497K 1 d852497d497k.htm TAF-R_SP SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND - ABC TAF-R_SP Small Cap Growth Fund - ABC
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund
Summary Prospectus
March 1, 2020 Class Ticker Symbols
  A ALSAX
B ALSCX
C AGSCX
Optional Internet Availability of Alger Shareholder Reports
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically by signing up for paperless delivery at www.icsdelivery.com/alger. If you own these shares through a financial intermediary, contact your financial intermediary.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. You can inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports by contacting us at 1-866-345-5954 or fundreports.com. If you own these shares through a financial intermediary, contact your financial intermediary to elect to continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with the Alger Fund Complex or your financial intermediary.
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s Prospectus, reports to shareholders, and other information about the Fund online at www.alger.com. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) 992-3863 or by sending an e-mail request to summaryprospectus@alger.com. The Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, both dated March 1, 2020, are incorporated by reference to this Summary Prospectus, and may be obtained at no cost in the same manner as described above.
Investment Objective
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. 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 Class A Shares of the Alger Family of Funds, including the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Purchasing and Redeeming Fund Shares” on page 66 and in Appendix A – Waivers and Discounts Available from Intermediaries on page A-1 in the Fund’s Prospectus, and in the sections “Right of Accumulation (Class A Shares)” and “Letter of Intent (Class A Shares)” on page 26 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
  Alger Small Cap Growth Fund
Class A   B   C
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases as a % of offering price 5.25%   None   None
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower None*   5.00%   1.00%
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Advisory Fees .81%   .81%   .81%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees .25%   1.00%   1.00%
Other Expenses .33%   .38%   .39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.39%   2.19%**   2.20%
* Purchases of $1 million or more of Class A Shares at net asset value may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase.
** For the year ended October 31, 2019, Fred Alger Management, LLC voluntarily waived $87,393 of Class B Share's expenses, which is not reflected in the above table. Such waiver is not guaranteed to continue.
Inspired by Change, Driven by Growth.

 

Alger Small Cap Growth Fund 2/5
Summary Prospectus
March 1, 2020
Example
The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The examples assume that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions you would pay the following expenses if you redeemed your shares at the end of each period:
  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Class A $659 $942 $1,246 $2,106
Class B $722 $985 $1,375 $2,321
Class C $323 $688 $1,180 $2,534
You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:
Class B $222 $685 $1,175 $2,321
Class C $223 $688 $1,180 $2,534
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the examples, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 17.09% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
Fred Alger Management, LLC believes companies undergoing Positive Dynamic Change offer the best investment opportunities. Positive Dynamic Change refers to companies realizing High Unit Volume Growth or companies undergoing Positive Lifecycle Change. High Unit Volume Growth companies are traditional growth companies experiencing, for example, rapidly growing demand or market dominance. Positive Lifecycle Change companies are, for example, companies benefitting from new regulations, a new product innovation or new management.
The Fund focuses on small, fast-growing companies that Fred Alger Management, LLC believes offer innovative products, services or technologies to a rapidly-expanding marketplace. The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies that, at the time of purchase of the securities, have total market capitalization between (1) the higher of (a) $5 billion or (b) the company in either the Russell 2000 Growth Index or the MSCI USA Small Cap Index (each, an “Index” and together, the “Indexes”) with the highest capitalization, and (2) the company in either Index with the lowest capitalization, at any time during the most recent 12-month period as reported by either Index. Both Indexes are broad-based indexes of small capitalization stocks. At December 31, 2019, the market capitalization of the companies in the Indexes ranged from $13 million to $27.34 billion. Because of the Fund’s long-term approach to investing, it could have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of issuers that have appreciated beyond the market capitalization thresholds noted. Equity securities include common or preferred stocks that are listed on U.S. or foreign exchanges.
The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in securities of companies conducting business within a single sector, including the healthcare and information technology sectors.
The Fund’s portfolio manager(s) may sell a stock when it reaches a target price, it fails to perform as expected, or other opportunities appear more attractive.
The Fund can invest in foreign securities, including emerging market securities.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund involves risks. The Fund’s share price may go down, which means you could lose money. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Investment Risk – An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest.

 

