of the Funds; (3) the overall expenses of the Funds; and (4) the nature and frequency of advisory fee payments. The Trustees also considered potential
26
benefits for AIC in managing the Funds. The Trustees noted that AIC is profitable regarding its relationship with the Funds. The Trustees noted that the Funds’ advisory fees remain slightly higher than other funds, however they did recognize that AIC is seeking to reduce its fee to 50 basis points for each Fund in the near future. AIC’s desire to remain competitive is reflected in its desire to reduce the fees to the shareholders. The Trustees concluded that given the relatively small asset levels of the Funds, it would be difficult for any Advisor to operate the Funds at average cost levels and that AIC had put forth efforts to control the operating expenses of the Funds and increase the assets. The Trustees noted AIC’s continued efforts to manage the expenses of the Funds. The Board concluded that although Fund expenses were higher than peer averages, such expenses were justified and unavoidable given the complex regulatory requirements, and most importantly, the relatively small levels of assets in each of the Funds. Based on the foregoing, the Board concluded that the fees to be paid to AIC by the Funds and the profits to be realized by AIC, considering all the facts and circumstances, were fair and reasonable in relation to the nature and quality of the services provided by AIC.
Economies of Scale. The Board, including the Independent Trustees, also considered whether there have been any economies of scale with respect of the management of the Archer Funds and whether there is potential for realization of any further economies of scale having multiple funds for which the Advisor manages. In doing so, the Board considered the potential benefits for the Advisor in managing multiple series under the Archer Investment Series Trust, including promotion of the Advisor’s name, the ability for the Advisor to place small accounts into one of the Archer Funds. After comparing the fees under the Management Services Agreement with those paid by comparable funds and considering all the foregoing, the Board concluded that the management fees to be paid to the Advisor by each Fund were fair and reasonable in relation to the nature and quality of the services provided by AIC.
Advisor’s Practices Regarding Possible Conflicts of Interest and Benefits to the Advisor. In considering AIC’s practices regarding conflicts of interest, the Trustees evaluated the potential for conflicts of interest and considered such matters as the experience and ability of the advisory personnel assigned to the Funds; the basis of decisions to buy or sell securities for the Funds and/or AIC’s other accounts; and the substance and administration of AIC’s code of ethics. The Trustees also noted that AIC may enjoy some enhanced status as an investment Advisor to a larger family of registered mutual funds. Based on the foregoing, the Board determined that AIC’s standards and practices relating to the identification and mitigation of possible conflicts of interest were satisfactory.
Conclusión. Having requested and received such information from the Advisor as the Independent Trustees of the Board of Trustees believed to be reasonably necessary to evaluate renewing the Management Services Agreement, and as assisted by the advice of legal counsel, the Board, including the Independent Trustees, concluded that the overall arrangement provided under the terms of the Management Services Agreement was a reasonable business arrangement and that renewal of the Management Services Agreement was in the best interests of the Trust and each Fund’s shareholders.
The management and affairs of the Fund are supervised by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees consists of three (3) individuals. The Trustees are fiduciaries for the Fund’s shareholders and are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio in this regard. The Board of Trustees establishes policies for the
27
operation of the Fund and appoints the officers who conduct the daily business of the Fund. The Trustee serves as a trustee until termination of the Trust unless the Trustee dies, resigns, retires, or is removed.
BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE
The Trust is a series trust comprised of individual series, or mutual funds, managed by unaffiliated investment Advisors. The Board of Trustees is comprised of two (2) Independent Trustees: Mr. Donald Orzeske and Mr. David Miller and one Interested Trustee, Mr. Troy C. Patton. The Trust’s Chairman, Mr. Orzeske, is a disinterested person.
The Board of Trustees has established three standing committees – the Audit Committee, the Fair Value Committee, and the Nominating Committee. All Independent Trustees are members of the Audit Committee, Fair Value Committee, and the Nominating Committee. Inclusion of all Independent Trustees as members of the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee allows all such Trustees to participate in the full range of the Board of Trustees’ oversight duties, including oversight of risk management processes.
In accordance with the fund governance standards prescribed by the SEC under the 1940 Act, the Independent Trustees on the Nominating Committee select and nominate all candidates for Independent Trustee positions. The Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection “Director Qualifications” below. The Board of Trustees reviews its leadership structure regularly. The Board of Trustees believes that its leadership structure is appropriate given the characteristics and circumstances of the Trust, including: the unaffiliated nature of the investment Advisor and the fund(s) managed by such Advisor; the number of funds that comprise the Trust; the variety of asset classes that those funds reflect; the net assets of the Trust; the committee structure of the Trust; and the independent distribution arrangements of the of the Trust’s underlying funds.
The Board of Trustee’s role is one of oversight rather than day-to-day management of any of the Trust’s underlying funds. The Trust’s Audit Committee assists with this oversight function. The Board of Trustee’s oversight extends to the Trust’s risk management processes. Those processes are overseen by Trust officers, including the President, the Treasurer, the Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), who regularly report to the Board of Trustees on a variety of matters at Board meetings.
The Investment Advisor managing the Trust’s underlying fund report to the Board of Trustees, on a regular and as-needed basis, on actual and possible risks affecting the Trust’s underlying fund. The investment Advisor reports to the Board of Trustees on various elements of risk, including investment, credit, liquidity, valuation, operational and compliance risks, as well as any overall business risks that could impact the Trust’s underlying funds.
The Board of Trustees has appointed Brandon Pokersnik, the CCO, who reports directly to the Board of Trustees and who participates in its regular meetings. In addition, the CCO presents an annual report to the Board of Trustees in accordance with the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures. The CCO, together with the Trust’s Treasurer and Secretary, regularly discusses risk issues affecting the Trust and its underlying funds during Board of Trustee meetings. The CCO also provides updates to the Board of Trustees on the operation of the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures and on how these procedures are designed to mitigate risk. The CCO and/or other officers of the Trust report to the Board of Trustees, including the independent board
28
members, which members are also members of the Audit and Compliance Committee, if any material risk issues arise in between Board meetings. Generally, the Board believes that its oversight of material risks is adequately maintained through the compliance-reporting chain where the Chief Compliance Officer is the primary recipient and communicator of such risk-related information.
The following table provides information regarding the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”).
Name, Address and Age |
Position(s) Held with Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director |
Other Directorships Held by Director |
||
Independent Trustees |
|
|
|
||||
David Miller 9000 Keystone Crossing, #630 Indianapolis, IN 46240 (DOB – 08/04/47) |
Trustee |
Indefinite Term; Since January 2010 |
General Securities Corp. – President; 1982-Present |
Cuatro |
None |
||
Donald G. Orzeske, J. D. 9000 Keystone Crossing, #630 Indianapolis, IN 46240 (DOB – 5/18/55) |
Trustee |
Indefinite Term; Since January 2010 |
GOODIN, ORZESKE & BLACKWELL, P.C. – Attorney at Law – Shareholder – 2000-Present |
Cuatro |
None |
* The Trust currently consists of four (4) series.
29
The following table provides information regarding the Trustee who is an “interested person” of the Trust, and the officers of the Trust.
Name, Address and Age |
Position(s) Held with Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director |
Other Directorships Held by Director |
||||
Interested Trustee and Officers |
|||||||||
Troy Patton 9000 Keystone Crossing, #630 Indianapolis, IN 46240 DOB: 4/10/1969 |
President & Trustee |
Indefinite Term; since January 2010 |
Archer Investment Corporation, Inc. – President. (July 2005 – Present) Patton and Associates, LLC – Managing Partner. (January 2005 – Present) |
Three |
None |
||||
Charles R. Ropka, Esq. 215 Fries Mill Road, Turnersville, NJ 08012 DOB: 10/21/1963 |
Secretary |
Indefinite Term; since September 2010 |
Attorney, Law Office of C. Richard Ropka, LLC, since 2008 |
N/A |
N/A |
||||
Brandon Pokersnik 800 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 DOB: 1978 |
Chief Compliance Officer |
Indefinite Term; since November 2017 to present |
Accountant, Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, since 2008, Attorney, Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, since June 2016, Owner/President, Empirical Administration, LLC, since September 2012 |
N/A |
N/A |
||||
Umberto Anastasi 8000 Town Centre Drive, Ste. 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 DOB: 9/27/1974 |
Treasurer |
Indefinite Term; since September 2010 to present |
From 1999 to present, Vice President, Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC |
N/A |
N/A |
Name, Address and Age |
Position(s) Held with Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director |
Other Directorships Held by Director |
||||
Interested Trustee and Officers |
|
|
|
||||||
Troy Patton 9000 Keystone Crossing, #630 Indianapolis, IN 46240 DOB: 4/10/1969 |
President & Trustee |
Indefinite Term; since January 2010 |
Archer Investment Corporation, Inc. – President. (July 2005 – Present) Patton and Associates, LLC – Managing Partner. (January 2005 – Present) |
Three |
None |
||||
Charles R. Ropka, Esq. 215 Fries Mill Road, Turnersville, NJ 08012 DOB: 10/21/1963 |
Secretary |
Indefinite Term; since September 2010 |
Attorney, Law Office of C. Richard Ropka, LLC, since 2008 |
N/A |
N/A |
||||
Brandon Pokersnik 800 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 DOB: 1978 |
Chief Compliance Officer |
Indefinite Term; since November 2017 to present |
Accountant, Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, since 2008, Attorney, Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, since June 2016, Owner/President, Empirical Administration, LLC, since September 2012 |
N/A |
N/A |
||||
Umberto Anastasi 8000 Town Centre Drive, Ste. 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 DOB: 9/27/1974 |
Treasurer |
Indefinite Term; since September 2010 to present |
From 1999 to present, Vice President, Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC |
N/A |
N/A |
* The Trust currently consists of four (4) series.
