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GROWTH FUND
RISK/RETURN

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses 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 American Century Investments funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as variations in charges that may apply to purchases of $1 million or more, is available from your financial professional and in Calculation of Sales Charges on page 12 of the fund's prospectus and Sales Charges in Appendix B of the statement of additional information.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees GROWTH FUND (USD $)
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) none none 5.75% none none none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of the original offering price or redemption proceeds when redeemed within one year of purchase) none none none 1.00% none none
Maximum Annual Account Maintenance Fee (waived if eligible investments total at least $10,000) 25 none none none none none
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses GROWTH FUND
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Management Fee 0.97% 0.77% 0.97% 0.97% 0.97% 0.62%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees none none 0.25% 1.00% 0.50% none
Other Expenses none none none none none none
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.97% 0.77% 1.22% 1.97% 1.47% 0.62%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs 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, that you earn 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 your costs would be:

Expense Example GROWTH FUND (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
INVESTOR CLASS
99 310 537 1,190
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
79 246 428 955
A CLASS
692 941 1,207 1,967
C CLASS
200 619 1,063 2,293
R CLASS
150 466 803 1,756
R6 CLASS
63 199 346 775

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 74% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow.

 

The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to identify the stocks of larger-sized companies that meet their investment criteria. Under normal market conditions, the fund's portfolio will primarily consist of securities of companies demonstrating business improvement. Analytical indicators helping to identify signs of business improvement could include accelerating earnings or revenue growth rates, increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company's business. These techniques help the portfolio managers buy or hold the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and sell the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria.

Principal Risks

Growth Stocks – Investments in growth stocks may involve special risks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Style Risk – If at any time the market is not favoring the fund's growth investment style, the fund's gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Market Risk – The value of the fund's shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market.

Price Volatility – The value of the fund's shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

Foreign Securities – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

Principal Loss – At any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. In other words, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

 

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Fund Performance

The following 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 Investor Class shares. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns for the periods shown compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. Because the R6 Class is new, it is not included. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. For current performance information, please visit americancentury.com.

 

Sales charges and account fees, if applicable, are not reflected in the bar chart. If those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Calendar Year Total Returns

Bar Chart

Highest Performance Quarter (1Q 2012): 15.91% 

Lowest Performance Quarter (4Q 2008): -22.91%  

As of June 30, 2013, the most recent calendar quarter end, the fund’s Investor Class year-to-date return was 9.60%.

Average Annual Total Returns For the calendar year ended December 31, 2012 

Average Annual Total Returns GROWTH FUND
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
INVESTOR CLASS
13.91% 2.26% 7.48%   Jun. 30, 1971
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions
13.23% 1.98% 7.32%   Jun. 30, 1971
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
9.96% 1.91% 6.61%   Jun. 30, 1971
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
14.14% 2.46% 7.69%   Jun. 16, 1997
A CLASS
[1] 7.08% 0.80% 6.59%   Jun. 04, 1997
C CLASS
12.79% 1.24% [2] 6.42% [2]   Mar. 01, 2010
R CLASS
13.33% 1.75%   5.91% Aug. 29, 2003
Russell 1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.26% 3.12% 7.52%    
[1] Prior to March 1, 2010, the A Class was referred to as the Advisor Class and did not have a front-end sales charge. Performance prior to that date has been restated to reflect this charge.
[2] Historical performance for C Class prior to its inception is based on the performance of Investor Class shares. C Class performance has been adjusted to reflect differences in sales charges, if applicable, and expenses between classes.

The after-tax returns are shown only for Investor Class shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary. 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. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

HERITAGE FUND
RISK/RETURN

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses 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 American Century Investments funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as variations in charges that may apply to purchase of $1 million or more, is available from your financial professional and in Calculation of Sales Charges on page 13 of the fund's prospectus and Sales Charges in Appendix B of the statement of additional information. The fund's B Class shares are not available for purchase, except through exchanges and dividend reinvestments.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees B Shares HERITAGE FUND (USD $)
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
B CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) none none 5.75% none none none none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the original offering price for B Class shares and the lower of the original offering price or redemption proceeds for C Class shares) none none none 5.00% 1.00% none none
Maximum Annual Account Maintenance Fee (waived if eligible investments total at least $10,000) 25 none none none none none none
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses HERITAGE FUND
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
B CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Management Fee 1.00% 0.80% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 0.65%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees none none 0.25% 1.00% 1.00% 0.50% none
Other Expenses 0.01% 0.01% 0.01% 0.01% 0.01% 0.01% 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.01% 0.81% 1.26% 2.01% 2.01% 1.51% 0.66%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs 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, that you earn 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 your costs would be:

