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<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Summary Section – Alpine Foundation Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Investment Objectives</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Alpine Foundation Fund (the “Foundation Fund”) seeks capital appreciation.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Fees and Expenses of the Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Shareholder Fees</b><br>(fees paid directly from your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Annual Fund Operating Expenses</b><br>(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Alpine Foundation Fund</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Total Returns as of 12/31 of Each Year</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Institutional Class</b></p>
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0.055
0
-0.01
0
0
-0.01
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0.01
0.0025
0.0021
0.0003
0.0149
0.01
0
0.0021
0.0003
0.0124
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Example</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes:</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• 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</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• Your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ExpenseExample column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005205Member ~ </div>
788
995
1318
2230
226
393
680
1500
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Portfolio Turnover</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">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 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 fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 36% of the average value of its portfolio.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Strategies</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Foundation Fund pursues its investment objectives by investing its assets primarily in a combination of equity securities of large U.S. companies and high quality fixed income securities. The equity securities in which the Fund invests may include common stocks, preferred stocks and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stocks, such as convertible debt, options on securities and warrants. The Foundation Fund’s investments in common stocks will emphasize stocks that (at the time of investment) pay dividends and have capital appreciation potential. The fixed income securities in which the Fund invests may include U.S. Government debt obligations, corporate debt obligations, and money market instruments.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest up to 15% its net assets in the securities of foreign issuers that are publicly traded in the United States or on foreign exchanges.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Allocation of the Fund’s assets among different types of investments will vary from time to time depending on prevailing economic and market conditions, including (without any emphasis on any one particular condition): inflation rates, business cycle trends, business regulations and tax law impacts on the investment markets. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests no less than 25% of its net assets in fixed income securities. The Fund will sometimes be more heavily invested in equity securities and at other times it will be more heavily invested in fixed income securities, depending on the appraisal of market and economic conditions by the Adviser. For instance, the Fund may be more heavily invested in equity securities when, in the opinion of the Adviser, interest rates are generally perceived to be rising and the anticipated performance of equity securities is believed to be positive. In such instances, the Fund may invest up to 75% of its net assets in equity securities. Additionally, the Fund may invest up to 75% of its net assets in fixed income securities when, in the opinion of the Adviser, the prospective returns of equity securities appear to be lower or less certain than those of fixed income securities.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund invests in equity securities that the Adviser believes offer growth potential and in fixed income securities that offer the potential for both growth and income. The Adviser focuses on companies it believes are attractively valued relative to their growth prospects. In selecting equity investments, the Adviser considers company fundamentals and the strength of a company’s management, as well as economic, market and regulatory conditions affecting a company or its industry. The Adviser also seeks to identify companies that may be involved in “special situations” which may increase the value of the company’s stock. Special situations include a change in the company’s management or management policies, the acquisition of a significant equity position in the company by others, a merger or reorganization, or the sale or spin-off of a division or subsidiary.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">With respect to fixed income securities, investment emphasis is placed on higher quality issues expected to fluctuate little in value except as a result of changes in prevailing interest rates. The market values of the fixed income securities in the Fund’s portfolio can be expected to vary inversely to changes in prevailing interest rates. Although fixed income investments will generally be made for the purpose of generating interest income, investments in medium to long-term fixed income securities (i.e., those with maturities from five to ten years and those with maturities over ten years, respectively) may be made with a view to realizing capital appreciation when the Adviser believes changes in interest rates will lead to an increase in the values of such securities. The fixed income portion of the Fund’s portfolio will consist primarily of high quality fixed income securities; predominantly, debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, corporate obligations and money market instruments. Fixed income securities will be deemed to be of high quality if they are rated “A” or better by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services (“S&P”) or by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or if unrated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in fixed income securities rated below “A” by S&P or by Moody’s; this limit does not apply to convertible debt securities.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of initial public offerings (“IPOs”) (subject to the Adviser’s discretionary policy based on percentage of investments in the Fund by the Adviser or principals of the Adviser, which, as of the date of this Prospectus, does not permit investments in IPOs by the Fund) and secondary offerings.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Risks</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Risk is inherent in all investing. There is no assurance that the Fund will meet its investment objectives. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of certain risks of investing in the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Credit Risk </b>— Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Dividend Strategy Risk </b>— The Fund’s strategy of investing in dividend-paying stocks involves the risk that such stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform the market. Companies that issue dividend paying-stocks are not required to continue to pay dividends on such stocks. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Equity Securities Risk </b>— The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry).</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Fixed Income Securities Risk</b> — Fixed income securities are subject to issuer risk, interest rate risk and market risk.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Growth Stock Risk</b> — Growth stocks typically are very sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market while the market concentrates on undervalued stocks. Although the Fund will not concentrate its investments in any one industry or industry group, it may, like many growth funds, weight its investments toward certain industries, thus increasing its exposure to factors adversely affecting issuers within those industries.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Offerings Risk </b>— The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of IPOs or secondary offerings of an issuer. IPOs and secondary offerings may have a magnified impact on the performance of a Fund with a small asset base. The impact of IPOs and secondary offerings on a Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce a Fund’s returns. IPOs and secondary offerings may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing. IPO and secondary offering shares frequently are volatile in price due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. Therefore, the Fund may hold IPO and secondary offering shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, IPO and secondary offering shares can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Interest Rate Risk </b>— Interest rates may rise resulting in a decrease in the value of securities held by the Fund, or may fall resulting in an increase in the value of such securities. Securities having longer maturities generally involve a greater risk of fluctuations in the value resulting from changes in interest rates.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Issuer Risk </b>— Changes in the financial condition of the issuer of an obligation, changes in general economic conditions, or changes in economic conditions that affect the issuer may impact its actual or perceived willingness or ability to make timely payments of interest or principal.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Management Risk</b> — The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or sector, or about interest rates generally, may be incorrect. The Adviser’s security selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Market Risk</b> — The price of a security held by the Fund may fall due to changing market, economic or political conditions.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Micro Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Stock prices of micro capitalization companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments than those of larger companies. Micro capitalization companies often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, including small or medium capitalization companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Securities of small or medium capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>“Special Situations” Companies Risk</b> — “Special situations” include a change in management or management policies, the acquisition of a significant equity position in the company by others, a merger or reorganization, or the sale of spin-off of a division or subsidiary which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock. If the actual or prospective situation does not materialize as anticipated, the market price of the securities of a special situation company may decline significantly. There can be no assurance that a special situation that exists at the time of its investment will be consummated under the terms and within the time period contemplated. Investments in “special situations” companies can present greater risks than investments in companies not experiencing special situations.