American Trust | Energy Alternatives Fund. Eco Vision / Market Insight

Long-term growth potential

The Energy Alternatives Fund is for investors seeking long-term capital appreciation rather than dividend income. This means the investor should have a long-term horizon and be able to ride out interim fluctuations invalue.

Green investments

For some investors, an added attraction is the Fund's focus on energy alternatives. The Fund approaches this sector by evaluating the scientific soundness of the technology and materials being developed, produced,and/or used. Securities can include small-, mid-, and large-capitalization companies, though environmental investments tend to be in smaller and younger companies.

In addition, the Fund has identified three types of opportunities believed to offer growth potential; it invests at least 80 percent of its net assets in these opportunity sets: eco-technology leaders, critical-path companies, and resource-based investments. These sets distinguish the Fund and are described more fully at the "Three-tiered strategy" link.

Global sources of green technology

The need for energy alternatives is global - and so are the solutions. While international investing involves certain risks such as currency fluctuations and different accounting practices, some of the most developed sustainable technologies are outside the United States, including emerging markets. The Fund offers the possibility of investing easily in such companies.

Diversified portfolio

Wise investors know the maxim: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. The Fund offers an affordable way to diversify your portfolio. Each share is spread over holdings across a range of securities. (Go to the"Diversification benefits" link.) While diversification does not assure against market loss, it helps spread the risk and could cushion the impact of individual company losses.

Full-time management and record-keeping

Most people don't have the time and expertise to build and monitor a stock portfolio - or do the record-keeping involved. The partnership of American Trust Investment Advisors as investment manager and U.S. Bancorp as provider of shareholder services relieves Fund investors of those day-to-day responsibilities.

For more information

Check out more of this website. And click on "I'm ready to invest" to request a prospectus that describes the Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Please read the prospectus before investing.