Trustee Qualifications
The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees’ conclusion that the individual identified above is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.
Mr. Orzeske is an attorney admitted to practice law in the State of Indiana. Mr. Orzeske, among other areas of legal practice, is an experienced civil litigator with experience in corporate matters. His legal and business experience provides the Board with insight into the corporate industry and their duties and standards of care as well as legal procedures related to the Board’s responsibilities.
Mr. Miller has significant professional experience in the financial industry and in particular, operating a broker-dealer which has provided him with tremendous insight into the corporate governance and financial aspects of the securities industry.
Messrs. Orzeske and Miller possess an understanding of accounting principles and financial statements as well as the internal controls and procedures for financial reporting. They have experience in preparing analyzing and evaluating financial statements and are therefore qualified to handle the breadth and complexity of issues that can reasonably expected to be raised by the Fund’s financial statements.
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares
|
|
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
Name of Trustee |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies |
Troy C. Patton |
Archer Balanced Fund $100,001-$500,000 Archer Income Fund $100,001-$500,000 Archer Stock Fund $50,001-$100,000 Archer Dividend Growth Fund $100,001-$500,000 |
$100,001-$500,000 |
David Miller |
Archer Balanced Fund – None Archer Income Fund – None Archer Stock Fund – None Archer Dividend Growth Fund – None |
None |
Donald Orzeske |
Archer Balanced Fund – None Archer Income Fund – None Archer Stock Fund – None Archer Dividend Growth – None |
None |
Board Committees
32
Audit Committee. Messrs. Miller and Orzeske serve on the Board’s Audit Committee. The Board’s Audit Committee is a standing independent committee with a separate chair. Mr. Miller serves as chair of the Audit Committee. The primary function of the Audit Committee, which also serves as the Trust’s Legal Compliance Committee, is to assist the full Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities to the shareholders and the investment community relating to fund accounting, reporting practices and the quality and integrity of the financial reports. To satisfy these responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviews with the independent auditors, the audit plan and results and recommendations following independent audits, reviews the performance of the independent auditors and recommends engagement or discharge of the auditors to the full Board, reviews the independence of the independent auditors, reviews the adequacy of the Funds’ internal controls and prepares and submits Committee meeting minutes and supporting documentation to the full Board. The Committee met four (4) times throughout the fiscal period ended August 31, 2019.
Nominating Committee. The Trust has a Nominating Committee, which is comprised of the independent members of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Orzeske and Mr. Miller. The Nominating Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for the position of trustees and meets only as necessary.
The Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders for vacancies on the Board of Trustees. Recommendations for consideration by the Nominating Committee should be sent to the President of the Trust in writing together with the appropriate biographical information concerning the such proposed nominee, and such recommendation must comply with the notice provisions set forth in the Trust’s By-Laws. In general, to comply with such procedures, such nominations, together with all required information, must be delivered to and received by the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive office of the Trust not later than 60 days prior to the shareholder meeting at which any such nominee would be voted on. Shareholder recommendations for nominations to the Board of Trustees will be accepted on an ongoing basis and such recommendations will be kept on file for consideration when there is a vacancy on the Board of Trustees. The Nominating Committee’s procedures with respect to reviewing shareholder nominations will be disclosed as required by applicable securities laws. The Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ending August 31, 2019.
Fair Value Committee. The Trust has a Fair Value Committee. The Fair Value Committee is responsible for the following: (1) monitoring the valuation of Fund securities and other investments; and (2) as required, when the Board of Trustees is not in session, determining the fair value of illiquid securities and other holdings after consideration of all relevant factors, which determinations are reported to the Board. The Fair Value Committee is currently comprised of Mr. Orzeske and Mr. Miller, who the serve as an officer of the Trust. The Fair Value Committee meets as necessary when a price for a portfolio security is not readily available. The Committee did not meet during the fiscal year ending August 31, 2019.
33
Compensation of the Board of Trustees
Set forth below are estimates of the annual compensation to be paid to the Trustees and officers by the Fund on an individual basis and by the Trust on an aggregate basis. Trustees’ and officers’ fees and expenses are Trust expenses and the Fund incurs its pro rata share of expenses based on the number of existing series in the Trust. As a result, the amount paid by the Fund will increase or decrease as new series are added or removed from the Trust.
Independent Trustees |
Aggregate Compensation from Fund |
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued As Part of Funds Expenses |
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |
Total Compensation From Fund and Fund Complex1 Paid to Directors |
David Miller, Trustee |
$6,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
$6,000 |
Donald G. Orzeske, Trustee |
$6,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
$6,000 |
Interested Trustees and Officers |
Aggregate Compensation from Fund |
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued As Part of Funds Expenses |
Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |
Total Compensation From Fund and Fund Complex Paid to Directors |
Troy C. Patton, Trustee |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
1The Trust currently consists of four (4) series.
The following officers and trustees own greater than 1% of the securities of the Archer Funds as indicated.
ARCHER BALANCED FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
Troy C. Patton, CPA/ABV, Trustee |
1% |
Individual and Joint |
ARCHER STOCK FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
Troy C. Patton, CPA/ABV, Trustee |
1% |
Individual and Joint |
ARCHER INCOME FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
Troy C. Patton, CPA/ABV, Trustee |
1% |
Individual and Joint |
ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
Troy C. Patton, CPA/ABV, Trustee |
1% |
Individual and Joint |
34
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of such control. As a controlling shareholder, these persons could control the outcome of any proposal submitted to the shareholders for approval, including changes to the Fund’s fundamental policies or the terms of the management agreement with the Advisor.
As of December 1, 2019, the following shareholders were considered to be principal shareholders of the Fund:
ARCHER BALANCED FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
FIRST CLEARING, LLC 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, IL 63103 |
37.59%1 |
Beneficial |
NFS, LLC 200 LIBERTY STREET NEW YORK, NY 10281 |
16.88%1 |
Beneficial |
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES, LLC ONE NORTH JEFFERSON AVENUE ST. LOUIS, MO 63103 |
18.40% |
Beneficial |
1To the Fund’s knowledge, no underlying shareholder at First Clearing, LLC or MFS, LLC is a control person (as defined above).
ARCHER INCOME FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
FIRST CLEARING, LLC 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, IL 63103 |
35.99%1 |
Beneficial |
NFS, LLC 200 LIBERTY STREET NEW YORK, NY 10281 |
20.05%1 |
Beneficial |
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES, LLC ONE NORTH JEFFERSON AVENUE ST. LOUIS, MO 63103 |
27.28%1 |
Beneficial |
1To the Fund’s knowledge, no underlying shareholder at First Clearing, LLC, MFS, LLC or Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC is a control person (as defined above).
35
ARCHER STOCK FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
FIRST CLEARING, LLC 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, IL 63103 |
44.43%1 |
Beneficial |
NFS, LLC 200 LIBERTY STREET NEW YORK, NY 10281 |
18.09%1 |
Beneficial |
MG TRUST COMPANY 717 17TH STREET, STE 1300 DENVER, CO 80202 |
7.42% |
Beneficial |
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES, LLC ONE NORTH JEFFERSON AVENUE ST. LOUIS, MO 63103 |
17.54%1 |
Beneficial |
1To the Fund’s knowledge, only one underlying shareholder at First Clearing, LLC or MFS, LLC is a principal shareholder having a beneficial ownership of more than 5%, but less than 10%, of the portfolio (as defined above).
ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND
Name and Address |
% Ownership |
Type of Ownership |
FIRST CLEARING, LLC 2801 MARKET STREET SAINT LOUIS, IL 63103 |
44.78%1 |
Beneficial |
NFS, LLC 200 LIBERTY STREET NEW YORK, NY 10281 |
24.53%1 |
Beneficial |
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SERVICES, LLC ONE NORTH JEFFERSON AVENUE ST. LOUIS, MO 63103 |
27.17%1 |
Beneficial |
1To the Fund’s knowledge, no underlying shareholder at First Clearing, LLC, MFS, LLC or Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC is a control person (as defined above).
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
Customer identification and verification is part of the Fund’s overall obligation to prevent money laundering under federal law. The Trust has, on behalf of the Fund, adopted an anti-money laundering compliance program designed to prevent the Fund from being used for money laundering or financing of
36
terrorist activities (the “AML Compliance Program”). The Trust has delegated the responsibility to implement the AML Compliance Program to the Fund’s transfer agent, Mutual Shareholders Services, LLC, subject to oversight by the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and, ultimately, by the Board of Trustees.
When you open an account with the Fund, the Fund’s transfer agent will request that you provide your name, physical address, date of birth, and Social Security number or tax identification number. You may also be asked for other information that, in the transfer agent’s discretion, will allow the Fund to verify your identity. Entities are also required to provide additional documentation. This information will be verified to ensure the identity of all persons opening an account with the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to (i) refuse, cancel or rescind any purchase or exchange order, (ii) freeze any account and/or suspend account activities, or (iii) involuntarily redeem your account in cases of threatening conduct or suspected fraudulent or illegal activity. These actions will be taken when, in the sole discretion of the Fund’s transfer agent, they are deemed to be in the best interest of the Fund, or in cases where the Fund is requested or compelled to do so by governmental or law enforcement authority.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund is defined by the SEC as the ratio of the lesser of annual sales or purchases to the monthly average of the portfolio, excluding from both the numerator and the denominator securities with the maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less. The Fund may sell portfolio securities without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, investment considerations warrant such action. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is the percentage of its portfolio that is bought and sold to exchange for other securities and is expressed as a percentage of its total assets. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to a Fund, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the Advisor is responsible for the Fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the Fund’s portfolio transactions. In placing portfolio transactions (including with the Advisor’s affiliates), the Advisor seeks the best qualitative execution for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), the execution capability, financial responsibility and responsiveness of the broker or dealer and the brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Advisor generally seeks favorable prices and commission rates that are reasonable in relation to the benefits received.
