# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001477491
**File Stem:** 0001162044-23-000017
**Filing Date:** 2023-1
**Character Count:** 26555
**Document Hash:** 12d42f38ec4d335595927df7af5fb9d0
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001162044-23-000017.hdr.sgml**: 20230109

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001162044-23-000017

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 497K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 5

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230109

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230109

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20230109

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** ARCHER INVESTMENT SERIES TRUST
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001477491
- **IRS NUMBER:** 000000000

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 497K
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-163981
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23517233

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 11711 N. COLLEGE AVENUE
- **STREET 2:** # 200
- **CITY:** CARMEL
- **STATE:** IN
- **ZIP:** 46032
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 3175811776

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 11711 N. COLLEGE AVENUE
- **STREET 2:** # 200
- **CITY:** CARMEL
- **STATE:** IN
- **ZIP:** 46032

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** ARCHER SERIES TRUST
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20091124

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### Archer Dividend Growth Fund (Series ID: S000054409)

| Class ID   | Class Name                  | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000170898 | Archer Dividend Growth Fund | ARDGX           |

![[archerdivgrowth497k001.jpg]](archerdivgrowth497k001.jpg)<br>

**ARCHER INVESTMENT SERIES TRUST**

**ARCHER DIVIDEND GROWTH FUND – Ticker Symbol – ARDGX**

**SUMMARY PROSPECTUS**

**December 30, 2022**

**The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

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**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.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **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 |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.88% |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses<sup>(1)</sup>  | 0.21% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.59% |
| Fee Waiver and/or expenses reimbursement<sup>(2)</sup> | -0.40% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.19% |

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<sup>1</sup> 

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. The fees and expenses reflect estimated acquired fund fees and expenses that the Fund expects to bear in the current fiscal year.

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. The contractual agreement is in place through December 31, 2023. Each 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 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 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.

<u>Example:</u>

**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.**

Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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**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:**

![[archerdivgrowth497k003.gif]](archerdivgrowth497k003.gif)

**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 18.05% 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"). The Fund's 80% policy is a non-fundamental investment policy that can be changed by the Fund upon 60 days' prior notice to shareholders. 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.

Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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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:*

*<u>Active Management Risk.</u>* Due to its active management, the Fund's performance could underperform its benchmark index and/or other funds with similar investment objectives.

<u>M</u>*<u>arket Risk of Equity Securities.</u>* 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.

*<u>Issuer Risk.</u>* 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.

*<u>Real Estate Risk</u>*. 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;

Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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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.

*<u>Depositary Receipts Risk.</u>* 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.

*<u>Foreign Securities Risk.</u>* 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.

*<u>Growth Securities Risk.</u>* 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.

*<u>Sector Emphasis.</u>* 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 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.

Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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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.

*<u>Cybersecurity Risk.</u>* 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.

*<u>Dividend Tax Treatment.</u>* There may be a significant change in legislation or policy affecting taxation on dividends, which may affect the performance of the Fund.

*<u>Portfolio Turnover Risk.</u>* 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.

*<u>Market Turbulence Resulting from COVID-19</u>*. The respiratory illness COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus has resulted in a global pandemic and major disruption to economies and markets around the world, including the United States. Global financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and severe losses, and trading in many instruments has been disrupted. Liquidity for many instruments has been greatly reduced for periods of time. Some interest rates are very low and in some cases yields are negative. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. These circumstances may continue for an extended period of time and may continue to affect adversely the value and/or liquidity of the Fund's investments. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers, are not known. Governments and central banks, including the Federal Reserve in the U.S., have taken extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support national economies and the financial markets. These actions have resulted in significant expansion of public debt, including in the U.S. The impact of these measures, and whether they will be effective to mitigate the economic and market disruption, may not be known for some time. The

Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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consequences of high public debt, including its future impact on the economy and securities markets, likewise may not be known for some time.

**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.

**Archer Dividend Growth Fund** 

**Calendar Year returns as of December 31, 2021**

![[archerdivgrowth497k005.gif]](archerdivgrowth497k005.gif)

The calendar year-to-date return for the Fund as of September 30, 2022, was -11.14%. During the period shown, the highest return for a quarter was 10.23% (quarter ended December 31, 2021); and the lowest return was -25.73% (quarter ended March 31, 2020).

Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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**AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS**

(for the periods ended December 31, 2021)

![[archerdivgrowth497k007.gif]](archerdivgrowth497k007.gif)

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.

<sup>2</sup> The Index is an unmanaged benchmark that assumes reinvestment of all distributions and excludes the effect of taxes and fees. The Morningstar<sup>®</sup> Dividend Yield Focus Index<sup>SM</sup> 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**

Archer Investment Corporation serves as the Investment Advisor of the Fund under the terms of a Management Services Agreement with the Fund.

**Portfolio Managers**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **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  |
| John Rosebrough, CFA | Since September 2016 | Senior Vice President of the Advisor |

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**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 automatic investment plan participants) and minimum subsequent investments are $100.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **By Mail (or Overnight):** | **By Wire:** 1-800-494-2755 |
| Archer Dividend Growth Fund<br> c/o Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC<br> 8000 Town Center Drive, Suite 400<br> Broadview Heights, OH 44148 |  |

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Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions to its shareholders on an annual basis to the extent that it has income or gains to distribute. Distributions may be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or capital gains unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as 401(k) plans or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements are taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.

**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 may pay the intermediary from the Fund's assets, or the investment adviser and/or the Fund's distributor may pay the intermediary out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Fund, for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult with your financial intermediary or visit their website for more information.

Archer Dividend Growth Fund – Summary Prospectus

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