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Undervalued Stock Risk </b>— The Fund may pursue strategies that may include investing in securities, which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are undervalued. The identification of investment opportunities in undervalued securities is a difficult task and there is no assurance that such opportunities will be successfully recognized or acquired. While investments in undervalued securities offer opportunities for above-average capital appreciation, these investments involve a high degree of financial risk and can result in substantial losses.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>U.S. Government Securities Risk</b> — U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored entities. U.S. government securities include issues by non-governmental entities (like financial institutions) that carry direct guarantees from U.S. government agencies as part of government initiatives in response to the market crisis or otherwise. Although the U.S. government guarantees principal and interest payments on securities issued by the U.S. government and some of its agencies, such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), this guarantee does not apply to losses resulting from declines in the market value of these securities. Some of the U.S. government securities that the Fund may hold are not guaranteed or backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, such as those issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Although the U.S. government has recently provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, there can be no assurance that it will support these or other government-sponsored enterprises in the future.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Performance</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares (formerly known as the Investor Class). The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. Both Institutional Class and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the Classes do not have the same expenses. The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown. The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as another benchmark. The Custom Balanced Benchmark reflects an unmanaged portfolio (rebalanced monthly) of 60% of the S&P 500 Index, which is a market capitalization-weighted index of 500 large capitalization stocks commonly used to represent the U.S. equity market, and 40% of the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, which is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade fixed income securities. Unless otherwise stated, all index since inception returns reflect the inception date of the Institutional Class. To the extent the Fund engaged in leverage, this may have affected performance. To the extent that the Fund’s historical performance resulted from gains derived from participation in IPOs and/or secondary offerings, there is no guarantee that these results can be replicated in future periods or that the Fund will be able to participate to the same degree in IPOs and secondary offerings in the future. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Updated performance is available on the Fund’s website at www.alpinefunds.com or by calling 1-888-785-5578.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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. After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.</p>
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0.2873
0.1684
0.0479
0.0958
-0.0475
-0.2811
0.1557
0.1553
0.0096
0.1071
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; width: 100%">
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="4" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best and Worst Quarter Results During the periods shown in the Chart for the Fund</b></font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Worst Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom; background-color: gainsboro">
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">15.45</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">6/30/03</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">(15.08)</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">12/31/08</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
</table>
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0.1071
0.0142
0.0585
0.0468
2001-06-07
0.1039
0.0111
0.0522
0.04
0.0732
0.0112
0.0499
0.0387
0.043
0.0427
2011-12-30
0.16
0.0166
0.071
0.0301
0.1131
0.0381
0.0662
0.0443
0.1263
0.0172
0.0648
0.0381
ADABX
ADBYX
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Reasonable income and conservation of capital are secondary investment objectives.</p>
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares.
25000
0.36
You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments.
The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
1-888-785-5578
www.alpinefunds.com
Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results.
The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown.
Best Quarter
2003-06-30
0.1545
Worst Quarter
2008-12-31
-0.1508
Effective February 28, 2013, the Fund changed the primary benchmark against which it measures its performance to the Custom Balanced Benchmark. The Adviser believes that the Custom Balanced Benchmark more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund.
The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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.
After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.
2013-02-28
2013-03-05
2013-03-05
2012-10-31
Effective February 28, 2013, the Fund changed the primary benchmark against which it measures its performance to the Custom Balanced Benchmark. The Adviser believes that the Custom Balanced Benchmark more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund.
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2013-02-28
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Summary Section – Alpine Dynamic Dividend Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Investment Objectives</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Alpine Dynamic Dividend Fund (the “Dividend Fund”) seeks high current dividend income that qualifies for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates created by the “Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003,” while also focusing on total return for long-term growth of capital.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Fees and Expenses of the Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Shareholder Fees</b><br>(fees paid directly from your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Annual Fund Operating Expenses</b><br>(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Alpine Dynamic Dividend Fund</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Total Returns as of 12/31 of Each Year</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Institutional Class</b></p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ShareholderFeesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005206Member ~ </div>
0.055
0
-0.01
0
0
-0.01
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/OperatingExpensesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005206Member ~ </div>
0.01
0.0025
0.0027
0.0001
0.0153
0.01
0
0.0027
0.0001
0.0128
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Example</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes:</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• 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</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• Your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ExpenseExample column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005206Member ~ </div>
792
1006
1338
2272
230
405
701
1544
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Portfolio Turnover</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">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 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 fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 258% of the average value of its portfolio.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Strategies</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Under normal circumstances, the Dividend Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of certain domestic and foreign corporations that pay dividend income that it believes are undervalued relative to the market and to the securities’ historic valuations. This includes companies that have announced a special dividend or announced that they will pay dividends within six months. The equity securities in which the Fund invests include primarily common stocks. The Fund may, from time to time, also invest in preferred stocks, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), options and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stocks, such as convertible debt.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest without limitation in the securities of foreign issuers that are publicly traded in the United States or on foreign exchanges, provided that no more than 25% of its net assets are invested in emerging markets. The Fund may borrow up to 10% of its total assets for investment purposes.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:justify">Under normal circumstances, the Fund seeks high current dividend income, more than 50% of which qualifies for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates created by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, and is defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as dividends received during the taxable year from domestic and qualified foreign corporations. A qualified foreign corporation is defined as any corporation that is incorporated in a possession of the United States or is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">In the event that the Adviser determines that a particular company’s dividends qualify for favorable U.S. federal tax treatment, the Adviser intends to invest in the equity securities of the company prior to the ex-dividend date (i.e., the date when shareholders no longer are eligible for dividends) and intends to hold the security for at least 61 days during a 121-day period which begins on the date that is 60 days before the ex-dividend date to enable Fund shareholders to take advantage of the reduced U.S. federal tax rates. During this period, the Fund will not hedge its risk of loss with respect to these securities.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">In managing the assets of the Fund, the Adviser generally pursues a value-oriented approach. The Adviser seeks to identify investment opportunities in equity securities of dividend paying companies, including companies that it believes are undervalued relative to the market and to the securities’ historic valuations. Factors that the Adviser considers include fundamental factors such as earnings growth, cash flow, and historical payment of dividends. The Fund’s investment strategies may result in a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 150% on an annual basis.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of initial public offerings (“IPOs”) (subject to the Adviser’s discretionary policy based on percentage of investments in the Fund by the Adviser or principals of the Adviser) and secondary offerings.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund’s 80% investment policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Risks</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Risk is inherent in all investing. There is no assurance that the Fund will meet its investment objectives. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of certain risks of investing in the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Credit Risk</b> — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Dividend Strategy Risk</b> — The Fund’s strategy of investing in dividend-paying stocks involves the risk that such stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform the market. Companies that issue dividend paying-stocks are not required to continue to pay dividends on such stocks. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future. The Fund may hold securities for short periods of time related to the dividend payment periods and may experience loss during these periods.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Emerging Market Securities Risk </b>— The risks of foreign investments are heightened when investing in issuers in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have economic, political and legal systems that are less fully developed and are less stable than those of more developed countries. They are often particularly sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect speculative expectations. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and in extreme price volatility.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Equity Securities Risk</b> — The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry).</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Foreign Currency Transactions Risk</b> — Foreign securities are often denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, the value of the Fund’s shares is affected by changes in exchange rates. The Fund may enter into foreign currency transactions to try to manage this risk. The Fund’s ability to use foreign currency transactions successfully depends on a number of factors, including the foreign currency transactions being available at prices that are not too costly, the availability of liquid markets and the ability of the Adviser to accurately predict the direction of changes in currency exchange rates. The Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in order to protect against possible losses on foreign investments resulting from adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Although this method attempts to protect the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities against a decline in the value of a currency, it does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities and while such contracts tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currency increase.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Foreign Securities Risk</b> — The Fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involve additional risk. Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable government actions, and political or financial instability. Lack of information may also affect the value of these securities. The risks of foreign investment are heightened when investing in issuers of emerging market countries.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Growth Stock Risk</b> — Growth stocks are stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue and earnings. Growth stocks typically are very sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market while the market concentrates on undervalued stocks.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Offerings Risk</b> — The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of IPOs or secondary offerings of an issuer. IPOs and secondary offerings may have a magnified impact on the performance of a Fund with a small asset base. The impact of IPOs and secondary offerings on a Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce a Fund’s returns. IPOs and secondary offerings may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing. IPO and secondary offering shares frequently are volatile in price due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. Therefore, the Fund may hold IPO and secondary offering shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, IPO and secondary offering shares can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Leverage Risk</b> — The Fund may use leverage to purchase securities. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Management Risk </b>— The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or sector, or about interest rates generally, may be incorrect. The Adviser’s security selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Market Risk </b>— The price of a security held by the Fund may fall due to changing market, economic or political conditions.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Micro Capitalization Company Risk </b>— Stock prices of micro capitalization companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments than those of larger companies. Micro capitalization companies often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, including small or medium capitalization companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Portfolio Turnover Risk </b>— High portfolio turnover necessarily results in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Qualified Dividend Tax Risk</b> — Favorable U.S. federal tax treatment of Fund distributions may be adversely affected, changed or repealed by future changes in tax laws.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Securities of small or medium capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Swaps Risk</b> — Swap agreements are derivative instruments that can be individually negotiated and structured to address exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to long- or short-term interest rates, foreign currency values, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors such as security prices or inflation rates. The Fund also may enter into swaptions, which are options to enter into a swap agreement. Since these transactions generally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal, the risk of loss with respect to swap agreements and swaptions generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. There is also a risk of a default by the other party to a swap agreement or swaption, in which case the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that the Fund contractually is entitled to receive.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Undervalued Stock Risk </b>— The Fund may pursue strategies that may include investing in securities, which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are undervalued. The identification of investment opportunities in undervalued securities is a difficult task and there is no assurance that such opportunities will be successfully recognized or acquired. While investments in undervalued securities offer opportunities for above-average capital appreciation, these investments involve a high degree of financial risk and can result in substantial losses.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Performance</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares (formerly known as the Investor Class). The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. Both Institutional Class and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the Classes do not have the same expenses. The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown. The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as another benchmark. Unless otherwise stated, all index since inception returns reflect the inception date of the Institutional Class. To the extent the Fund engaged in leverage, this may have affected performance. To the extent that the Fund’s historical performance resulted from gains derived from participation in IPOs and/or secondary offerings, there is no guarantee that these results can be replicated in future periods or that the Fund will be able to participate to the same degree in IPOs and secondary offerings in the future. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Updated performance is available on the Fund’s website at www.alpinefunds.com or by calling 1-888-785-5578.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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. After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.</p>
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0.2326
0.0724
0.2257
0.0612
-0.4895
0.2565
0.1207
-0.1565
0.0869
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; width: 100%">
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="4" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best and Worst Quarter Results During the periods shown in the Chart for the Fund</b></font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Worst Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom; background-color: gainsboro">
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">15.26</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">12/31/10</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">(24.62)</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">9/30/11</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
</table>
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0.0869
-0.08
0.0315
2003-09-22
0.0547
-0.1113
0.0035
0.0759
-0.0741
0.0235
0.0248
0.0247
2011-12-30
0.168
-0.0061
0.0695
0.16
0.0166
0.0565
0.1314
-0.0207
0.0545
2003-09-25
ADAVX
ADVDX
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares.
25000
2.58
You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments.
The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
1-888-785-5578
www.alpinefunds.com
Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results.
The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown.
Best Quarter
2010-12-31
0.1526
Worst Quarter
2011-09-30
-0.2462
Effective February 28, 2013, the Fund changed the benchmark against which it measures its performance from the S&P 500 Index to the MSCI All Country World Index. The Adviser believes the MSCI All Country World Index more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund.
The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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.
After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.
Effective February 28, 2013, the Fund changed the benchmark against which it measures its performance from the S&P 500 Index to the MSCI All Country World Index. The Adviser believes the MSCI All Country World Index more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund.
The Lipper Global Multi-Cap Core Funds Average reflects a return from September 25, 2003 to December 31, 2012.
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Summary Section – Alpine Financial Services Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Investment Objective</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Alpine Financial Services Fund (the “Financial Services Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital and consistent above average total returns as compared to those typical of investments made in public equities.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Fees and Expenses of the Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Shareholder Fees</b><br>(fees paid directly from your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Annual Fund Operating Expenses</b><br>(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Alpine Financial Services Fund</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Total Returns as of 12/31 of Each Year</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Institutional Class</b></p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ShareholderFeesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005207Member ~ </div>
0.055
0
-0.01
0
0
-0.01
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/OperatingExpensesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005207Member ~ </div>
0.01
0.0025
0.0091
0.0003
0.0004
0.0223
-0.0056
0.0167
0.01
0
0.0091
0.0003
0.0004
0.0198
-0.0056
0.0142
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Example</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes:</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• 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</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• Your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ExpenseExample column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005207Member ~ </div>
805
1158
1631
2932
245
567
1016
2261
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Portfolio Turnover</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">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 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 fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 120% of the average value of its portfolio.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Strategies</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Under normal circumstances, the Financial Services Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of certain U.S. and foreign companies engaged in the financial services industry. For purposes of selecting investments, the Fund defines financial services industry broadly. Companies in the financial services industry include, but are not limited to, companies involved in activities such as banking, mortgage finance, consumer finance, specialized finance, industrial finance and leasing, investment banking and brokerage, asset management and custody, corporate lending, insurance, financial investment, and real estate, including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">In particular, the Fund invests a substantial percentage of its net assets in equity securities issued by banks that the Adviser believes have strong growth prospects or takeover potential. Such equity securities will primarily include common stocks and preferred stocks which the Fund may acquire through direct investments or private placements.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest without limitation in the securities of foreign issuers that are publicly traded in the United States or on foreign exchanges.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">In managing the assets of the Fund, the Adviser generally pursues a value-oriented approach. The Adviser seeks to identify investment opportunities in equity securities of banks and other financial service companies that it believes are undervalued relative to the market and to the securities’ historic valuations. The equity securities of the financial institutions in which the Fund invests are not subject to specific restrictions as to market capitalizations, however, it is expected that the Fund’s investment program will emphasize smaller market capitalizations, including micro-capitalization companies. Factors that the Adviser considers include fundamental factors such as earnings growth, cash flow, and industry and market–specific trends.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund’s investment strategy may result in a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 150% on an annual basis.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of initial public offerings (“IPOs”) (subject to the Adviser’s discretionary policy based on percentage of investments in the Fund by the Adviser or principals of the Adviser) and secondary offerings.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund’s 80% investment policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Risks</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Risk is inherent in all investing. There is no assurance that the Fund will meet its investment objective. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of certain risks of investing in the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Concentration Risk</b> — The Fund’s strategy of concentrating in companies in a specific industry means that its performance will be closely tied to the performance of a particular market segment. The Fund’s concentration in these companies may present more risks than if it were broadly diversified over numerous industries and sectors of the economy. A downturn in these companies would have a larger impact on the Fund than on a mutual fund that does not concentrate in such companies. At times, the performance of these companies will lag the performance of other industries or the broader market as a whole.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Equity Securities Risk</b> — The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry).</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Financial Services Industry Concentration Risk</b> — The Fund is subject to the risk of concentrating investments in financial services companies, which makes it more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers within that industry than would a fund investing in a more diversified portfolio of securities. Economic downturns, credit losses and severe price competition can negatively affect this industry. The profitability of financial services companies is dependent on the availability and cost of capital and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Financial services companies are also subject to extensive government regulation. The impact of recent legislation on any individual company or on the industry as a whole cannot be predicted.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Foreign Currency Transactions Risk</b> — Foreign securities are often denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, the value of the Fund’s shares is affected by changes in exchange rates. The Fund may enter into foreign currency transactions to try to manage this risk. The Fund’s ability to use foreign currency transactions successfully depends on a number of factors, including the foreign currency transactions being available at prices that are not too costly, the availability of liquid markets and the ability of the Adviser to accurately predict the direction of changes in currency exchange rates.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Foreign Securities Risk</b> — The Fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involve additional risk. Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable government actions, and political or financial instability. Lack of information may also affect the value of these securities. The risks of foreign investments are heightened when investing in issuers in emerging market countries.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Growth Stock Risk</b> — Growth stocks are stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue and earnings. Growth stocks typically are very sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market while the market concentrates on undervalued stocks.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Offerings Risk </b>— The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of IPOs or secondary offerings of an issuer. IPOs and secondary offerings may have a magnified impact on the performance of a Fund with a small asset base. The impact of IPOs and secondary offerings on a Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce a Fund’s returns. IPOs and secondary offerings may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing. IPO and secondary offering shares frequently are volatile in price due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. Therefore, the Fund may hold IPO and secondary offering shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, IPO and secondary offering shares can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Leverage Risk </b>— The Fund may use leverage to purchase securities. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Liquidity Risk </b>— Some securities held by the Fund may be difficult to sell, or illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil. Illiquid securities may also be difficult to value. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid asset to meet redemption requests or other cash needs, the Fund may be forced to sell at a loss.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Management Risk</b> — The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or sector, or about interest rates generally, may be incorrect. The Adviser’s security selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Market Risk</b> — The price of a security held by the Fund may fall due to changing market, economic or political conditions.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Micro Capitalization Company Risk </b>— Stock prices of micro capitalization companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments than those of larger companies. Micro capitalization companies often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, including small or medium capitalization companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Portfolio Turnover Risk</b> — High portfolio turnover necessarily results in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Securities of small or medium capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Undervalued Stock Risk </b>— The Fund may pursue strategies that may include investing in securities, which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are undervalued. The identification of investment opportunities in undervalued securities is a difficult task and there is no assurance that such opportunities will be successfully recognized or acquired. While investments in undervalued securities offer opportunities for above-average capital appreciation, these investments involve a high degree of financial risk and can result in substantial losses.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Performance</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares (formerly known as the Investor Class). The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. Both Institutional Class and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the Classes do not have the same expenses. The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown. The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as indices that reflect the market sectors in which the Fund invests. Unless otherwise stated, all index since inception returns reflect the inception date of the Institutional Class. To the extent the Fund engaged in leverage, this may have affected performance. The Fund’s past performance benefitted significantly from IPOs of certain issuers and secondary offerings have also contributed to the Fund’s past performance and there is no guarantee that these results can be replicated in future periods or that the Fund will be able to participate to the same degree in IPOs and secondary offerings in the future. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Updated performance is available on the Fund’s website at www.alpinefunds.com or by calling 1-888-785-5578.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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. After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/BarChartData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005207Member ~ </div>
0.2977
0.0844
-0.4508
0.4308
0.1776
-0.1976
0.3014
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; width: 100%">
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="4" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best and Worst Quarter Results During the periods shown in the Chart for the Fund</b></font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Worst Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom; background-color: gainsboro">
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">34.43</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">6/30/09</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">(23.30)</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">9/30/11</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
</table>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/PerformanceTableData row primary compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000005207Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * column rr_PerformanceMeasureAxis compact * ~</div>
0.3014
-0.0068
0.0476
2005-11-01
0.3014
-0.0133
0.0275
0.1959
-0.0101
0.0295
0.2274
0.226
2011-12-30
0.3303
-0.0827
-0.0638
0.1785
-0.025
-0.0079
0.2337
-0.0444
-0.0257
2005-11-03
ADAFX
ADFSX
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares.
25000
2014-02-28
1.2
Under normal circumstances, the Financial Services Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of certain U.S. and foreign companies engaged in the financial services industry.
You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments.
The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
1-888-785-5578
www.alpinefunds.com
Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results.
The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown.
Best Quarter
2009-06-30
0.3443
Worst Quarter
2011-09-30
-0.233
The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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.
After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.
The Adviser has agreed contractually to waive and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund so that total annual fund operating expenses (including 12b-1 fees, but excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed annually 1.60% of the average net assets of the Class A shares and 1.35% of the average net assets of the Institutional Class. Total annual fund operating expenses after waiving fees and/or reimbursing expenses exceed the expense cap by 0.07% as a result of interest expense and acquired fund fees and expenses. This arrangement cannot be terminated prior to February 28, 2014 without the Board of Trustees' consent. The Adviser may recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class if such recapture occurs within three years of the waiver and/or reimbursement and does not cause the total annual fund operating expenses of the Fund for any year to exceed the limits described above.
The Lipper Financial Services Funds Average reflects a return from November 3, 2005 to December 31, 2012.
0001142010
alpinest:S000012556Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000012556Member
alpinest:C000109316Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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alpinest:C000034138Member
rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
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rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000012556Member
alpinest:C000034138Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000012556Member
alpinest:index10Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000012556Member
alpinest:index11Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000012556Member
alpinest:index12Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000012556Member
alpinest:index13Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Summary Section – Alpine Innovators Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Investment Objective</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Alpine Innovators Fund (the “Innovators Fund”) seeks capital appreciation.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Fees and Expenses of the Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Shareholder Fees</b><br>(fees paid directly from your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Annual Fund Operating Expenses</b><br>(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Alpine Innovators Fund</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Total Returns as of 12/31 of Each Year</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b> Institutional Class</b></p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ShareholderFeesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000012556Member ~ </div>
0.055
0
-0.01
0
0
-0.01
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/OperatingExpensesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000012556Member ~ </div>
0.01
0.0025
0.0066
0.0001
0.0192
-0.0031
0.0161
0.01
0
0.0066
0.0001
0.0167
-0.0031
0.0136
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Example</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes:</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• 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</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• Your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ExpenseExample column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000012556Member ~ </div>
800
1091
1502
2647
238
496
878
1950
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Portfolio Turnover</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">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 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 fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 29% of the average value of its portfolio.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Strategies</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Under normal circumstances, the Innovators Fund primarily invests its net assets in the equity securities of U.S. and foreign companies that the Adviser believes have a competitive advantage and offer superior growth potential due to the innovative nature of each company’s products, technology or business model. Such equity securities will primarily include common stocks listed on public exchanges, but may include securities acquired through direct investments or private placements.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in the securities of foreign issuers that are publicly traded in the United States or on foreign exchanges.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund does not have a policy to concentrate its investments in securities of issuers in any particular industry, but rather the Adviser seeks to identify investment opportunities in securities of entrepreneurial businesses that it believes are undervalued and well positioned to benefit from opportunities in the global economy. Factors that the Adviser considers include, but are not limited to, demonstrated technological leadership, new disruptive technologies, introduction of new and better products, innovative business models, potential for merger or acquisition and potential to benefit from deregulation or consolidation events. The Adviser considers “disruptive technologies” to be of a kind to alter a company’s methods of production, or to modify existing processes, and which serve to create new techniques for delivering value to customers.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest in innovative companies with any market capitalization, however, innovative stocks tend to be companies with smaller market capitalizations.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of initial public offerings (“IPOs”) (subject to the Adviser’s discretionary policy based on percentage of investments in the Fund by the Adviser or principals of the Adviser, which, as of the date of this Prospectus, does not permit investments in IPOs by the Fund) and secondary offerings.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Risks</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Risk is inherent in all investing. There is no assurance that the Fund will meet its investment objective. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of certain risks of investing in the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Equity Securities Risk</b> — The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry).</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Growth Stock Risk</b> — Growth stocks are stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue and earnings. Growth stocks typically are very sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market while the market concentrates on undervalued stocks.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Offerings Risk</b> — The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of IPOs or secondary offerings of an issuer. IPOs and secondary offerings may have a magnified impact on the performance of a Fund with a small asset base. The impact of IPOs and secondary offerings on a Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce a Fund’s returns. IPOs and secondary offerings may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing. IPO and secondary offering shares frequently are volatile in price due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. Therefore, the Fund may hold IPO and secondary offering shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, IPO and secondary offering shares can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Innovators Risk </b>— The Adviser seeks to invest in the securities of companies that the Adviser believes have a competitive advantage and offer superior growth potential due to the innovative nature of each company’s products, technology or business model. No assurance can be made that these perceived innovations will occur, or, if they do, that they will result in the vigorous growth anticipated by the Adviser or such growth may be significantly delayed.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Leverage Risk</b> — The Fund may use leverage to purchase securities. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Management Risk </b>— The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or sector, or about interest rates generally, may be incorrect. The Adviser’s security selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Market Risk</b> — The price of a security held by the Fund may fall due to changing market, economic or political conditions.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Micro Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Stock prices of micro capitalization companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments than those of larger companies. Micro capitalization companies often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, including small or medium capitalization companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Securities of small or medium capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger companies. Innovative companies may lack profitability which in turn may result in the lack of innovative support.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Undervalued Stock Risk </b>— The Fund may pursue strategies that may include investing in securities, which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are undervalued. The identification of investment opportunities in undervalued securities is a difficult task and there is no assurance that such opportunities will be successfully recognized or acquired. While investments in undervalued securities offer opportunities for above-average capital appreciation, these investments involve a high degree of financial risk and can result in substantial losses.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Performance</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares (formerly known as the Investor Class). The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. Both Institutional Class and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the Classes do not have the same expenses. The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown. Unless otherwise stated, all index since inception returns reflect the inception date of the Institutional Class. The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as other benchmarks. To the extent the Fund engaged in leverage, this may have affected performance. The Fund’s past performance benefitted significantly from IPOs of certain issuers, and there is no guarantee that these results can be replicated in future periods or that the Fund will be able to participate to the same degree in IPOs and secondary offerings in the future. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Updated performance is available on the Fund’s website at www.alpinefunds.com or by calling 1-888-785-5578.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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. After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/BarChartData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000012556Member ~ </div>
0.349
-0.5534
0.505
0.1601
-0.0388
0.1396
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; width: 100%">
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="4" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best and Worst Quarter Results During the periods shown in the Chart for the Fund</b></font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b> Best Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Worst Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom; background-color: gainsboro">
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">28.46</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">6/30/09</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">(40.82)</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">12/31/08</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
</table>
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0.1396
-0.0311
0.0314
2006-07-11
0.1396
-0.0311
0.0285
0.0908
-0.0261
0.0254
0.0734
0.073
2011-12-30
0.1642
0.0204
0.0426
0.16
0.0166
0.0406
0.1459
0.0349
0.0535
0.1525
0.0094
0.0503
2006-07-13
ADIAX
ADINX
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares.
25000
2014-02-28
0.29
You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments.
The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
1-888-785-5578
www.alpinefunds.com
Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results.
The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown.
Best Quarter
2009-06-30
0.2846
Worst Quarter
2008-12-31
-0.4082
Effective February 28, 2012, the Fund changed its primary benchmark against which it measures its performance to the Russell 3000 Index. The Adviser believes that the Russell 3000 Index more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund. Effective February 28, 2012, the Fund has added the S&P 500 Index as a broad based market index.
The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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.
After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.
The Adviser has agreed contractually to waive and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund so that total annual fund operating expenses (including 12b-1 fees, but excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed annually 1.60% of the average net assets of the Class A shares and 1.35% of the average net assets of the Institutional Class. This arrangement cannot be terminated prior to February 28, 2014 without the Board of Trustees' consent. Total annual fund operating expenses after waiving fees and/or reimbursing expenses exceed the expense cap by 0.01% as a result of interest expense. The Adviser may recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class if such recapture occurs within three years of the waiver and/or reimbursement and does not cause the total annual fund operating expenses of the Fund for any year to exceed the limits described above.
Effective February 28, 2012, the Fund changed its primary benchmark against which it measures its performance to the Russell 3000 Index. The Adviser believes that the Russell 3000 Index more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund. Effective February 28, 2012, the Fund has added the S&P 500 Index as a broad based market index.
The Lipper Multi-Cap Growth Funds Average reflects a return from July 13, 2006 through December 31, 2012.
0001142010
alpinest:S000020823Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000020823Member
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
alpinest:S000020823Member
alpinest:index14Member
2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
0001142010
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
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2013-02-28
2013-02-28
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Summary Section – Alpine Transformations Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Investment Objective</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Alpine Transformations Fund (the “Transformations Fund”) seeks capital appreciation.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Fees and Expenses of the Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Shareholder Fees</b><br>(fees paid directly from your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Annual Fund Operating Expenses</b><br>(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Alpine Transformations Fund</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Total Returns as of 12/31 of Each Year</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Institutional Class</b></p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ShareholderFeesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000020823Member ~ </div>
0.055
0
-0.01
0
0
-0.01
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/OperatingExpensesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000020823Member ~ </div>
0.01
0.0025
0.0098
0.0223
-0.0063
0.016
0.01
0
0.0098
0.0198
-0.0063
0.0135
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Example</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes:</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• 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</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• Your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ExpenseExample column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000020823Member ~ </div>
799
1152
1625
2926
237
560
1009
2256
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Portfolio Turnover</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">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 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 fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 63% of the average value of its portfolio.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Strategies</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Under normal circumstances, the Transformations Fund seeks to invest in equity securities of companies that, in the Adviser’s estimation, are entering or on the verge of entering an accelerated growth period catalyzed by transformation. The Adviser believes that companies may experience transformation by (i) using existing assets more effectively, including through reorganization or rejuvenation of its management or business model or (ii) developing new concepts, including product, technology or business model concepts. The Adviser believes that acceleration and deceleration of every company’s growth is inevitable during its life cycle. The Adviser seeks to identify companies that are poised for transformation and an accelerated growth period by evaluating corporate management and its strategic capabilities, the competitive environment of a company and the company’s resources available for mobilization.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">In managing the assets of the Fund, the Adviser pursues a value-oriented approach. The Adviser seeks to identify investment opportunities in securities of companies that it believes are undervalued in light of the companies’ potential for vigorous growth. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization, including established companies or those with little operating history.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund does not have a policy to concentrate its investments in securities of issuers in any particular industry, but rather the Adviser seeks to identify businesses that it believes are well positioned to benefit from corporate transformation. Factors that the Adviser considers include, but are not limited to, strong financial resources, new or reorganized corporate management, demonstrated technological leadership, introduction of new and better products, innovative business models and potential to benefit from deregulation. In addition, these factors may indicate to the Adviser that a company has potential for transformation in the form of a merger or acquisition or other consolidation event, any of which may stimulate growth.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest without limitation in foreign securities, including direct investments in securities of foreign issuers and investments in depositary receipts (such as ADRs) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. The Fund is not restricted on how much may be invested issuers of a single country, provided that it limits its investment in countries that are considered “emerging markets” to no more than 35% of its net assets.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Equity securities in which the Fund invests will primarily include common stocks listed on public exchanges, but may include securities acquired through direct investments or private placements, subject to the Fund’s limitation on holding illiquid securities. The Fund’s investments may also include other types of equity or equity-related securities, including convertible preferred stock or debt, rights and warrants.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of initial public offerings (“IPOs”) (subject to the Adviser’s discretionary policy based on percentage of investments in the Fund by the Adviser or principals of the Adviser, which, as of the date of this Prospectus, does not permit investments in IPOs by the Fund) and secondary offerings.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Risks</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Risk is inherent in all investing. There is no assurance that the Fund will meet its investment objective. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of certain risks of investing in the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Equity Securities Risk</b> — The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry).</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Foreign Securities Risk</b> — The Fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involve additional risk. Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable government actions, and political or financial instability. Lack of information may also affect the value of these securities. The risks of foreign investments are heightened when investing in issuers in emerging market countries.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Growth Stock Risk </b>— Growth stocks are stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue and earnings. Growth stocks typically are very sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market while the market concentrates on undervalued stocks.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Offerings Risk</b> — The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of IPOs or secondary offerings of an issuer. IPOs and secondary offerings may have a magnified impact on the performance of a Fund with a small asset base. The impact of IPOs and secondary offerings on a Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce a Fund’s returns. IPOs and secondary offerings may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing. IPO and secondary offering shares frequently are volatile in price due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. Therefore, the Fund may hold IPO and secondary offering shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, IPO and secondary offering shares can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Management Risk </b>— The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or sector, or about interest rates generally, may be incorrect. The Adviser’s security selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Market Risk </b>— The price of a security held by the Fund may fall due to changing market, economic or political conditions.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Micro Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Stock prices of micro capitalization companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments than those of larger companies. Micro capitalization companies often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, including small or medium capitalization companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Securities of small or medium capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>"Special Situations" Companies Risk</b> — “Special situations” include a change in management or management policies, the acquisition of a significant equity position in the company by others, a merger or reorganization, or the sale of spin-off of a division or subsidiary which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock. If the actual or prospective situation does not materialize as anticipated, the market price of the securities of a special situation company may decline significantly. There can be no assurance that a special situation that exists at the time of its investment will be consummated under the terms and within the time period contemplated. Investments in “special situations” companies can present greater risks than investments in companies not experiencing special situations.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Transformation Risk </b>— The Adviser seeks to invest in the securities of companies that the Adviser believes are entering or on the verge of entering a corporate transformation. No assurance can be made that these transformations will result in the vigorous growth anticipated by the Adviser or such growth may be significantly delayed.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Undervalued Stock Risk </b>— The Fund may pursue strategies that may include investing in securities, which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are undervalued. The identification of investment opportunities in undervalued securities is a difficult task and there is no assurance that such opportunities will be successfully recognized or acquired. While investments in undervalued securities offer opportunities for above-average capital appreciation, these investments involve a high degree of financial risk and can result in substantial losses.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Performance</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares (formerly known as the Investor Class). The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. Both Institutional Class and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the Classes do not have the same expenses. The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown. The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as other benchmarks. Unless otherwise stated, all index since inception returns reflect the inception date of the Institutional Class. To the extent the Fund engaged in leverage, this may have affected performance. To the extent that the Fund’s historical performance resulted from gains derived from participation in IPOs and/or secondary offerings, there is no guarantee that these results can be replicated in future periods or that the Fund will be able to participate to the same degree in IPOs and secondary offerings in the future. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Updated performance is available on the Fund’s website at www.alpinefunds.com or by calling 1-888-785-5578.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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. After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.</p>
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-0.4742
0.7203
0.265
-0.0123
0.0981
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; width: 100%">
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="4" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best and Worst Quarter Results During the periods shown in the Chart for the Fund</b></font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Worst Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom; background-color: gainsboro">
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">34.69</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">6/30/09</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">(26.00)</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">9/30/08</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
</table>
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0.0981
0.0441
0.0441
2007-12-31
0.097
0.0434
0.0434
0.0652
0.0376
0.0376
0.0346
0.0344
2011-12-30
0.1642
0.0204
0.0191
0.16
0.0166
0.0152
0.1788
0.0514
0.0502
0.1805
0.0355
0.0343
0.1525
0.0094
0.0094
ADATX
ADTRX
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares.
25000
2014-02-28
0.63
You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments.
The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
1-888-785-5578
www.alpinefunds.com
Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results.
The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown.
Best Quarter
2009-06-30
0.3469
Worst Quarter
2008-09-30
-0.26
Effective February 28, 2012, the Fund changed the benchmark against which it measures its performance from the S&P 400 Index to the Russell 3000 Index. The Adviser believes that the Russell 3000 Index more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund.
The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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.
After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.
The Adviser has agreed contractually to waive and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund so that total annual fund operating expenses (including 12b-1 fees, but excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed annually 1.60% of the average net assets of the Class A shares and 1.35% of the average net assets of the Institutional Class. This arrangement cannot be terminated prior to February 28, 2014 without the Board of Trustees' consent. The Adviser may recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class if such recapture occurs within three years of the waiver and/or reimbursement and does not cause the total annual fund operating expenses of the Fund for any year to exceed the limits described above.
Effective February 28, 2012, the Fund changed the benchmark against which it measures its performance from the S&P 400 Index to the Russell 3000 Index. The Adviser believes that the Russell 3000 Index more accurately reflects the investment strategy of the Fund.
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<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Summary Section – Alpine Accelerating Dividend Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Investment Objectives</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Alpine Accelerating Dividend Fund (the “Accelerating Dividend Fund”) seeks income.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Fees and Expenses of the Fund</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Shareholder Fees</b><br>(fees paid directly from your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Annual Fund Operating Expenses</b><br>(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Alpine Accelerating Dividend Fund</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Total Returns as of 12/31 Each Year</b></p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:center"><b>Institutional Class</b></p>
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0.055
0
-0.01
0
0
-0.01
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0.01
0.0025
0.0226
0.0351
-0.0191
0.016
0.01
0
0.0226
0.0326
-0.0191
0.0135
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Example</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes:</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• 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</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• Your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:</p>
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799
1401
2118
4007
237
825
1537
3428
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><i><b>Portfolio Turnover</b></i></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">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 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 fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 73% of the average value of its portfolio.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Strategies</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Under normal circumstances, the Accelerating Dividend Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of certain domestic and foreign companies that pay dividends. This includes companies that have announced a special dividend or announced that they will pay dividends within six months. The Fund seeks to provide dividend income without regard to whether the dividends qualify for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Under normal circumstances, the Fund expects to invest in the equity securities of U.S. issuers, as well as in non-U.S. issuers.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund combines three research driven investment strategies — dividend, growth and value — to generate sustainable distributed dividend income and to identify issuers globally with the potential for accelerating dividends and capital appreciation. The Fund seeks to invest in issuers with a history of or potential for “accelerating dividends,” dividends that increase over time and where the amount of such increases grows over time. In selecting issuers, the Adviser analyzes each company’s dividend history, free cash flow and dividend payout ratios to assess that company’s potential to provide accelerating dividends as well the sustainability of dividend growth. The Fund uses a multi-cap, multi-sector, multi-style approach to invest in the securities of issuers of any capitalization level and in any sector or industry.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund invests in the equity securities of U.S. and foreign issuers, including those in emerging markets. The Fund is not restricted with respect to how much it may invest in the issuers of any single country or the amount it may invest in non-U.S. issuers, provided the Fund limits its investments in countries that are considered emerging markets to no more than 25% of its net assets at the time of investment. An “emerging market” country is any country that is listed on the MSCI Emerging Market Index. Allocation of the Fund’s assets among countries is dependent on the economic outlook of those countries and the dividends available in their markets. The Adviser screens the U.S. and foreign issuers in which it considers investing using the same criteria, including accelerating dividends, sufficiently liquid trading in an established market, and also its judgment that the issuer may have good prospects for earnings growth or may be undervalued.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund’s investment strategy may result in a portfolio turnover rate in excess of 150% on an annual basis.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Certain of the Fund’s investment strategies may limit the amount of dividend income the Fund receives from qualifying for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. As a result, there can be no assurance as to what portion of the Fund’s distributions will be designated as qualified dividend income.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of initial public offerings (“IPOs”) (subject to the Adviser’s discretionary policy based on percentage of investments in the Fund by the Adviser or principals of the Adviser, which, as of the date of this Prospectus, does not permit investments in IPOs by the Fund) and secondary offerings.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The Fund’s 80% investment policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Principal Investment Risks</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Risk is inherent in all investing. There is no assurance that the Fund will meet its investment objectives. The value of your investment in the Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of certain risks of investing in the Fund.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Dividend Strategy Risk</b> — The Fund’s strategy of investing in dividend-paying stocks involves the risk that such stocks may fall out favor with investors and underperform the market. Companies that issue dividend paying-stocks are not required to continue to pay dividends on such stocks. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future or the anticipated acceleration of dividends could not occur.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Equity Securities Risk</b> — The stock or other security of a company may not perform as well as expected, and may decrease in value, because of factors related to the company (such as poorer than expected earnings or certain management decisions) or to the industry in which the company is engaged (such as a reduction in the demand for products or services in a particular industry).</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Foreign Currency Transactions Risk</b> — Foreign securities are often denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, the value of the Fund’s shares is affected by changes in exchange rates. The Fund may enter into foreign currency transactions to try to manage this risk. The Fund’s ability to use foreign currency transactions successfully depends on a number of factors, including the foreign currency transactions being available at prices that are not too costly, the availability of liquid markets and the ability of the Adviser to accurately predict the direction of changes in currency exchange rates.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Foreign Securities Risk</b> — The Fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involve additional risk. Foreign countries in which the Fund may invest may have markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets. The value of the Fund’s investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable government actions, and political or financial instability. Lack of information may also affect the value of these securities. The risks of foreign investments are heightened when investing in issuers in emerging market countries.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Growth Stock Risk</b> — Growth stocks typically are very sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of growth stocks typically fall. Growth stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market while the market concentrates on undervalued stocks. Although the Fund will not concentrate its investments in any one industry or industry group, it may, like many growth funds, weight its investments toward certain industries, thus increasing its exposure to factors adversely affecting issuers within those industries.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Offerings Risk</b> — The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in shares of IPOs or secondary offerings of an issuer. IPOs and secondary offerings may have a magnified impact on the performance of a Fund with a small asset base. The impact of IPOs and secondary offerings on a Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce a Fund’s returns. IPOs and secondary offerings may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing. IPO and secondary offering shares frequently are volatile in price due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. Therefore, the Fund may hold IPO and secondary offering shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, IPO and secondary offering shares can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Management Risk</b> — The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield or value of, or market trends affecting, a particular security or sector, or about interest rates generally, may be incorrect. The Adviser’s security selections and other investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when compared to other funds with similar investment objectives and strategies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Market Risk</b> — The price of a security held by the Fund may fall due to changing market, economic or political conditions.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Micro Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Stock prices of micro capitalization companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments than those of larger companies. Micro capitalization companies often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies, including small or medium capitalization companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Portfolio Turnover Risk</b> — High portfolio turnover necessarily results in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Small and Medium Capitalization Company Risk</b> — Securities of small or medium capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market values, less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult for the Adviser to sell at times and at prices that the Adviser believes appropriate and generally are more volatile than those of larger companies.</p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> </p><p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">• <b>Undervalued Stock Risk </b>— The Fund may pursue strategies that may include investing in securities, which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are undervalued. The identification of investment opportunities in undervalued securities is a difficult task and there is no assurance that such opportunities will be successfully recognized or acquired. While investments in undervalued securities offer opportunities for above-average capital appreciation, these investments involve a high degree of financial risk and can result in substantial losses.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left"><b>Performance</b></p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares (formerly known as the Investor Class). The Class A shares of the Fund were not issued prior to December 30, 2011. Both Institutional Class and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the Classes do not have the same expenses. The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown. The table following the bar chart compares the Fund’s performance over time with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as other benchmarks. Unless otherwise stated, all index since inception returns reflect the inception date of the Institutional Class. To the extent the Fund engaged in leverage, this may have affected performance. To the extent that the Fund’s historical performance resulted from gains derived from participation in IPOs and/or secondary offerings, there is no guarantee that these results can be replicated in future periods or that the Fund will be able to participate to the same degree in IPOs and secondary offerings in the future. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results. Updated performance is available on the Fund’s website at www.alpinefunds.com or by calling 1-888-785-5578.</p>
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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. After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.</p>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/BarChartData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000024118Member ~ </div>
0.2294
0.1394
0.0064
0.1264
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; width: 100%">
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="4" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best and Worst Quarter Results During the periods shown in the Chart for the Fund</b></font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom">
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Best Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><b>Worst Quarter</b></font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom; background-color: gainsboro">
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">14.26</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">9/30/09</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">(15.77)</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> %</font></td>
<td style="width: 25%; text-align: center"><font style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">9/30/11</font><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></td></tr>
</table>
<div style="display: none;"> ~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/PerformanceTableData row primary compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact alpinest_S000024118Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * column rr_PerformanceMeasureAxis compact * ~</div>
0.1264
0.1212
2008-11-05
0.1087
0.1084
0.0906
0.1014
0.0619
0.0615
2011-12-30
0.16
0.1125
0.1024
0.1087
0.1245
0.1297
2008-11-06
AAADX
AADDX
<p style="font: 11pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-align:left">Long-term growth of capital is a secondary objective.</p>
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Fund’s Class A shares.
25000
2014-02-28
0.73
You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments.
The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.
1-888-785-5578
www.alpinefunds.com
Past performance (before and after taxes) is not a prediction of future results.
The Fund’s sales load is not reflected in the bar chart, if it were, returns would be less than those shown.
Best Quarter
2009-09-30
0.1426
Worst Quarter
2011-09-30
-0.1577
The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares, are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the 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.
After-tax returns for Class A shares will vary from returns shown for Institutional Class shares.
The Adviser has agreed contractually to waive and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund so that total annual fund operating expenses (including 12b-1 fees, but excluding interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed annually 1.60% of the average net assets of the Class A shares and 1.35% of the average net assets of the Institutional Class. This arrangement cannot be terminated prior to February 28, 2014 without the Board of Trustees' consent. The Adviser may recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed to a class if such recapture occurs within three years of the waiver and/or reimbursement and does not cause the total annual fund operating expenses of the Fund for any year to exceed the limits described above.
The Lipper Equity Income Funds Average reflects a return from November 6, 2008 to December 31, 2012.