The Advisor is specifically authorized to select brokers or dealers who also provide brokerage and research services to the Fund and/or the other accounts over which the Advisor exercises investment discretion and to pay such brokers or dealers a commission in excess of the commission another broker or dealer would charge if the Advisor determines in good faith that the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided. The determination may be viewed in terms of a particular transaction or the Advisor’s overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to other accounts over which it exercises investment discretion. Research services include supplemental research, securities and economic analyses,
37
statistical services and information with respect to the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities and analyses of reports concerning performance of accounts.
The research services and other information furnished by brokers through whom the Fund effects securities transactions may also be used by the Advisor in servicing all of its accounts. Similarly, research and information provided by brokers or dealers serving other clients may be useful to the Advisor in connection with its services to the Fund.
Over-the-counter transactions may be placed with broker-dealers if the Advisor is able to obtain best execution (including commissions and price). Over-the-counter transactions may also be placed directly with principal market makers. Fixed income securities are normally purchased directly from the issuer, an underwriter or a market maker. Purchases include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and the purchase price paid to a market maker may include the spread between the bid and asked prices.
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other accounts. More specifically, portfolio managers who manage multiple funds are presented with the following potential conflicts:
The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. The management of multiple funds and accounts also may give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the Fund and accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts.
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With respect to securities transactions for the Fund, the Advisor determines which broker to use to execute each order, consistent with the duty to seek best execution of the transaction. The portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely impact the value of securities held by the Fund. Securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund.
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The appearance of a conflict of interest may arise where the Advisor has an incentive, such as a performance-based management fee. The management of personal accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest; there is no assurance that the Fund’s code of ethics will adequately address such conflicts. One of the portfolio manager's numerous responsibilities is to assist in the sale of Fund shares. Because the portfolio manager’s compensation is indirectly linked to the sale of Fund shares, they may have an incentive to devote time to marketing efforts designed to increase sales of Fund shares.
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Although the portfolio manager generally does not trade securities in their own personal account, the Fund has adopted a code of ethics that, among other things, permits personal trading by employees under conditions where it has been determined that such trades would not adversely impact client accounts. Nevertheless, the management of personal accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, and there is no assurance that these codes of ethics will adequately address such conflicts.
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To the extent, the Advisor and the Fund have adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures adopted will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.
CODE OF ETHICS
The Trust, the Advisor and the Fund’s Distributor have adopted a Code of Ethics (the “Codes”) pursuant to Rule 17j-1(c) of the 1940 Act, and the Advisor’s Code of Ethics also conforms to Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, as amended. The personnel subject to the Codes are permitted to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. You may obtain a copy of the Codes from the Trust, the Advisor or the Distributor, free of charge, by calling Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC at 1-800-494-2755. You may also obtain copies of the Trust’s Code from documents filed with SEC and available on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Fund is required to include a schedule of portfolio holdings in its annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, which is sent to shareholders within 60 days of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters and which is filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR within 70 days of the end of the second and fourth fiscal quarters. The Fund also is required to file a schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters. The Fund must provide a copy of the complete schedule of portfolio holdings as filed with the SEC to any shareholder of the Fund, upon request, free of charge. This policy is applied uniformly to all shareholders of the Fund without regard to the type of requesting shareholder (i.e., regardless of whether the shareholder is an individual or institutional investor).
Pursuant to policies adopted by the Board, the Advisor is authorized to release Fund portfolio holdings to third party servicing agents on a daily basis in order for those parties to perform their duties on behalf of the Fund. These third-party servicing agents include the Advisor, Distributor, Transfer Agent, Fund Accounting Agent, Administrator and Custodian. Fund portfolio holdings also may be disclosed, as needed, to auditors, legal counsel, proxy voting services (if applicable), printers, pricing services, parties to merger and reorganization agreements and their agents, and prospective or newly hired investment advisors or sub-advisors. The lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed will vary based on the identity of the party to whom the information is disclosed. For instance, the information may be provided to auditors within days of the end of an annual period, while the information may be given to legal counsel or prospective sub-advisors at any time. This information is disclosed to all such third parties under conditions of confidentiality. “Conditions of confidentiality” include (i) confidentiality clauses in written agreements, (ii) confidentiality implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g., attorney-client relationship), (iii) confidentiality required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody relationships) or (iv) understandings or expectations between the parties that the information will be kept confidential. Third party servicing agents generally are subject to an independent obligation not to trade on confidential information under their code of ethics and/or as a result of common law precedents; however, the Fund does not require an independent confirmation from the third parties that they will not trade on the confidential information.
Additionally, the Fund may enter into ongoing arrangements to release portfolio holdings to Morningstar, Inc., Lipper, Inc., Bloomberg, Standard & Poor’s, Thompson Financial and Vickers-Stock
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(“Rating Agencies”) in order for those organizations to assign a rating or ranking to the Fund. In these instances, portfolio holdings will be supplied within approximately 25 days after the end of the month. The Rating Agencies may make the Fund’s top portfolio holdings available on their websites and may make the Fund’s complete portfolio holdings available to their subscribers for a fee. Neither the Fund, the Advisor nor any of their affiliates receive any portion of this fee. Information released to Rating Agencies is not released under conditions of confidentiality nor is it subject to prohibitions on trading based on the information. The Fund also may post its complete portfolio holdings to its website within approximately 25 days after the end of the month. The information will remain posted on the website until replaced by the information for the succeeding month. The Fund’s website is at www.thearcherfunds.com. If the Fund’s website is for some reason inoperable, the information will be supplied no more frequently than quarterly and on a delayed basis.
Except as described above, the Fund is prohibited from entering into any arrangements with any person to make available information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings without the prior authorization of the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”). The Advisor must submit any proposed arrangement pursuant to which the Advisor intends to disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings to the CCO, who will review such arrangement to determine whether the arrangement is in the best interests of Fund shareholders. Additionally, the Advisor, and any affiliated persons of the Advisor, are prohibited from receiving compensation or other consideration, for themselves or on behalf of the Fund, as a result of disclosing the Fund’s portfolio holdings. Finally, the Fund will not disclose portfolio holdings as described above to third parties that the Fund knows will use the information for personal securities transactions.
The following table describes the brokerage commissions paid by the Archer Balanced Fund for the fiscal periods indicated.
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2017 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2018 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2019 |
$382 |
$2,489 |
$237 |
The following table describes the brokerage commissions paid by the Income Fund for the fiscal periods indicated.
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2017 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2018 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2019 |
$256 |
$85 |
$0 |
The following table describes the brokerage commissions paid by the Stock Fund for the fiscal periods indicated.
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2017 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2018 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2019 |
$2,298 |
$3,292 |
$2,154 |
The following table describes the brokerage commissions paid by the Dividend Growth Fund for the fiscal periods indicated.
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Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2017 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2018 |
Fiscal Year Ended 31 agosto 2019 |
$2,529 |
$6,942 |
$636 |
PROXY VOTING POLICY
The Trust and the Fund’s Advisor have adopted proxy voting policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in shareholders’ best interests. As a brief summary, the Trust’s policy delegates responsibility regarding proxy voting to the Advisor, subject to the Advisor’s proxy voting policy and the supervision of the Board of Trustees.
The Advisor’s policy provides that the Advisor generally will vote in favor of routine corporate housekeeping proposals, including election of directors (where no corporate governance issues are implicated), selection of auditors, and increases in or reclassification of common stock. The Advisor will vote against proposals that make it more difficult to replace members of the issuer’s board of directors, including proposals to stagger the board, cause management to be overrepresented on the board, introduce cumulative voting, introduce unequal voting rights, and create supermajority voting. For other proposals, the Advisor will determine whether a proposal is in the best interest of its clients and may take into account the following factors, among others: (i) whether the proposal was recommended by management and the Advisor’s opinion of management; (ii) whether the proposal acts to entrench existing management; and (iii) whether the proposal fairly compensates management for past and future performance.
The Trust’s policy provides that, if a conflict of interest between the Advisor or its affiliates and the Fund arises with respect to any proxy, the Advisor must fully disclose the conflict to the Board of Trustees and vote the proxy in accordance with the Board’s instructions. The Board shall make the proxy voting decision that in its judgment, after reviewing the recommendation of the Advisor, is most consistent with the Advisor’s proxy voting policies and in the best interests of Fund shareholders. When the Board is required to make a proxy voting decision, only the Trustees without a conflict of interest with regard to the security in question or the matter to be voted upon shall be permitted to participate in the decision of how the Fund’s vote will be cast.
You may obtain a copy of the Trust’s and the Advisor’s proxy voting policy by calling Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC at 1-800-494-2755 or by writing to Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC, the Fund’s transfer agent, at 9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 630, Indianapolis, IN 46240, Attn: Archer Investment Series Trust Chief Compliance Officer. A copy of the policies will be mailed to you within three (3) days of receipt of your request. You also may obtain a copy of the policies from Fund documents filed with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. A copy of the votes cast by the Fund with respect to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th will be filed by the Fund with the SEC on Form N-PX. The Fund’s proxy voting record will be available to shareholders free of charge upon request by calling or writing the Fund as described above or from the SEC’s web site.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The price (net asset value) of the shares of the Fund is determined as of the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the day the Trust is open for business and on any other day on which there is sufficient trading in the Fund’s securities to materially affect the net asset value. The Trust is open for business on every day on which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading. The NYSE is closed on Saturdays, Sundays
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and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For a description of the methods used to determine the net asset value (share price), see “Determination of Net Asset Value” in the Prospectus.