Alger Small Cap Growth Fund 3/5
Summary Prospectus
March 1, 2020
Market Risk – Your investment in Fund shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of these securities, like other investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Your Fund shares at any point in time may be worth less than what you invested, even after taking into account the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions.
Equity Securities Risk – As with any fund that invests in stocks, your investment will fluctuate in value, and the loss of your investment is a risk of investing. The Fund’s price per share will fluctuate due to changes in the market prices of its investments. Also, the Fund’s investments may not grow as fast as the rate of inflation and stocks tend to be more volatile than some other investments you could make, such as bonds.
Growth Stocks Risk – Prices of growth stocks tend to be higher in relation to their companies’ earnings and may be more sensitive to market, political and economic developments than other stocks, making their prices more volatile. An investment in the Fund may be better suited to investors who seek long-term capital growth and can tolerate fluctuations in their investment’s value.
Small Cap Securities Risk – There may be greater risk in investing in companies with small market capitalizations rather than larger, more established issuers owing to such factors as more limited product lines or financial resources or lack of management depth. It may also be difficult or impossible to liquidate a security position at a time and price acceptable to the Fund because of the potentially less frequent trading of stocks of smaller market capitalization.
Sector Risk – The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business within a single sector. Companies in the same sector may be similarly affected by economic, regulatory, political or market events or conditions, which may make the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that sector than a fund that has a more diversified portfolio. Generally, the more broadly the Fund invests, the more it spreads risk and potentially reduces the risks of loss and volatility.
Technology Companies Risk – The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of technology companies. Many technology companies’ securities have historically been more volatile than other securities, especially over the short term. Technology companies may also face increased competition, government regulation, and risk of obsolescence due to progress in technological developments.
Healthcare Companies Risk – The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of healthcare companies. At times, the performance of healthcare companies will lag the performance of other industries or the broader market as a whole, and the performance of such companies may be more volatile. Healthcare companies may also be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, government regulation, technological innovations, product obsolescence, patent considerations, product compatibility and consumer preferences.
Foreign Securities Risk – The Fund’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting investments in foreign companies. Special risks associated with investments in foreign companies include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing audit and legal standards. The securities of issuers located in emerging markets can be more volatile than those of issuers in more mature economies.
Emerging Markets Risk – The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging countries (such as Brazil, Russia, India and China), and therefore may be exposed to the economies, industries, securities and currency markets of such countries, which may be adversely affected by protectionist trade policies, a slow U.S. economy, political and social instability, regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war, including actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S.
Performance
The following bar chart and the table beneath it provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the indicated periods compare with those of an appropriate benchmark of market performance. Performance in the bar chart does not reflect the effect of the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A Shares of the Fund. If the bar chart reflected the applicable sales charges, returns would be less than those shown. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website www.alger.com.

 

Alger Small Cap Growth Fund 4/5
Summary Prospectus
March 1, 2020
Annual Total Return for Class A Shares as of December 31 (%)
Best Quarter: Q1 2019 19.11% Worst Quarter: Q3 2011 -22.94%
Average Annual Total Return as of December 31, 2019
  1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Class A (Inception 12/31/96)      
Return Before Taxes 21.74% 10.11% 11.42%
Return After Taxes on Distributions 20.14% 8.12% 9.71%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares 14.01% 7.55% 9.00%
Class B (Inception 11/11/86)      
Return Before Taxes 23.08% 10.29% 11.42%
Class C (Inception 7/31/97)      
Return Before Taxes 26.43% 10.41% 11.03%
Russell 2000 Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) 28.48% 9.34% 13.01%
In the foregoing table, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown may not be 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 B and C Shares, which are not shown, will vary from those shown for Class A Shares. A “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may sometimes be higher than the other two return figures; this happens when there is a capital loss on redemptions, giving rise to a tax benefit to the shareholder.
Management
Investment Manager Portfolio Managers Jointly and Primarily Responsible for Day-to-Day Management of the Fund’s Portfolio
Fred Alger Management, LLC Amy Y. Zhang, CFA
Executive Vice President and Portfolio Manager
Since February 2015
Dan C. Chung, CFA
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager
Since January 2016

 

Alger Small Cap Growth Fund 5/5
Summary Prospectus
March 1, 2020
Although the Fund is co-managed, one of the portfolio managers may be primarily responsible for implementation of the day to day investment decisions. This may occur to ensure that the Fund’s investment decisions are consistently and promptly implemented.
Shareholder Information
Purchasing and Redeeming Fund Shares
Class B Shares of the Fund are closed to new accounts. Class C shares of the Fund are only offered to investors through certain financial intermediaries and group retirement plan recordkeeping platforms.
Minimum Investments: the following minimums apply to an account in the Fund, whether invested in Class A, Class B or Class C Shares.
Type of Account Initial
Investment
Subsequent
Investment
Regular account $1,000 $50
Retirement Accounts (including IRAs) 500 50
Automatic Investment 500 50
Asset-based Fee Program Accounts 250 50
Minimums may be waived in certain circumstances. See “Additional Information about Minimum Initial Investments” in the Prospectus.
In general, investors may purchase or redeem Fund shares on any business day by mail (Alger Family of Funds, c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc., P.O. Box 2175, Milwaukee, WI 53201-2175), online at www.alger.com, by telephone at 1 (800) 992-3863 or through a financial intermediary.
Investors who wish to purchase, exchange or redeem Fund shares through a financial intermediary should contact their financial intermediary directly.
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains. The Fund is actively managed, and as a result, investors may receive capital gains distributions annually.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and/or its Manager or Distributor may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
SmallCap ABC 3120
Fred Alger & Company, LLC 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010 / 800.992.3863 / www.alger.com

 

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

 

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

 

    
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK