0000005138 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member agfi:C000033069Member 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member agfi:C000033070Member 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member agfi:C000033068Member 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member agfi:C000033067Member 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member agfi:C000033067Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member agfi:C000033067Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 0000005138 agfi:S000012125Member agfi:StandardAndPoorMember 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 pure iso4217:USD 2017-11-30 485BPOS 2017-07-31 AMERICAN GROWTH FUND INC 0000005138 false 2017-11-30 2017-11-30 <b>Risk/Return Summary</b> <b>Investment Objectives/Goals</b> The Fund&#180;s primary objective is growth of capital. <b>Fee Table</b> 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 $50,000 in the American Growth Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in How to Reduce your Sales Charge, page 13 of the Fund&#180;s prospectus and under Distribution of Shares, page 11 of the Fund&#180;s statement of additional information. <b>SHAREHOLDER FEES: (fees paid directly from your investment)</b> <b>Annual Fund Operating Expenses</b> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) ended July 31, 2017: 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 that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund&#180;s operating expenses remain the same. Seven years after the date of purchase, Class C Shares automatically convert to Class A Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be: You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares: The Example does not reflect sales charges (loads) on reinvested dividends and other distributions. If these sales charges (loads) were included, your costs would be higher. <b>Portfolio Turnover</b> The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund&#180;s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund&#180;s portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average market value of its portfolio. <b>Principal Investment Strategy</b> Investment Research Corporation (the "Adviser") manages the Fund using a growth style of investing. We use a consistent approach to build the Fund&#180;s security portfolio which is made up primarily of common stocks and securities convertible into common stock. These securities are issued by large companies, and to a lesser extent, small and mid-sized companies. When a company&#180;s fundamentals are strong, we believe earnings growth will follow. <b>Principal risks of investing in the Fund</b> The primary risks of investing in the Fund are: <ul type="square"><li>Stock Market Risk - the value of an investment may fluctuate, </li><li> Industry and security risk - the risk that the value of securities in a particular industry or the value of an individual stock or bond will decline because of changing expectations for the performance of that industry or for the individual company issuing the stock or bond. </li><li>Management Risk - risks that the Adviser&#180;s assessment of a company&#180;s growth prospects may not be accurate, </li><li>Interest Rate Risk &#150; as rates rise, the price of a fixed rate bond will fall, </li><li>Credit Risk &#150; a bond's issuer may be unable to make timely payments of interest and capital, </li><li>Foreign Investment Risk &#150; adverse effects from political instability, currency exchange rates, economic conditions or regulatory and accounting standards. </li> <li>Liquidity Risk - a given security or asset may not be readily marketable, </li> <li>Small Cap Risk - small cap stocks tend to have a high exposure to market fluctuations and failure, </li> <li>Mid Cap Risk - mid cap stocks tend to have a greater exposure to market fluctuations and failure, </li> <li>Equity Risk &#150; stock and equity fluctuates in response to a company's financial condition, </li> <li>Repurchase Agreement Risk &#150; a seller may default or a security declines in value, </li> <li>Depository Receipts Risk &#150; generally these are subject to the same risks as Foreign Investment Risks, </li> <li>Convertible Securities have the risk of loss of principal at maturity. </li> <li>Large Cap Company Risk &#150; slower response to competitors, technology and consumer tastes and slower growth rates during periods of economic expansion. </li></ul>Loss of some or all of the money you invest is a risk of investing in the Fund. <b>Risk/Return Bar Chart and Table</b> The bar chart and table are intended to provide you with an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund&#180;s average annual returns for Class D shares for 1, 5 and 10 years compare to those of the Standard and Poor&#8217;s 500 Index total return. Past performance, before and after taxes, is not predictive of future performance. Account fees are not reflected in the chart. If the sales load and account fees were included, the returns would be less than those that are shown. Updated performance information for the Fund is available at the Fund&#180;s web site (www.americangrowthfund.com) or toll free telephone number (800) 525-2406. Highest quarterly return: 15.00% for quarter ended September 2009. Lowest quarterly return: -26.06% for quarter ended September 2011. Year to date performance for the period ended 09/30/17 was 7.88%. Average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2016 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&#180;s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and 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;<br/> After-tax returns are shown for only Class D and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the American Growth Fund. Purchases of Class A and Class D shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more which are not subject to an initial sales charge generally will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.0% of amounts redeemed within the first year of purchase. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for the 1st 2 years is 5%, 3rd & 4th years - 4%, 5th yr. - 3%, 6th yr. - 2%, 7th yr. - 1%. In the first year after purchase. Loss of some or all of the money you invest is a risk of investing in the Fund. The bar chart and table are intended to provide you with an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund&#180;s average annual returns for Class D shares for 1, 5 and 10 years compare to those of the Standard and Poor&#8217;s 500 Index total return. Past performance, before and after taxes, is not predictive of future performance. Account fees are not reflected in the chart. If the sales load and account fees were included, the returns would be less than those that are shown. www.americangrowthfund.com 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&#180;s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and 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 are shown for only Class D and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. 0.0575 0 0 0.0575 0 0.05 0.01 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.003 0.01 0.01 0 0.0507 0.0507 0.0507 0.0507 0.0637 0.0707 0.0707 0.0607 50000 0.15 Highest quarterly return: 0.15 2009-09-30 Lowest quarterly return: -0.2606 2011-09-30 Year to date performance 2017-09-30 0.0788 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.americangrowthfund.com/role/ScheduleAnnualFundOperatingExpenses000013 column period compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.americangrowthfund.com/role/ScheduleShareholderFees000012 column period compact * ~</div> 1171 2339 3476 6183 1200 2456 3657 6380 800 2056 3357 6380 1144 2264 3360 5999 1171 2339 3476 6183 700 2056 3357 6380 700 2056 3357 6380 1144 2264 3360 5999 0.0431 0.1175 0.024 0.097 0.1227 0.0231 0.0975 0.1226 0.0226 0.0429 0.1198 0.0271 0.0429 0.1198 0.0271 0.0429 0.1198 0.0271 0.1196 0.1466 0.0695 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.americangrowthfund.com/role/ScheduleExpenseExampleTransposed000014 column period compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.americangrowthfund.com/role/ScheduleExpenseExampleNoRedemptionTransposed000015 column period compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.americangrowthfund.com/role/ScheduleAverageAnnualTotalReturnsTransposed000017 column period compact * ~</div> -0.0313 -0.3382 0.2489 -0.032 -0.0441 0.1885 0.356 0.0692 -0.0201 0.1071 <div style="display:none">~ http://www.americangrowthfund.com/role/ScheduleAnnualTotalReturnsBarChart000016 column period compact * ~</div> (800) 525-2406 Purchases of Class A and Class D shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more which are not subject to an initial sales charge generally will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.0% of amounts redeemed within the first year of purchase. See Class A and D Sales Charges on page 13. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for the 1st 2 years is 5%, 3rd & 4th years - 4%, 5th yr. - 3%, 6th yr. - 2%, 7th yr. - 1%. In the first year after purchase. After seven years Class B Shares convert to Class A Shares. The ten year return for Class B reflects the first seven year returns for Class B and the remaining 3 years as Class A.