Expense Example HERITAGE FUND (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
INVESTOR CLASS
103 322 559 1,236
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
83 259 450 1,002
A CLASS
696 952 1,228 2,010
B CLASS
604 932 1,184 2,142
C CLASS
204 632 1,084 2,334
R CLASS
154 478 824 1,800
R6 CLASS
68 212 368 823
Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
HERITAGE FUND B CLASS
204 632 1,084 2,142

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 72% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers look for stocks of medium-sized and smaller companies they believe will increase in value over time, using an investment strategy developed by American Century Investments. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings and revenues. The portfolio managers' principal analytical technique involves the identification of companies with earnings and revenues that are not only growing, but growing at an accelerating pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. In addition to accelerating growth, the fund also considers companies demonstrating price strength relative to their peers. This means that the portfolio managers favor companies whose securities are the strongest performers compared to the overall market. These techniques help the portfolio managers buy or hold the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and sell the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria.

 

The fund will usually purchase common stocks of companies that are medium-sized and smaller at the time of purchase, but it can purchase securities of larger-sized companies as well.

 

Also, although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund's assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies.

Principal Risks

Growth Stocks – Investments in growth stocks may involve special risks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Mid Cap Stocks – The fund invests in mid-sized and smaller companies, which may be more volatile and subject to greater risk than larger companies. Smaller companies may have limited financial resources, product lines and markets, and their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volumes than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

Style Risk – If at any time the market is not favoring the fund's growth investment style, the fund's gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Foreign Securities – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

Price Volatility – The value of the fund's shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

Market Risk – The value of the fund's shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market.

Principal Loss – At any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. In other words, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

 

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Fund Performance

The following 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 Investor Class shares. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns for the periods shown compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. Because the R6 Class is new, it is not included. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. For current performance information, please visit americancentury.com.

 

Sales charges and account fees, if applicable, are not reflected in the bar chart. If those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Calendar Year Total Returns

Bar Chart

Highest Performance Quarter (3Q 2010): 18.36% 

Lowest Performance Quarter (4Q 2008): -26.63% 

As of June 30, 2013, the most recent calendar quarter end, the fund's Investor Class year-to-date return was 11.13%.

Average Annual Total Returns For the calendar year ended December 31, 2012 

Average Annual Total Returns HERITAGE FUND
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
INVESTOR CLASS
16.04% 0.97% 11.03%   Nov. 10, 1987
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions
15.68% 0.87% 10.78%   Nov. 10, 1987
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
10.90% 0.81% 9.84%   Nov. 10, 1987
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
16.26% 1.18% 11.25%   Jun. 16, 1997
A CLASS
[1] 9.13% (0.46%) 10.10%   Jul. 11, 1997
B CLASS
10.94% (0.23%)   1.03% Sep. 28, 2007
C CLASS
14.88% (0.03%) 9.94%   Jun. 26, 2001
R CLASS
15.47% 0.47%   1.71% Sep. 28, 2007
Russell Midcap® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.81% 3.23% 10.32%    
[1] Prior to September 4, 2007, this class was referred to as the Advisor Class and did not have a front-end sales charge. Performance has been restated to reflect this change.

The after-tax returns are shown only for Investor Class shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary. 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. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

NT GROWTH FUND
RISK/RETURN

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses NT GROWTH FUND
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
R6 CLASS
Management Fee 0.77% 0.62%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees none none
Other Expenses none none
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.77% 0.62%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs 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, that you earn 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 your costs would be:

Expense Example NT GROWTH FUND (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
79 246 428 955
R6 CLASS
63 199 346 775

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 87% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow.

 

The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to identify the stocks of larger-sized companies that meet their investment criteria. Under normal market conditions, the fund's portfolio will primarily consist of securities of companies demonstrating business improvement. Analytical indicators helping to identify signs of business improvement could include accelerating earnings or revenue growth rates, increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company's business. These techniques help the portfolio managers buy or hold the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and sell the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria.

 

The fund is not permitted to invest in securities issued by companies assigned the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) for the tobacco industry.

Principal Risks

Growth Stocks – Investments in growth stocks may involve special risks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Style Risk – If at any time the market is not favoring the fund's growth investment style, the fund's gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Tobacco Exclusion – The fund's prohibition on tobacco-related investments may cause it to forego profitable investment opportunities.

Market Risk – The value of the fund's shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market.

Price Volatility – The value of the fund's shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

Foreign Securities – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

Principal Loss – At any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. In other words, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

 

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Fund Performance

The following 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. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns for the periods shown compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. Because the R6 Class is new, it is not included. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. For current performance information, please visit americancentury.com.

Calendar Year Total Returns

Bar Chart

Highest Performance Quarter (2Q 2009): 15.77% 

Lowest Performance Quarter (4Q 2008): -22.96% 

As of June 30, 2013, the most recent calendar quarter end, the fund's Institutional Class year-to-date return was 10.02%.

Average Annual Total Returns For the calendar year ended December 31, 2012 

Average Annual Total Returns NT GROWTH FUND
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Inception Date
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
13.84% 2.48% 5.64% May 12, 2006
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions
13.19% 2.21% 5.25% May 12, 2006
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
9.89% 2.10% 4.80% May 12, 2006
Russell 1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.26% 3.12% 4.97% Apr. 30, 2006

The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary. The 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. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

NT VISTA FUND
RISK/RETURN

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses NT VISTA FUND
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
R6 CLASS
Management Fee 0.80% 0.65%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees none none
Other Expenses 0.01% 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.81% 0.66%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs 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, that you earn 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 your costs would be:

Expense Example NT VISTA FUND (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
83 259 450 1,002
R6 CLASS
68 212 368 823

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 92% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers primarily look for stocks of medium-sized and smaller companies they believe will increase in value over time, using an investment strategy developed by American Century Investments. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings and revenues. The portfolio managers' principal analytical technique involves the identification of companies with earnings and revenues that are not only growing, but growing at an accelerating pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. In addition to accelerating growth, the fund also considers companies demonstrating price strength relative to their peers. This means that the portfolio managers favor companies whose securities are the strongest performers compared to the overall market. These techniques help the portfolio managers buy or hold the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and sell the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria.

 

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund's assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies.

 

The fund is not permitted to invest in securities issued by companies assigned the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) for the tobacco industry.

Principal Risks

Growth Stocks – Investments in growth stocks may involve special risks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Mid Cap Stocks – The fund invests in mid-sized and smaller companies, which may be more volatile and subject to greater risk than larger companies. Smaller companies may have limited financial resources, product lines and markets, and their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volumes than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

Style Risk – If at any time the market is not favoring the fund's growth investment style, the fund's gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Tobacco Exclusion – The fund's prohibition on tobacco-related investments may cause it to forego profitable investment opportunities.

Market Risk – The value of the fund's shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market.

Foreign Securities – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

Price Volatility – The value of the fund's shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

Principal Loss – At any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. In other words, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

 

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Fund Performance

The following 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. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns for the periods shown compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. Because the R6 Class is new, it is not included. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. For current performance information, please visit americancentury.com.

Calendar Year Total Returns

Bar Chart

Highest Performance Quarter (1Q 2012): 16.67% 

Lowest Performance Quarter (4Q 2008): -25.63% 

As of June 30, 2013, the most recent calendar quarter end, the fund's Institutional Class year-to- date return was 11.59%.