Equity securities generally are valued by using market quotations furnished by a pricing service when the Advisor believes such prices accurately reflect the fair market value of such securities. Securities that are traded on any stock exchange are generally valued by the pricing service at the last quoted sale price. Lacking a last sale price, an exchange traded security is generally valued by the pricing service at its last bid price. Securities traded in the NASDAQ over-the–counter market are generally valued by the pricing service at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. When market quotations are not readily available, when the Advisor determines that the market quotation or the price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the current market value or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, such securities are valued at a fair price as determined by the Advisor in good faith according to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. Investments in foreign securities and junk bonds are more likely to trigger fair valuation than other securities. The Board of Trustees annually approves the pricing services used by the fund accounting agent. The Trust’s fund accounting agent maintains a pricing review committee, which consults with an Independent Trustee who is a member of the Pricing Committee as fair valuation issues arise. Fair valued securities held by the Fund (if any) are reviewed by the Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis.
Fixed income securities generally are valued by using market quotations, but may be valued on the basis of prices furnished by a pricing service when the Advisor believes such prices accurately reflect the fair market value of such securities. A pricing service utilizes electronic data processing techniques based on yield spreads relating to securities with similar characteristics to determine prices for normal institutional-size trading units of debt securities without regard to sale or bid prices. If the Advisor decides that a price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the fair market value of the securities, when prices are not readily available from a pricing service, or when restricted or illiquid securities are being valued, securities are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Advisor, in conformity with guidelines adopted by and subject to review of the Board of Trustees. Short term investments in fixed income securities with maturities of less than 60 days when acquired, or which subsequently are within 60 days of maturity, are valued by using the amortized cost method of valuation, which the Board has determined will represent fair value.
The Fund’s net asset value per share is computed by dividing the value of the securities held by the Fund plus any cash or other assets (including interest and dividends accrued but not yet received) minus all liabilities (including accrued expenses) by the total number of shares in the Fund outstanding at such time, as shown below:
Net Assets = Net Asset Value Per Share
Shares Outstanding
An example of how the Balanced Fund calculated its net asset value per share as of the last day of its last fiscal period is as follows:
$37,699.000 =
$13.45
2,802,899
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REDEMPTION IN-KIND
The Fund does not intend to redeem shares in any form except cash. However, if the amount you are redeeming is over the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund’s net asset value, pursuant to a Rule 18f-1 plan filed by the Trust on behalf of the Fund, the Fund has the right to redeem your shares by giving you the amount that exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund’s net asset value in securities instead of cash. In the event that an in-kind distribution is made, a shareholder may incur additional expenses, such as the payment of brokerage commissions, on the sale or other disposition of the securities received from the Fund.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX MATTERS
Dividends and Distributions
The following discussion of dividends and distributions should be read in connection with the applicable sections in the Prospectus.
All dividends and distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the same Fund (hereinafter, the Fund) unless the shareholder has requested in writing to receive such dividends and distributions in cash or that they be invested in shares of another Archer Fund, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Purchasing Shares.” Such dividends and distributions will be reinvested at the net asset value per share determined on the ex-dividend date.
The Fund calculates income dividends and capital gain distributions the same way for each Fund. The amount of any income dividends per share will differ, however, generally due to any differences in the distribution and service (Rule 12b-1) fees applicable to the Fund.
Tax Matters
The following is a summary of certain additional tax considerations generally affecting a Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of a Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.
This “Tax Matters” section is based on the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and applicable regulations in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative, regulatory or administrative changes, including provisions of current law that sunset and thereafter no longer apply, or court decisions may significantly change the tax rules applicable to a Fund and its shareholders. Any of these changes or court decisions may have a retroactive effect.
This is for general information only and not tax advice. All investors should consult their own tax advisors as to the federal, state, local and foreign tax provisions applicable to them.
Taxation of the Fund. Each Archer Fund has elected and intends to qualify (or, if newly organized, intends to elect and qualify) each year as a “regulated investment company” (sometimes referred to as a regulated investment company, RIC or fund) under Subchapter M of the Code. If a Fund qualifies, a Fund will
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not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its investment company taxable income (i.e., generally, taxable interest, dividends, net short-term capital gains and other taxable ordinary income net of expenses without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that it distributes to shareholders.
Qualification as a regulated investment company. In order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, a Fund must satisfy the following requirements:
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Distribution Requirement–the Fund must distribute an amount equal to the sum of at least 90% of its investment company taxable income and 90% of its net tax-exempt income, if any, for the tax year (certain distributions made by the Fund after the close of its tax year are considered distributions attributable to the previous tax year for purposes of satisfying this requirement).
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Income Requirement–the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived from its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from qualified publicly traded partnerships (QPTPs).
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Asset Diversification Test–the Fund must satisfy the following asset diversification test at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s tax year: (1) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets in securities of an issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer); and (2) no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) or of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or, collectively, in the securities of QPTPs.
In some circumstances, the character and timing of income realized by the Fund for purposes of the Income Requirement or the identification of the issuer for purposes of the Asset Diversification Test is uncertain under current law with respect to a particular investment, and an adverse determination or future guidance by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with respect to such type of investment may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to satisfy these requirements. See “Tax Treatment of Portfolio Transactions” with respect to the application of these requirements to certain types of investments. In other circumstances, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio holdings in order to meet the Income Requirement, Distribution Requirement, or Asset Diversification Test, which may have a negative impact on the Fund’s income and performance. In lieu of potential disqualification, the Fund is permitted to pay a tax for certain failures to satisfy the Asset Diversification Test or Income Requirement, which, in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.
Each Fund may use “equalization accounting” (in lieu of making some cash distributions) in determining the portion of its income and gains that has been distributed. If a Fund uses equalization accounting, it will allocate a portion of its undistributed investment company taxable income and net capital
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gain to redemptions of Fund shares and will correspondingly reduce the amount of such income and gains that it distributes in cash. However, each Fund intends to make cash distributions for each taxable year in an aggregate amount that is sufficient to satisfy the Distribution Requirement without taking into account its use of equalization accounting. If the IRS determines that the Fund’s allocation is improper and that the Fund has under-distributed its income and gain for any taxable year, the Fund may be liable for federal income and/or excise tax.
If for any taxable year the Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders, and the dividends would be taxable to the shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Failure to qualify as a regulated investment company thus would have a negative impact on the Fund’s income and performance. Subject to savings provisions for certain inadvertent failures to satisfy the Income Requirement or Asset Diversification Test which, in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, it is possible that the Fund will not qualify as a regulated investment company in any given tax year. Even if such savings provisions apply, the Fund may be subject to a monetary sanction of $50,000 or more. Moreover, the Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company if it determines such a course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.
Portfolio turnover. For investors that hold their Fund shares in a taxable account, a high portfolio turnover rate may result in higher taxes. This is because a fund with a high turnover rate may accelerate the recognition of capital gains and more of such gains are likely to be taxable as short-term rather than long-term capital gains in contrast to a comparable fund with a low turnover rate. Any such higher taxes would reduce the Fund’s after-tax performance. See “Taxation of Fund Distributions—Capital gain dividends” below. For non-U.S. investors, any such acceleration of the recognition of capital gains that results in more short-term and less long-term capital gains being recognized by the Fund may cause such investors to be subject to increased U.S. withholding taxes. See “Foreign Shareholders—U.S. withholding tax at the source” below.
Capital loss carryovers. The capital losses of a Fund, if any, do not flow through to shareholders. Rather, the Fund may use its capital losses, subject to applicable limitations, to offset its capital gains without being required to pay taxes on or distribute to shareholders such gains that are offset by the losses. If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains), the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. Any such net capital losses of the Fund that are not used to offset capital gains may be carried forward indefinitely to reduce any future capital gains realized by the Fund in succeeding taxable years. The amount of capital losses that can be carried forward and used in any single year is subject to an annual limitation if there is a more than 50% “change in ownership” of the Fund. An ownership change generally results when shareholders owning 5% or more of the Fund increase their aggregate holdings by more than 50% over a three-year look-back period. An ownership change could result in capital loss carryovers being used at a slower rate, thereby reducing the Fund’s ability to offset capital gains with those losses. An increase in the amount of taxable gains distributed to the Fund’s shareholders could result from an ownership change. The Fund undertakes no obligation to avoid or prevent an ownership change, which can occur in the normal course of shareholder purchases and redemptions or as a result of engaging in a tax-free reorganization with another
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fund. Moreover, because of circumstances beyond the Fund’s control, there can be no assurance that the Fund will not experience, or has not already experienced, an ownership change.
Deferral of late year losses. The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year, which may change the timing, amount, or characterization of Fund distributions (see “Taxation of Fund Distributions—Capital gain dividends” below).
A “qualified late year loss” includes:
(i) any net capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, or, if there is no such loss, any net long-term capital loss or any net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (post-October capital losses), and
(ii) the sum of (1) the excess, if any, of (a) specified losses incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, over (b) specified gains incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year and (2) the excess, if any, of (a) ordinary losses incurred after December 31 of the current taxable year, over (b) the ordinary income incurred after December 31 of the current taxable year.
The terms “specified losses” and “specified gains” mean ordinary losses and gains from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of property (including the termination of a position with respect to such property), foreign currency losses and gains, and losses and gains resulting from holding stock in a passive foreign investment company (PFIC) for which a mark-to-market election is in effect. The terms “ordinary losses” and “ordinary income” mean other ordinary losses and income that are not described in the preceding sentence. Special rules apply to a fund with a fiscal year ending in November or December that elects to use its taxable year for determining its capital gain net income for excise tax purposes.
Undistributed capital gains. The Fund may retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain for each taxable year. The Fund currently intends to distribute net capital gains. If the Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be taxed thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carryovers) at the highest corporate tax rate (currently 35%). If the Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have shareholders treated as if each received a distribution of its pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain and will increase the tax basis for its shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.
Federal excise tax. To avoid a 4% non-deductible excise tax, the Fund must distribute by December 31 of each year an amount equal to at least: (1) 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year, (2) 98.2% of capital gain net income (the excess of the gains from sales or exchanges of capital assets over the losses from such sales or exchanges) for the one-year period ended on October 31 of such calendar year (or, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year), and (3) any prior year undistributed ordinary income and capital gain net income. The Fund may elect to defer to the following year any net ordinary loss incurred for the portion of the calendar year which is after the beginning of the Fund’s taxable year. Also, the Fund will defer any “specified gain” or “specified loss” which
46
would be properly taken into account for the portion of the calendar after October 31. Any net ordinary loss, specified gain, or specified loss deferred shall be treated as arising on January 1 of the following calendar year. Generally, the Fund may make sufficient distributions to avoid liability for federal income and excise tax, but can give no assurances that all or a portion of such liability will be avoided. In addition, under certain circumstances temporary timing or permanent differences in the realization of income and expense for book and tax purposes can result in the Fund having to pay an excise tax.
Foreign income tax. Investment income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income tax withheld at the source, and the amount of tax withheld generally will be treated as an expense of the Fund. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries that entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, tax on such income. Some countries require the filing of a tax reclaim or other forms to receive the benefit of the reduced tax rate; whether or when the Fund will receive the tax reclaim is within the control of the individual country. Information required on these forms may not be available such as shareholder information; therefore, the Fund may not receive the reduced treaty rates or potential reclaims. Other countries have conflicting and changing instructions and restrictive timing requirements which may cause the Fund not to receive the reduced treaty rates or potential reclaims. Other countries may subject capital gains realized by the Fund on sale or disposition of securities of that country to taxation. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of the Fund’s assets to be invested in various countries is not known. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may elect to pass-through foreign taxes paid by the Fund to shareholders, although it reserves the right not to do so. If the Fund makes such an election and obtains a refund of foreign taxes paid by the Fund in a prior year, the Fund may be eligible to reduce the amount of foreign taxes reported by the Fund to its shareholders, generally by the amount of the foreign taxes refunded, for the year in which the refund is received.
Taxation of Fund Distributions. The Fund anticipates distributing substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain for each taxable year. Distributions by the Fund will be treated in the manner described regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (or of another Fund). The Fund will send you information annually as to the federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year.
Distributions of ordinary income. The Fund receives income generally in the form of dividends and/or interest on its investments. The Fund may also recognize ordinary income from other sources, including, but not limited to, certain gains on foreign currency-related transactions. The Fund also may distribute to you any market discount and net short-term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. This income, less expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund, constitutes the Fund’s net investment income from which dividends may be paid to you. If you are a taxable investor, distributions of net investment income generally are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits. In the case of a Fund whose strategy includes investing in stocks of corporations, a portion of the income dividends paid to you may be qualified dividends eligible to be taxed at reduced rates.
Capital gain dividends. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares. In general, the Fund will recognize long-term capital gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of assets it has owned for more than one year, and short-term capital gain or loss on investments it has owned for one year or less. Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss)
47
that are properly reported by the Fund to shareholders as capital gain dividends generally will be taxable to a shareholder receiving such distributions as long-term capital gain. Long-term capital gain rates applicable to individuals are taxed at the maximum rate of 15% (20% for certain high income taxpayers) or 25% depending on the nature of the capital gain. Distributions of net short-term capital gains for a taxable year in excess of net long-term capital losses for such taxable year generally will be taxable to a shareholder receiving such distributions as ordinary income.
Qualified dividend income for individuals. Because the income of the Fund primarily is derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none of the Fund’s income dividends will be qualified dividend income eligible for taxation at capital gain rates.
Corporate dividends received deduction. Because the income of the Fund primarily is derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none of the Fund’s income dividends will be eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction.
Return of capital distributions. Distributions by the Fund that are not paid from earnings and profits will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholder’s tax basis in his shares; any excess will be treated as gain from the sale of his shares. Thus, the portion of a distribution that constitutes a return of capital will decrease the shareholder’s tax basis in his Fund shares (but not below zero), and will result in an increase in the amount of gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the shareholder for tax purposes on the later sale of such Fund shares. Return of capital distributions can occur for a number of reasons including, among others, the Fund overestimates the income to be received from certain investments.
Impact of realized but undistributed income and gains, and net unrealized appreciation of portfolio securities. At the time of your purchase of shares (except in a money market fund that maintains a stable net asset value), the Fund’s net asset value may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation of portfolio securities held by the Fund. A subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable and would be taxed as either ordinary income (some portion of which may be taxed as qualified dividend income) or capital gain unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. The Fund may be able to reduce the amount of such distributions by utilizing its capital loss carryovers, if any.
Tax credit bonds. If the Fund holds, directly or indirectly, one or more “tax credit bonds” (including build America bonds, clean renewable energy bonds and qualified tax credit bonds) on one or more applicable dates during a taxable year, the Fund may elect to permit its shareholders to claim a tax credit on their income tax returns equal to each shareholder’s proportionate share of tax credits from the applicable bonds that otherwise would be allowed to the Fund. In such a case, shareholders must include in gross income (as interest) their proportionate share of the income attributable to their proportionate share of those offsetting tax credits. A shareholder’s ability to claim a tax credit associated with one or more tax credit bonds may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code. Even if the Fund is eligible to pass-through tax credits to shareholders, the Fund may choose not to do so.
U.S. Government interest. Income earned on certain U.S. Government obligations is exempt from state and local personal income taxes if earned directly by you. States also grant tax-free status to dividends paid to
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you from interest earned on direct obligations of the U.S. Government, subject in some states to minimum investment or reporting requirements that must be met by the Fund. Income on investments by the Fund in certain other obligations, such as repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government obligations, commercial paper and federal agency-backed obligations (e.g., GNMA or FNMA obligations), generally does not qualify for tax-free treatment. The rules on exclusion of this income are different for corporations.
Dividends declared in December and paid in January. Ordinarily, shareholders are required to take distributions by the Fund into account in the year in which the distributions are made. However, dividends declared in October, November or December of any year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month will be deemed to have been received by the shareholders (and made by the Fund) on December 31 of such calendar year if such dividends are actually paid in January of the following year. Shareholders will be advised annually as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year in accordance with the guidance that has been provided by the IRS.
Medicare tax. A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on net investment income earned by certain individuals, estates and trusts. “Net investment income,” for these purposes, means investment income, including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares, reduced by the deductions properly allocable to such income. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (1) the shareholder’s net investment income or (2) the amount by which the shareholder’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing separately) or $200,000 (in any other case). This Medicare tax, if applicable, is reported by you on, and paid with, your federal income tax return. Net investment income does not include exempt-interest dividends.
Sale or Redemption of Fund Shares. A shareholder will recognize gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares of the Fund in an amount equal to the difference between the proceeds of the sale or redemption and the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares. If you owned your shares as a capital asset, any gain or loss that you realize will be considered capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for longer than one year. Capital losses in any year are deductible only to the extent of capital gains plus, in the case of a noncorporate taxpayer, $3,000 of ordinary income.
Tax basis information. The Fund is required to report to you and the IRS annually on Form 1099-B the cost basis of shares where the cost basis of the shares is known by the Fund (referred to as “covered shares”) and which are disposed of after that date. However, cost basis reporting is not required for certain shareholders, including shareholders investing in the Fund through a tax-advantaged retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, or shareholders investing in a money market fund that maintains a stable net asset value. When required to report cost basis, the Fund will calculate it using the Fund’s default method of average cost, unless you instruct the Fund to use a different calculation method. In general, average cost is the total cost basis of all your shares in an account divided by the total number of shares in the account. To determine whether short-term or long-term capital gains taxes apply, the IRS presumes you redeem your oldest shares first.
The IRS permits the use of several methods to determine the cost basis of mutual fund shares. The method used will determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing share prices, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Fund does not
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recommend any particular method of determining cost basis, and the use of other methods may result in more favorable tax consequences for some shareholders. It is important that you consult with your tax advisor to determine which method is best for you and then notify the Fund if you intend to utilize a method other than average cost for covered shares.
In addition to the Fund’s default method of average cost, other cost basis methods offered by Archer, which you may elect to apply to covered shares, include:
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First-In, First-Out–shares acquired first in the account are the first shares depleted.
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Last-In, First-Out–shares acquired last in the account are the first shares depleted.
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High Cost–shares acquired with the highest cost per share are the first shares depleted.
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Low Cost–shares acquired with the lowest cost per share are the first shares depleted.
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Loss/Gain Utilization–depletes shares with losses before gains, consistent with the objective of minimizing taxes. For shares that yield a loss, shares owned one year or less (short-term) will be depleted ahead of shares owned more than one year (long-term). For gains, long-term shares will be depleted ahead of short-term gains.
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Specific Lot Identification–shareholder selects which lots to deplete at time of each disposition. Transaction amount must be in shares. If insufficient shares are identified at the time of disposition, then a secondary default method of first-in, first-out will be applied.
You may elect any of the available methods detailed above for your covered shares. If you do not notify the Fund of your elected cost basis method, the default method of average cost will be applied to your covered shares upon redemption. The cost basis for covered shares will be calculated separately from any shares for which cost basis information is not known by the Fund (noncovered shares) you may own. You may change or revoke the use of the average cost method and revert to another cost basis method if you notify the Fund by the date of the first sale, exchange, or other disposition of your covered shares. In addition, you may change to another cost basis method at any time by notifying the Fund, but only for shares acquired after the date of the change (the change is prospective). The basis of the shares that were averaged before the change will remain averaged after the date of the change.
With the exception of the specific lot identification method, Archer first depletes noncovered shares in first-in, first-out order before applying your elected method to your remaining covered shares. If you want to deplete your shares in a different order then you must elect specific lot identification and choose the lots you wish to deplete first. Shareholders that use the average cost method for noncovered shares must make the election to use the average cost method for these shares on their federal income tax returns in accordance with Treasury regulations. This election for noncovered shares cannot be made by notifying the Fund.
The Fund will compute and report the cost basis of your Fund shares sold or exchanged by taking into account all of the applicable adjustments to cost basis and holding periods as required by the Code and Treasury regulations for purposes of reporting these amounts to you and, in the case of covered shares, to the IRS. However, the Fund is not required to, and in many cases the Fund does not possess the information to, take all
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possible basis, holding period or other adjustments into account in reporting cost basis information to you. Therefore, shareholders should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required by the Code and Treasury regulations when reporting these amounts on their federal income tax returns. Shareholders remain solely responsible for complying with all federal income tax laws when filing their federal income tax returns.
If you hold your Fund shares through a broker (or other nominee), please contact that broker (nominee) with respect to the reporting of cost basis and available elections for your account.
Wash sale rule. All or a portion of any loss so recognized may be deferred under the wash sale rules if the shareholder purchases other shares of the Fund within 30 days before or after the sale or redemption.
Sales at a loss within six months of purchase. Any capital loss arising from the sale or redemption of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received on such shares.
Deferral of basis – any class that bears a front-end sales load. If a shareholder (a) incurs a sales load in acquiring shares of the Fund, (b) disposes of such shares less than 91 days after they are acquired, and (c) subsequently acquires shares of the Fund or another Fund by January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the disposition of the original shares occurred at a reduced sales load pursuant to a right to reinvest at such reduced sales load acquired in connection with the acquisition of the shares disposed of, then the sales load on the shares disposed of (to the extent of the reduction in the sales load on the shares subsequently acquired) shall not be taken into account in determining gain or loss on the shares disposed of, but shall be treated as incurred on the acquisition of the shares subsequently acquired. The wash sale rules may also limit the amount of loss that may be taken into account on disposition after such adjustment.
Exchange of shares of the Fund for shares of another Fund. The exchange of shares in one Fund for shares of another Fund is taxable for federal income tax purposes and the exchange will be reported as a taxable sale. An exchange occurs when the purchase of shares of a Fund is made using the proceeds from a redemption of shares of another Fund and is effectuated on the same day as the redemption. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the state and local tax consequences of an exchange of shares.
Reportable transactions. Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Tax Treatment of Portfolio Transactions. Set forth below is a general description of the tax treatment of certain types of securities, investment techniques and transactions that may apply to a fund. This section should be read in conjunction with the discussion under “Description of the Funds and their Investments and Risks — Investment Strategies and Risks” for a detailed description of the various types of securities and investment techniques that apply to a Fund.
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In general. In general, gain or loss recognized by a fund on the sale or other disposition of portfolio investments will be a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain and loss may be long-term or short-term depending, in general, upon the length of time a particular investment position is maintained and, in some cases, upon the nature of the transaction. Property held for more than one year generally will be eligible for long-term capital gain or loss treatment. The application of certain rules described below may serve to alter the manner in which the holding period for a security is determined or may otherwise affect the characterization as long-term or short-term, and also the timing of the realization and/or character, of certain gains or losses.
Certain fixed-income investments. Gain recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation purchased by a fund at a market discount (generally, at a price less than its principal amount) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the portion of the market discount that accrued during the period of time the fund held the debt obligation unless the fund made a current inclusion election to accrue market discount into income as it accrues. If a fund purchases a debt obligation (such as a zero coupon security or pay-in-kind security) that was originally issued at a discount, the fund generally is required to include in gross income each year the portion of the original issue discount that accrues during such year. Therefore, a fund’s investment in such securities may cause the fund to recognize income and make distributions to shareholders before it receives any cash payments on the securities. To generate cash to satisfy those distribution requirements, a fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it otherwise might have continued to hold or to use cash flows from other sources such as the sale of fund shares.
Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default present tax issues for a fund. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as whether and to what extent a fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, when a fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent a fund may take deductions for bad debts or worthless securities and how a fund should allocate payments received on obligations in default between principal and income. These and other related issues will be addressed by a fund in order to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated investment company.
Options, futures, forward contracts, swap agreements and hedging transactions. In general, option premiums received by a fund are not immediately included in the income of the fund. Instead, the premiums are recognized when the option contract expires, the option is exercised by the holder, or the fund transfers or otherwise terminates the option (e.g., through a closing transaction). If an option written by a fund is exercised and the fund sells or delivers the underlying stock, the fund generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to (a) the sum of the strike price and the option premium received by the fund minus (b) the fund’s basis in the stock. Such gain or loss generally will be short-term or long-term depending upon the holding period of the underlying stock. If securities are purchased by a fund pursuant to the exercise of a put option written by it, the fund generally will subtract the premium received from its cost basis in the securities purchased. The gain or loss with respect to any termination of a fund’s obligation under an option other than through the exercise of the option and related sale or delivery of the underlying stock generally will be short-term gain or loss depending on whether the premium income received by the fund is greater or less than the amount paid by the fund (if any) in terminating the transaction. Thus, for example, if an option written by a fund expires unexercised, the fund generally will recognize short-term gain equal to the premium received.
The tax treatment of certain futures contracts entered into by a fund as well as listed non-equity options written or purchased by the fund on U.S. exchanges (including options on futures contracts, broad-based equity
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indices and debt securities) may be governed by section 1256 of the Code (section 1256 contracts). Gains or losses on section 1256 contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses (60/40), although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary in character. Also, any section 1256 contracts held by a fund at the end of each taxable year (and, for purposes of the 4% excise tax, on certain other dates as prescribed under the Code) are “marked-to-market” with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized and the resulting gain or loss is treated as ordinary or 60/40 gain or loss, as applicable. Section 1256 contracts do not include any interest rate swap, currency swap, basis swap, interest rate cap, interest rate floor, commodity swap, equity swap, equity index swap, credit default swap, or similar agreement.
In addition to the special rules described above in respect of options and futures transactions, a fund’s transactions in other derivative instruments (including options, forward contracts and swap agreements) as well as its other hedging, short sale, or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules (including the constructive sale, notional principal contract, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains and losses recognized by a fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the fund, defer losses to the fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the fund’s securities. These rules, therefore, could affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders. Moreover, because the tax rules applicable to derivative financial instruments are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether a fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid a fund-level tax.
Certain of a fund’s investments in derivatives and foreign currency-denominated instruments, and the fund’s transactions in foreign currencies and hedging activities, may produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If a fund’s book income is less than the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any), the fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company. If a fund’s book income exceeds the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any), the distribution of any such excess will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the fund’s remaining earnings and profits (including current earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income, reduced by related deductions), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient’s basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset.
Foreign currency transactions. A fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned. This treatment could increase or decrease a fund’s ordinary income distributions to you, and may cause some or all of the fund’s previously distributed income to be classified as a return of capital. In certain cases, a fund may make an election to treat such gain or loss as capital.
PFIC investments. A fund may invest in securities of foreign companies that may be classified under the Code as PFICs. In general, a foreign company is classified as a PFIC if at least one-half of its assets constitute investment-type assets or 75% or more of its gross income is investment-type income. When investing in PFIC securities, a fund intends to mark-to-market these securities under certain provisions of the Code and recognize
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any unrealized gains as ordinary income at the end of the fund’s fiscal and excise tax years. Deductions for losses are allowable only to the extent of any current or previously recognized gains. These gains (reduced by allowable losses) are treated as ordinary income that a fund is required to distribute, even though it has not sold or received dividends from these securities. You should also be aware that the designation of a foreign security as a PFIC security will cause its income dividends to fall outside of the definition of qualified foreign corporation dividends. These dividends generally will not qualify for the reduced rate of taxation on qualified dividends when distributed to you by a fund. Foreign companies are not required to identify themselves as PFICs. Due to various complexities in identifying PFICs, a fund can give no assurances that it will be able to identify portfolio securities in foreign corporations that are PFICs in time for the fund to make a mark-to-market election. If a fund is unable to identify an investment as a PFIC and thus does not make a mark-to-market election, the fund may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on a fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.
Investments in non-U.S. REITs. While non-U.S. REITs often use complex acquisition structures that seek to minimize taxation in the source country, an investment by a fund in a non-U.S. REIT may subject the fund, directly or indirectly, to corporate taxes, withholding taxes, transfer taxes and other indirect taxes in the country in which the real estate acquired by the non-U.S. REIT is located. The fund’s pro rata share of any such taxes will reduce the fund’s return on its investment. A fund’s investment in a non-U.S. REIT may be considered an investment in a PFIC, as discussed above in “Tax Treatment of Portfolio Transactions — PFIC investments.” Additionally, foreign withholding taxes on distributions from the non-U.S. REIT may be reduced or eliminated under certain tax treaties, as discussed above in “Taxation of the Fund — Foreign income tax.” Also, the fund in certain limited circumstances may be required to file an income tax return in the source country and pay tax on any gain realized from its investment in the non-U.S. REIT under rules similar to those in the United States which tax foreign persons on gain realized from dispositions of interests in U.S. real estate.
Investments in U.S. REITs. A U.S. REIT is not subject to federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to shareholders. Dividends paid by a U.S. REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the U.S. REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a U.S. REIT to a fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the fund to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Because of certain noncash expenses, such as property depreciation, an equity U.S. REIT’s cash flow may exceed its taxable income. The equity U.S. REIT, and in turn a fund, may distribute this excess cash to shareholders in the form of a return of capital distribution. However, if a U.S. REIT is operated in a manner that fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the U.S. REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the U.S. REIT would be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the U.S. REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Also, see “Tax Treatment of Portfolio Transactions — Investment in taxable mortgage pools (excess inclusion income)” and “Foreign Shareholders — U.S. withholding tax at the source” with respect to certain other tax aspects of investing in U.S. REITs.
Investment in taxable mortgage pools (excess inclusion income). Under a Notice issued by the IRS, the Code and Treasury regulations to be issued, a portion of a fund’s income from a U.S. REIT that is attributable
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to the REIT’s residual interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit (REMIC) or equity interests in a “taxable mortgage pool” (referred to in the Code as an excess inclusion) will be subject to federal income tax in all events. The excess inclusion income of a regulated investment company, such as a fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the regulated investment company in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or, if applicable, taxable mortgage pool directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) to entities (including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans, Keogh plans or other tax-exempt entities) subject to tax on UBTI, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income, and (iii) in the case of a foreign stockholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (which generally includes certain cooperatives, governmental entities, and tax-exempt organizations not subject to UBTI) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the highest federal income tax rate imposed on corporations. The Notice imposes certain reporting requirements upon regulated investment companies that have excess inclusion income. There can be no assurance that a fund will not allocate to shareholders excess inclusion income.
These rules are potentially applicable to a fund with respect to any income it receives from the equity interests of certain mortgage pooling vehicles, either directly or, as is more likely, through an investment in a U.S. REIT. It is unlikely that these rules will apply to a fund that has a non-REIT strategy.
Investments in partnerships and QPTPs. For purposes of the Income Requirement, income derived by a fund from a partnership that is not a QPTP will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by the fund. While the rules are not entirely clear with respect to a fund investing in a partnership outside a master-feeder structure, for purposes of testing whether a fund satisfies the Asset Diversification Test, the fund generally is treated as owning a pro rata share of the underlying assets of a partnership. See “Taxation of the Fund — Qualification as a regulated investment company.” In contrast, different rules apply to a partnership that is a QPTP. A QPTP is a partnership (a) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market, (b) that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, and (c) that derives less than 90% of its income from sources that satisfy the Income Requirement (e.g., because it invests in commodities). All of the net income derived by a fund from an interest in a QPTP will be treated as qualifying income but the fund may not invest more than 25% of its total assets in one or more QPTPs. However, there can be no assurance that a partnership classified as a QPTP in one year will qualify as a QPTP in the next year. Any such failure to annually qualify as a QPTP might, in turn, cause a fund to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. Although, in general, the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a fund with respect to items attributable to an interest in a QPTP. Fund investments in partnerships, including in QPTPs, may result in the fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.
If an MLP is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (whether or not a QPTP), all or portion of the dividends received by a fund from the MLP likely will be treated as a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes because of accelerated deductions available with respect to the activities of such
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MLPs. Further, because of these accelerated deductions, on the disposition of interests in such an MLP, a fund likely will realize taxable income in excess of economic gain with respect to those MLP interests (or if the fund does not dispose of the MLP, the fund could realize taxable income in excess of cash flow with respect to the MLP in a later period), and the fund must take such income into account in determining whether the fund has satisfied its Distribution Requirement. A fund may have to borrow or liquidate securities to satisfy its Distribution Requirement and to meet its redemption requests, even though investment considerations might otherwise make it undesirable for the fund to sell securities or borrow money at such time. In addition, any gain recognized, either upon the sale of a fund’s MLP interest or sale by the MLP of property held by it, including in excess of economic gain thereon, treated as so-called “recapture income,” will be treated as ordinary income. Therefore, to the extent a fund invests in MLPs, fund shareholders might receive greater amounts of distributions from the fund taxable as ordinary income than they otherwise would in the absence of such MLP investments.
Although MLPs are generally expected to be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, some MLPs may be treated as PFICs or “regular” corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The treatment of particular MLPs for U.S. federal income tax purposes will affect the extent to which a fund can invest in MLPs and will impact the amount, character, and timing of income recognized by the Fund.
Investments in commodities — structured notes, corporate subsidiary and certain ETFs. Gains from the disposition of commodities, including precious metals, will neither be considered qualifying income for purposes of satisfying the Income Requirement nor qualifying assets for purposes of satisfying the Asset Diversification Test. See “Taxation of the Fund — Qualification as a regulated investment company.” Also, the IRS has issued a revenue ruling which holds that income derived from commodity-linked swaps is not qualifying income for purposes of the Income Requirement. In a subsequent revenue ruling, as well as in a number of follow-on private letter rulings (upon which only the fund that received the private letter ruling may rely), the IRS provides that income from certain alternative investments which create commodity exposure, such as certain commodity-linked or structured notes or a corporate subsidiary that invests in commodities, may be considered qualifying income under the Code. However, as of the date of this SAI, the IRS suspended the issuance of any further private letter rulings pending a review of its position. Should the IRS issue guidance, or Congress enact legislation, that adversely affects the tax treatment of a fund’s use of commodity-linked notes, or a corporate subsidiary, the fund may no longer be able to utilize commodity-linked notes or a corporate subsidiary to gain commodity exposure. In addition, a fund may gain exposure to commodities through investment in QPTPs such as an exchange-traded fund or ETF that is classified as a partnership and which invests in commodities. Accordingly, the extent to which a fund invests in commodities or commodity-linked derivatives may be limited by the Income Requirement and the Asset Diversification Test, which the fund must continue to satisfy to maintain its status as a regulated investment company. A fund also may be limited in its ability to sell its investments in commodities, commodity-linked derivatives, and certain ETFs or be forced to sell other investments to generate income due to the Income Requirement. If a fund does not appropriately limit such investments or if such investments (or the income earned on such investments) were to be recharacterized for U.S. tax purposes, the fund could fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. In lieu of potential disqualification, a fund is permitted to pay a tax for certain failures to satisfy the Asset Diversification Test or Income Requirement, which, in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.
Securities lending. While securities are loaned out by a fund, the fund generally will receive from the borrower amounts equal to any dividends or interest paid on the borrowed securities. For federal income tax
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purposes, payments made “in lieu of” dividends are not considered dividend income. These distributions will neither qualify for the reduced rate of taxation for individuals on qualified dividends nor the 70% dividends received deduction for corporations. Also, any foreign tax withheld on payments made “in lieu of” dividends or interest will not qualify for the pass-through of foreign tax credits to shareholders. Additionally, in the case of a fund with a strategy of investing in tax-exempt securities, any payments made “in lieu of” tax-exempt interest will be considered taxable income to the fund, and thus, to the investors, even though such interest may be tax-exempt when paid to the borrower.
Investments in convertible securities. Convertible debt is ordinarily treated as a “single property” consisting of a pure debt interest until conversion, after which the investment becomes an equity interest. If the security is issued at a premium (i.e., for cash in excess of the face amount payable on retirement), the creditor-holder may amortize the premium over the life of the bond. If the security is issued for cash at a price below its face amount, the creditor-holder must accrue original issue discount in income over the life of the debt. The creditor-holder’s exercise of the conversion privilege is treated as a nontaxable event. Mandatorily convertible debt (e.g., an exchange-traded note or ETN issued in the form of an unsecured obligation that pays a return based on the performance of a specified market index, exchange currency, or commodity) is often, but not always, treated as a contract to buy or sell the reference property rather than debt. Similarly, convertible preferred stock with a mandatory conversion feature is ordinarily, but not always, treated as equity rather than debt. Dividends received generally are qualified dividend income and eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction. In general, conversion of preferred stock for common stock of the same corporation is tax-free. Conversion of preferred stock for cash is a taxable redemption. Any redemption premium for preferred stock that is redeemable by the issuing company might be required to be amortized under original issue discount principles. A change in the conversion ratio or conversion price of a convertible security on account of a dividend paid to the issuer’s other shareholders may result in a deemed distribution of stock to the holders of the convertible security equal to the value of their increased interest in the equity of the issuer. Thus, an increase in the conversion ratio of a convertible security can be treated as a taxable distribution of stock to a holder of the convertible security (without a corresponding receipt of cash by the holder) before the holder has converted the security.
Tax Certification and Backup Withholding. Tax certification and backup withholding tax laws may require that you certify your tax information when you become an investor in the Fund. For U.S. citizens and resident aliens, this certification is made on IRS Form W-9. Under these laws, the Fund must withhold a portion of your taxable distributions and sales proceeds unless you:
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provide your correct Social Security or taxpayer identification number,
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certify that this number is correct,
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certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, and
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certify that you are a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).
The Fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate
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information is furnished to the IRS. Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding and information reporting.
Non-U.S. investors have special U.S. tax certification requirements. See “Foreign Shareholders – Tax certification and backup withholding.”
Foreign Shareholders. Shareholders who, as to the United States, are nonresident alien individuals, foreign trusts or estates, foreign corporations, or foreign partnerships (foreign shareholder), may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements.
Taxation of a foreign shareholder depends on whether the income from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such shareholder.
U.S. withholding tax at the source. If the income from the Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, distributions to such shareholder will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) upon the gross amount of the distribution, subject to certain exemptions including those for dividends reported by the Fund to shareholders as:
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exempt-interest dividends paid by the Fund from its net interest income earned on municipal securities;
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capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from its net long-term capital gains (other than those from disposition of a U.S. real property interest), unless you are a nonresident alien present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year; y
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interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain dividends.
However, the Fund does not intend to utilize the exemptions for interest-related dividends paid and short-term capital gain dividends paid. Moreover, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the source, any dividends and distributions of income and capital gains, including the proceeds from the sale of your Fund shares, will be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 28% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
Foreign shareholders may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% on the income resulting from an election to pass-through foreign tax credits to shareholders, but may not be able to claim a credit or deduction with respect to the withholding tax for the foreign tax treated as having been paid by them.
Amounts reported by the Fund to shareholders as capital gain dividends (a) that are attributable to certain capital gain dividends received from a qualified investment entity (QIE) (generally defined as either (i) a U.S. REIT or (ii) a RIC classified as a “U.S. real property holding corporation” or which would be if the exceptions for holding 5% or less of a class of publicly traded shares or an interest in a domestically controlled QIE did not apply), or (b) that are realized by the Fund on the sale of a “U.S. real property interest” (including gain realized on the sale of shares in a QIE other than one that is domestically controlled), will not be exempt from U.S. federal income tax and may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) if the Fund by reason of having a REIT strategy is classified as a QIE. If the Fund is so classified, foreign
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shareholders owning more than 5% of the Fund’s shares may be treated as realizing gain from the disposition of a U.S. real property interest, causing Fund distributions to be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 35%, and requiring the filing of a nonresident U.S. income tax return. In addition, if the Fund is classified as a QIE, anti-avoidance rules apply to certain wash sale transactions. Namely, if the Fund is a domestically-controlled QIE and a foreign shareholder disposes of the Fund’s shares prior to the Fund paying a distribution attributable to the disposition of a U.S. real property interest and the foreign shareholder later acquires an identical stock interest in a wash sale transaction, the foreign shareholder may still be required to pay U.S. tax on the Fund’s distribution. Also, the sale of shares of the Fund, if classified as a “U.S. real property holding corporation,” could also be considered a sale of a U.S. real property interest with any resulting gain from such sale being subject to U.S. tax as income “effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business.”
Income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. If the income from the Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then ordinary income dividends, capital gain dividends and any gains realized upon the sale or redemption of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations and require the filing of a nonresident U.S. income tax return.
Tax certification and backup withholding. Foreign shareholders may have special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding (at a rate of 28%) and, if applicable, to obtain the benefit of any income tax treaty between the foreign shareholder’s country of residence and the United States. To claim these tax benefits, the foreign shareholder must provide a properly completed Form W-8BEN (or other Form W-8, where applicable, or their substitute forms) to establish his or her status as a non-U.S. investor, to claim beneficial ownership over the assets in the account, and to claim, if applicable, a reduced rate of or exemption from withholding tax under the applicable treaty. A Form W-8BEN provided without a U.S. taxpayer identification number remains in effect for a period of three years beginning on the date that it is signed and ending on the last day of the third succeeding calendar year. However, non-U.S. investors must advise the Fund of any changes of circumstances that would render the information given on the form incorrect, and must then provide a new W-8BEN to avoid the prospective application of backup withholding. Forms W-8BEN with U.S. taxpayer identification numbers remain valid indefinitely, or until the investor has a change of circumstances that renders the form incorrect and necessitates a new form and tax certification. Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Under FATCA, the Fund will be required to withhold a 30% tax on the following payments or distributions made by the Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions (FFI) or non-financial foreign entities (NFFE): (a) income dividends and (b) after December 31, 2018, certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares. The FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, if it reports certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) if it does have such owners, reporting information relating to them. The U.S. Treasury has negotiated intergovernmental agreements (IGA) with certain countries and is in various stages of negotiations with a number of other foreign countries with respect to one or more alternative approaches to implement FATCA.
An FFI can avoid FATCA withholding if it is deemed compliant or by becoming a “participating FFI,” which requires the FFI to enter into a U.S. tax compliance agreement with the IRS under section 1471(b) of the
59
Code (FFI agreement) under which it agrees to verify, report and disclose certain of its U.S. accountholders and meet certain other specified requirements. The FFI will either report the specified information about the U.S. accounts to the IRS, or, to the government of the FFI’s country of residence (pursuant to the terms and conditions of applicable law and an applicable IGA entered into between the U.S. and the FFI’s country of residence), which will, in turn, report the specified information to the IRS. An FFI that is resident in a country that has entered into an IGA with the U.S. to implement FATCA will be exempt from FATCA withholding provided that the FFI shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
An NFFE that is the beneficial owner of a payment from the Fund can avoid the FATCA withholding tax generally by certifying that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or by providing the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner. The NFFE will report the information to the Fund or other applicable withholding agent, which will, in turn, report the information to the IRS.
Such foreign shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted or deemed compliant categories as established by U.S. Treasury regulations, IGAs, and other guidance regarding FATCA. An FFI or NFFE that invests in the Fund will need to provide the Fund with documentation properly certifying the entity’s status under FATCA in order to avoid FATCA withholding. Non-U.S. investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the impact of these requirements on their investment in the Fund. The requirements imposed by FATCA are different from, and in addition to, the U.S. tax certification rules to avoid backup withholding described above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these requirements to their own situation.
U.S. estate tax. Transfers by gift of shares of the Fund by a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual will not be subject to U.S. federal gift tax. An individual who, at the time of death, is a foreign shareholder will nevertheless be subject to U.S. federal estate tax with respect to shares at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens and residents, unless a treaty exemption applies. If a treaty exemption is available, a decedent’s estate may nonetheless need to file a U.S. estate tax return to claim the exemption in order to obtain a U.S. federal transfer certificate. The transfer certificate will identify the property (i.e., Fund shares) as to which the U.S. federal estate tax lien has been released. In the absence of a treaty, there is a $13,000 statutory estate tax credit (equivalent to an estate with assets of $60,000).
Local Tax Considerations. Rules of state and local taxation of ordinary income, qualified dividend income and capital gain dividends may differ from the rules for U.S. federal income taxation described above. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.
Please be aware that the U.S. tax information contained in this Statement of Additional Information is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax penalties.
CUSTODIAN
Huntington National Bank, 41 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, is Custodian of the Fund’s investments. The Custodian acts as the Fund’s depository; safe keeps its portfolio securities, collects all income
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and other payments with respect thereto, disburses funds at the Fund’s request and maintains records in connection with its duties
For its custodial services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee from the Fund based on the market value of the assets under custody. The monthly fee is equal to an annual rate of 0.0125% of the first $75 million of market value; 0.0100% of the next $75 million of market value; and 0.0075% of market value in excess of $150 million. The Custodian also receives various transaction-based fees. The fees paid to the Custodian by the Fund are subject to a $250 monthly minimum fee per account.
FUND SERVICES
Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC (“MSS”), 8000 Town Centre Drive, Suite 400, Broadview Heights, OH 44148, acts as the Fund’s transfer agent, fund accountant and dividend disbursing agent. Certain officers of the Trust are officers, employees, and/or members of management of MSS.
MSS maintains the records of the shareholder’s account, answers shareholders’ inquiries concerning their accounts, processes purchases and redemptions of the Fund’s shares, acts as dividend and distribution disbursing agent and performs other transfer agent and shareholder service functions.
In addition, MSS provides the Funds with fund accounting and transfer agency services, which include certain monthly reports, record-keeping and other management-related services. For its services as fund accountant and fund transfer agent, MSS receives a monthly fee from each Fund calculated on the total net assets and the total number of shareholders. MSS will also receive reimbursement from the fund for all reasonably incurred out-of-pocket expenses it incurs in conjunction with the performance of these services.
Archer Investment Corporation (“Archer”) provides the Fund with administrative services, including all regulatory reporting and necessary office equipment, personnel and facilities. Archer receives a monthly fee from the Fund equal to an annual rate of 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets under $50 million, 0.07% of the Fund’s average daily net assets from $50 million to $100 million, 0.05% of the Fund’s average daily net assets from $100 million to $150 million, and 0.03% of the Fund’s average daily net assets over $150 million (subject to a minimum fee of $2,500 per month).
The following table describes the administrative fees paid to the Administrator by the Archer Balanced Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Administration Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Administration Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$152,727 |
$0 |
$152,727 |
31 agosto 2018 |
$174,239 |
$0 |
$174,239 |
31 agosto 2019 |
$175,713 |
$0 |
$175,713 |
The following table describes the administrative fees paid to the Administrator by the Archer Income Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
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Fiscal Year Ended |
Administration Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Administration Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$58,794 |
$0 |
$58,794 |
31 agosto 2018 |
$59,653 |
$0 |
$59,653 |
31 agosto 2019 |
$59,262 |
$0 |
$59,262 |
The following table describes the administrative fees paid to the Administrator by the Archer Stock Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Administration Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Administration Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$66,432 |
$0 |
$66,432 |
31 agosto 2018 |
$80,050 |
$0 |
$80,050 |
31 agosto 2019 |
$84,276 |
$0 |
$84,276 |
The following table describes the administrative fees paid to the Administrator by the Archer Dividend Growth Fund during the fiscal periods indicated:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Administration Fees Accrued |
Total Fees Waived and/or Expenses Reimbursed |
Net Administration Fees Paid (Reimbursed) |
August 31, 2017 |
$54,247 |
$0 |
$54,247 |
31 agosto 2018 |
$73,560 |
$0 |
$73,560 |
31 agosto 2019 |
$83,791 |
$0 |
$83,791 |
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The firm of Sanville & Company having its business address of 1514 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001-2607 has been the Funds’ independent registered public accountants for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2011 to present. Sanville & Company performs an annual audit of the Funds’ financial statements and provides financial, tax and accounting consulting services as requested.
COMPLIANCE