Average Annual Total Returns For the calendar year ended December 31, 2012 

Average Annual Total Returns NT VISTA FUND
1 Year
5 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
15.58% (3.25%) 1.58% May 12, 2006
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions
15.56% (3.31%) 1.54% May 12, 2006
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
10.17% (2.74%) 1.35% May 12, 2006
Russell Midcap® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.81% 3.23% 4.46% Apr. 30, 2006

The after-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Class shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary. The 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. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

SELECT FUND
RISK/RETURN

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses 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 American Century Investments funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as variations in charges that may apply to purchases of $1 million or more, is available from your financial professional and in Calculation of Sales Charges on page 13 of the fund's prospectus and Sales Charges in Appendix B of the statement of additional information.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees SELECT FUND (USD $)
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) none none 5.75% none none none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of the original offering price or redemption proceeds when redeemed within one year of purchase) none none none 1.00% none none
Maximum Annual Account Maintenance Fee (waived if eligible investments total at least $10,000) 25 none none none none none
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses SELECT FUND
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Management Fee 1.00% 0.80% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 0.65%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees none none 0.25% 1.00% 0.50% none
Other Expenses none none none none none none
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.00% 0.80% 1.25% 2.00% 1.50% 0.65%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs 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, that you earn 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 your costs would be:

Expense Example SELECT FUND (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
INVESTOR CLASS
102 319 553 1,225
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
82 256 445 990
A CLASS
695 949 1,223 1,999
C CLASS
203 628 1,079 2,324
R CLASS
153 475 819 1,789
R6 CLASS
67 208 363 811

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 17% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time. The portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow.

 

The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to identify the stocks of larger-sized companies that meet their investment criteria. Under normal market conditions, the fund's portfolio will primarily consist of securities of companies whose earnings or revenues are not only growing, but growing at an accelerating pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. Among other variables, the portfolio managers will consider a company's valuation and profitability. Other analytical techniques include evaluating stock price momentum, as well as identifying additional signs of business improvement, such as increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company's business. These techniques help the portfolio managers buy or hold the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and sell the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria.

 

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund's assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies.

Principal Risks

Growth Stocks – Investments in growth stocks may involve special risks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Style Risk – If at any time the market is not favoring the fund's growth investment style, the fund's gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Foreign Securities – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

Market Risk – The value of the fund's shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market.

Price Volatility – The value of the fund's shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

Principal Loss – At any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. In other words, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

 

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Fund Performance

The following 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 Investor Class shares. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns for the periods shown compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. Because the R6 Class is new, it is not included. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. For current performance information, please visit americancentury.com.

 

Sales charges and account fees, if applicable, are not reflected in the bar chart. If those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Calendar Year Total Returns

Bar Chart

Highest Performance Quarter (1Q 2012): 17.25%  

Lowest Performance Quarter (4Q 2008): -21.82%  

As of June 30, 2013, the most recent calendar quarter end, the fund’s Investor Class year-to-date return was 7.42%.

Average Annual Total Returns For the calendar year ended December 31, 2012 

Average Annual Total Returns SELECT FUND
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
INVESTOR CLASS
14.74% 1.63% 5.75%   Jun. 30, 1971
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions
14.63% 1.55% 5.50%   Jun. 30, 1971
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
9.75% 1.38% 4.98%   Jun. 30, 1971
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
14.97% 1.84% 5.96%   Mar. 13, 1997
A CLASS
[1] 7.89% 0.19% 4.87%   Aug. 08, 1997
C CLASS
13.62% 0.62%   5.04% Jan. 31, 2003
R CLASS
14.20% 1.13%   3.06% Jul. 29, 2005
Russell 1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.26% 3.12% 7.52%    
[1] Prior to September 4, 2007, this class was referred to as the Advisor Class and did not have a front-end sales charge. Performance has been restated to reflect this change.

The after-tax returns are shown only for Investor Class shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary. 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. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND
RISK/RETURN

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses 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 American Century Investments funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as variations in charges that may apply to purchases of $1 million or more, is available from your financial professional and in Calculation of Sales Charges on page 13 of the fund's prospectus and Sales Charges in Appendix B of the statement of additional information. The fund's B Class shares are not available for purchase, except through exchanges and dividend reinvestments.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees B Shares SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND (USD $)
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
B CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) none none 5.75% none none none none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the original offering price for B Class shares and the lower of the original offering price or redemption proceeds for C Class shares) none none none 5.00% 1.00% none none
Maximum Annual Account Maintenance Fee (waived if eligible investments total at least $10,000) 25 none none none none none none
Redemption/Exchange Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed or exchanged for shares held less than 60 days) 2.00% 2.00% none none none 2.00% 2.00%
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
B CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Management Fee 1.42% 1.22% 1.42% 1.42% 1.42% 1.42% 1.07%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees none none 0.25% 1.00% 1.00% 0.50% none
Other Expenses none none none none none none none
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.04% 0.04% 0.04% 0.04% 0.04% 0.04% 0.04%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.46% 1.26% 1.71% 2.46% 2.46% 1.96% 1.11%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs 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, that you earn 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 your costs would be:

Expense Example SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
INVESTOR CLASS
149 462 798 1,745
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
129 400 692 1,522
A CLASS
739 1,084 1,451 2,476
B CLASS
650 1,068 1,411 2,607
C CLASS
250 768 1,311 2,791
R CLASS
199 616 1,058 2,282
R6 CLASS
113 353 612 1,351
Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND B CLASS
250 768 1,311 2,607

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 62% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in small cap companies. The portfolio managers consider small cap companies to include those with a market capitalization that does not exceed that of the largest company in the Russell 2000 Growth Index.

 

The portfolio managers look for stocks of smaller-sized companies they believe will increase in value over time, using an investment strategy developed by American Century Investments. In implementing this strategy, the portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings and revenues. The portfolio managers' principal analytical technique involves the identification of companies with earnings and revenues that are not only growing, but growing at an accelerating pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. In addition to accelerating growth, the fund also may consider companies whose stocks demonstrate price strength relative to their peers. This means that the portfolio managers favor companies whose securities are the strongest performers compared to the overall market. These techniques help the portfolio managers buy or hold the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and sell the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria.

Principal Risks

Growth Stocks – Investments in growth stocks may involve special risks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market. 

 

Small Cap Stocks – The smaller companies in which the fund invests may be more volatile and subject to greater risk than larger companies. Smaller companies may have limited financial resources, product lines and markets, and their securities may trade less frequently and in more limited volumes than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. 

 

Style Risk – If at any time the market is not favoring the fund's growth investment style, the fund's gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles. 

 

Foreign Securities – The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities. 

 

IPO Risk – The fund's performance may be affected by investments in initial public offerings. 

 

Market Risk – The value of the fund's shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market. 

 

Price Volatility – The value of the fund's shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term. 

 

Principal Loss – At any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. In other words, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. 

 

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Fund Performance

The following 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 Investor Class shares. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns for the periods shown compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. Because the R6 Class is new, it is not included. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. For current performance information, please visit americancentury.com.

 

Sales charges and account fees, if applicable, are not reflected in the bar chart. If those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown. 

Calendar Year Total Returns

Bar Chart

Highest Performance Quarter  (4Q 2003): 21.51% 

Lowest Performance Quarter (3Q 2011): -25.36% 

As of June 30, 2013, the most recent calendar quarter end, the fund's Investor Class year-to-date return was 16.56%.

Average Annual Total Returns For the calendar year ended December 31, 2012 

Average Annual Total Returns SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
INVESTOR CLASS
14.59% 0.47% 9.53%   Jun. 01, 2001
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions
14.56% 0.46% 9.19%   Jun. 01, 2001
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
9.53% 0.40% 8.36%   Jun. 01, 2001
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
14.64% 0.63%   1.90% May 18, 2007
A CLASS
7.69% (0.96%)   8.93% Jan. 31, 2003
B CLASS
9.50% (0.74%)   8.77% Jan. 31, 2003
C CLASS
13.44% (0.56%)   8.80% Jan. 31, 2003
R CLASS
13.83% (0.05%)   (0.35%) Sep. 28, 2007
Russell 2000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
14.59% 3.49% 9.80%    

The after-tax returns are shown only for Investor Class shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary. 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. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.

ULTRA FUND
RISK/RETURN

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses 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 American Century Investments funds. More information about these and other discounts, as well as variations in charges that may apply to purchases of $1 million or more, is available from your financial professional and in Calculation of Sales Charges on page 13 of the fund's prospectus and Sales Charges in Appendix B of the statement of additional information.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees ULTRA FUND (USD $)
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) none none 5.75% none none none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of the original offering price or redemption proceeds when redeemed within one year of purchase) none none none 1.00% none none
Maximum Annual Account Maintenance Fee (waived if eligible investments total at least $10,000) 25 none none none none none
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses ULTRA FUND
INVESTOR CLASS
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
A CLASS
C CLASS
R CLASS
R6 CLASS
Management Fee 0.99% 0.79% 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.64%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees none none 0.25% 1.00% 0.50% none
Other Expenses none none none none none none
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.99% 0.79% 1.24% 1.99% 1.49% 0.64%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs 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, that you earn 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 your costs would be:

Expense Example ULTRA FUND (USD $)
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
INVESTOR CLASS
101 316 548 1,213
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
81 253 439 978
A CLASS
694 946 1,218 1,988
C CLASS
202 625 1,073 2,314
R CLASS
152 472 814 1,778
R6 CLASS
66 205 357 799

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The portfolio managers look for stocks of companies they believe will increase in value over time. The portfolio managers make their investment decisions based primarily on their analysis of individual companies, rather than on broad economic forecasts. Management of the fund is based on the belief that, over the long term, stock price movements follow growth in earnings, revenues and/or cash flow.

 

The portfolio managers use a variety of analytical research tools and techniques to identify the stocks of larger-sized companies that meet their investment criteria. Under normal market conditions, the fund's portfolio will primarily consist of securities of companies whose earnings or revenues are not only growing, but growing at an accelerating pace. This includes companies whose growth rates, although still negative, are less negative than prior periods, and companies whose growth rates are expected to accelerate. Among other variables, the portfolio managers will consider the fund's growth and momentum profile relative to the benchmark. Other analytical techniques help identify additional signs of business improvement, such as increasing cash flows, or other indications of the relative strength of a company's business. In addition to accelerating growth and other signs of business improvement, the fund also considers companies demonstrating price strength relative to their peers. This means that the portfolio managers favor companies whose securities are the strongest performers compared to the overall market. These techniques help the portfolio managers buy or hold the stocks of companies they believe have favorable growth prospects and sell the stocks of companies whose characteristics no longer meet their criteria.

 

Although the portfolio managers intend to invest the fund's assets primarily in U.S. securities, the fund may invest in securities of foreign companies.

Principal Risks

Growth Stocks - Investments in growth stocks may involve special risks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall stock market.

Style Risk - If at any time the market is not favoring the fund's growth investment style, the fund's gains may not be as big as, or its losses may be bigger than, those of other equity funds using different investment styles.

Market Risk - The value of the fund's shares will go up and down based on the performance of the companies whose securities it owns and other factors generally affecting the securities market.

Price Volatility - The value of the fund's shares may fluctuate significantly in the short term.

Foreign Securities - The fund may invest in foreign securities, which can be riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid, more volatile and harder to value than U.S. securities.

Principal Loss - At any given time your shares may be worth less than the price you paid for them. In other words, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund.

 

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit, and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

Fund Performance

The following 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 Investor Class shares. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns for the periods shown compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. Because the R6 Class is new, it is not included. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. For current performance information, please visit americancentury.com.

 

Sales charges and account fees, if applicable, are not reflected in the bar chart. If those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Calendar Year Total Returns

Bar Chart

Highest Performance Quarter (1Q 2012): 15.53% 

Lowest Performance Quarter (4Q 2008): -21.50% 

As of June 30, 2013, the most recent calendar quarter end, the fund's Investor Class year-to-date return was 9.91%.

Average Annual Total Returns For the calendar year ended December 31, 2012 

Average Annual Total Returns ULTRA FUND
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Since Inception
Inception Date
INVESTOR CLASS
14.18% 1.21% 5.93%   Nov. 02, 1981
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions
14.10% 1.16% 5.40%   Nov. 02, 1981
INVESTOR CLASS Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
9.33% 1.02% 5.16%   Nov. 02, 1981
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
14.39% 1.42% 6.14%   Nov. 14, 1996
A CLASS
[1] 7.33% (0.23%) 5.05%   Oct. 02, 1996
C CLASS
13.04% 0.21% 4.89%   Oct. 29, 2001
R CLASS
13.59% 0.70%   4.03% Aug. 29, 2003
Russell 1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
15.26% 3.12% 7.52%    
S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
16.00% 1.66% 7.10%    
[1] Prior to September 4, 2007, this class was referred to as the Advisor Class and did not have a front-end sales charge. Performance has been restated to reflect this change.

The after-tax returns are shown only for Investor Class shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary. 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. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs.