AdvisorShares Trust

10/31/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/31/2024 12:38

Summary Prospectus by Investment Company - Form 497K

ADVISORSHARES HOTEL ETF (NYSE Arca Ticker: BEDZ)

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS - November 1, 2024

Before you invest in the AdvisorShares Fund, you may want to review the Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, which contain more information about the Fund and the risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund's current prospectus and statement of additional information, each dated November 1, 2024, as supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus. You can find the Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, as well as other information about the Fund, online at http://advisorshares.com/etfs/bedz. You may also obtain this information at no charge by calling 877.843.3831 or by sending an email request to [email protected].

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The AdvisorShares Hotel ETF (the "Fund") seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table below.

SHAREHOLDER FEES(fees paid directly from your investment) None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
MANAGEMENT FEES 0.60%
DISTRIBUTION (12b-1) FEES 0.00%
OTHER EXPENSES 3.12%
ACQUIRED FUND FEES AND EXPENSES(a) 0.01%
TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES 3.73%
FEE WAIVER/EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT(b) -2.73%

TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES AFTER WAIVER/REIMBURSEMENT

1.00%
(a) Total Annual Operating Expenses and Total Annual Operating Expenses After Waiver/Reimbursement in this fee table may not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial highlights include only the Fund's direct operating expenses and do not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, which represent the Fund's pro rata share of the fees and expenses of money market funds in which it invests.
(b) AdvisorShares Investments, LLC (the "Advisor") has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse expenses to keep net expenses (excluding amounts payable pursuant to any plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1, interest expense, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 0.99% of the Fund's average daily net assets for at least one year from the date of this Prospectus. The expense limitation agreement will remain in effect unless terminated and may be terminated, without payment of any penalty, (i) by AdvisorShares Trust (the "Trust") for any reason and at any time and (ii) by the Advisor, for any reason, upon ninety (90) days' prior written notice to the Trust, such termination to be effective as of the close of business on the last day of the then-current one-year period. If it becomes unnecessary for the Advisor to waive fees or reimburse expenses, the Trust's Board of Trustees (the "Board") may permit the Advisor to retain the difference between the Fund's total annual operating expenses and the expense limitation currently in effect, or, if lower, the expense limitation that was in effect at the time of the waiver and/or reimbursement, to recapture all or a portion of its prior fee waivers or expense reimbursements within three years of the date they were waived or reimbursed.

EXAMPLE

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This Example does not take into account brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that you may pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. If these fees were included, your costs would be higher.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell 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's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS
AdvisorShares Hotel ETF $102 $888 $1,694 $3,799

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 Total Annual Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. This rate excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind creations or redemptions of the Fund's shares. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 94% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund ("ETF") that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities of companies that derive at least 50% of their net revenue from the hotel business. The Fund defines companies in the hotel business as those in the hotels, resorts & cruise lines sub-industry, which consists of owners and operators of hotels (generally excluding casino-hotels), resorts, and cruise-ships and includes travel agencies, tour operators and related services not classified elsewhere. The Fund may also invest in companies involved in other lodging and travel-related services.

The Fund invests primarily in U.S. exchange listed equity securities, including common and preferred stock, real estate investment trusts, and American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"). ADRs are securities traded on a local stock exchange that represent interests in securities issued by a foreign publicly listed company. The investment strategy typically identifies a wide variety of large- and mid-capitalization stocks. The Fund also may invest in small- and micro-capitalization stocks.

The Fund will concentrate at least 25% of its investments in the hotels, restaurants & leisure industry within the consumer discretionary sector. The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer than a diversified fund.

The Advisor may use a variety of methods for security selection. As the Fund primarily focuses on one business area, the Advisor intends to select companies with dominant positions in that market or those in unique positions for growth and expansion. The Advisor will utilize numerous outside analyst ratings and stock selection rating tools. In addition, the Advisor may invest the Fund's assets in lesser-known companies that the Advisor believes have a unique opportunity for growth. At times, the Advisor may aim to buy certain out-of-favor stocks believed to be at prices below their future potential value, as measured by the Advisor or outside analysts. The Fund may sell a security when the Advisor believes that the security is overvalued or better investment opportunities are available, or to limit position size within the Fund's portfolio. The Fund's strategy may involve frequent buying and selling securities, which may lead to relatively high portfolio turnover.

2

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

The Fund is subject to a number of risks, described below, that may affect the value of its shares, including the possible loss of money. As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

American Depositary Receipt Risk. ADRs have the same currency and economic risks as the underlying non-U.S. shares they represent. They are affected by the risks associated with non-U.S. securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other countries, changes in the exchange rates of, or exchange control regulations associated with, foreign currencies, and differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices. In addition, investments in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying securities in their primary trading market.

Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The Fund's investments are exposed to issuers conducting business in the consumer discretionary sector. The manufacturing segment of the consumer discretionary sector includes automotive, household durable goods, leisure equipment and textiles and apparel. The services segment includes hotels, restaurants and other leisure facilities, media production and services, and consumer retailing and services. The Fund is subject to the risk that the securities of such issuers will underperform the market as a whole due to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions and/or increased competition affecting the consumer discretionary sector. The performance of companies operating in the consumer discretionary sector has historically been closely tied to the performance of the overall economy, and also is affected by economic growth, consumer confidence, attitudes and spending. Changes in demographics and consumer tastes also can affect the demand for, and success of, consumer products and services in the marketplace. Moreover, the consumer discretionary sector encompasses those businesses that tend to be the most sensitive to economic cycles.

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry Risk. The hotels, restaurants & leisure industry includes owners and operators of casinos and gaming facilities, hotels, resorts and cruise-ships, other leisure facilities (e.g., sport and fitness centers, stadiums, golf courses and amusement parks), and restaurants, bars, pubs, fast-food or take-out facilities. The hotels, restaurants & leisure industry is highly competitive and relies heavily on consumer spending for success. The prices of securities of companies in the hotels, restaurants & leisure industry may fluctuate widely due to general economic conditions, consumer spending and the availability of disposable income, and consumer tastes, preferences, and demographics. Companies involved in the hotels, restaurants & leisure industry may be affected by the availability and expense of liability insurance. Legislative or regulatory changes and increased government supervision also may affect companies in the hotels, restaurants & leisure industry.

Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines Sub-Industry Risk. Companies in the hotels, resorts & cruise lines sub-industry may be affected by unique supply and demand factors that do not apply to other sub-industries. Weak economic conditions in some parts of the world, changes in oil prices and currency values, political instability in some areas, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, and the uncertainty over how long any of these conditions could continue may have a negative impact on the lodging industry.

Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities rise and fall daily. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual issuers, industries or the securities market as a whole. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles, which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

ETF Market Risk. In stressed market conditions, the market for certain ETF shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the ETF's underlying portfolio holdings. This adverse effect on liquidity for the ETF's shares in turn can lead to differences between the market price of the ETF's shares and the underlying value of those shares. In addition, there are a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants. If these institutions exit the business or are, for any reason, unable to process creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund, or purchase and sell securities in connection with creation and/or redemption orders, as applicable, and no other authorized participant steps forward to create or redeem, or purchase or sell securities, as applicable, Fund shares may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value ("NAV") and possibly face operational issues such as trading halts and/or delisting. The absence of an active market in the Fund's shares could lead to a heightened risk of differences between the market price of the Fund's shares and the underlying value of those shares.

3

Growth Investing Risk. Growth stocks can be volatile for several reasons. Since those companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. The prices of growth stocks are based largely on projections of the issuer's future earnings and revenues. If a company's earnings or revenues fall short of expectations, its stock price may fall dramatically.

Large-Capitalization Risk. Large-cap securities tend to go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. Additionally, larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies.

Management Risk. The Advisor continuously evaluates the Fund's holdings, purchases and sales with a view to achieving the Fund's investment objective. However, achievement of the stated investment objective cannot be guaranteed. The Advisor's judgment about the markets, the economy, or companies may not anticipate actual market movements, economic conditions or company performance, and these factors may affect the return on your investment.

Market Risk. Due to market conditions, the value of the Fund's investments may fluctuate significantly from day to day. Price fluctuations may be temporary or may last for extended periods. This volatility may cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decrease. Local, regional, or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, uncertainties regarding interest rates, rising inflation, or other events could have a significant impact on the market generally and on specific securities. The market value of a security may also decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. Because of its link to the markets, an investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term principal fluctuations, which at times may be significant.

Mid-Capitalization Risk. Mid-cap companies may be more volatile and more likely than large-cap companies to have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources, and to depend on a few key employees. Returns on investments in stocks of mid-cap companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of large-cap companies or the equity market as a whole.

Non-Diversification Risk. As a non-diversified fund under the federal securities laws, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer and hold a smaller number of portfolio securities; therefore, the value of the Fund's shares may be more volatile than the value of shares of more diversified funds.

Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may experience relatively high portfolio turnover, which may result in increased transaction costs and Fund performance that is lower than expected.

Real Estate Investment Trust Risk. Investment in real estate investment trusts ("REITs") exposes the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments. The U.S. real estate market may experience and has, in the past, experienced a decline in value, with certain regions experiencing significant losses in property values. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases investment risk and the risk normally associated with debt financing, and could potentially increase the Fund's volatility and losses. Exposure to such real estate may adversely affect Fund performance. Further, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, and their investments may be concentrated in relatively few properties, or in a small geographic area or a single property type. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency and, as a result, are particularly reliant on the proper functioning of capital markets. A variety of economic and other factors may adversely affect a lessee's ability to meet its obligations to a REIT. In the event of a default by a lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a lessor and may incur substantial costs associated in protecting its investments. In addition, a REIT could fail to qualify for favorable regulatory treatment.

4

Small- and Micro-Capitalization Risk. Security prices of small-cap companies may be more volatile than those of larger companies and, therefore, the Fund's share price may be more volatile than it would be if it did not invest in small-cap companies. These risks are even greater for micro-cap companies.

Trading Risk. Shares of the Fund may trade above or below their NAV. The trading price of the Fund's shares may deviate significantly from their NAV during periods of market volatility and, in such instances, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund's shares. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund's shares will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in shares of the Fund may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the "Exchange"), make trading in shares inadvisable.

Value Investing Risk. Because the Fund may utilize a value style of investing, the Fund could suffer losses or produce poor results relative to other funds, even in a rising market, if the Advisor's assessment of a company's value or prospects for exceeding earnings expectations or market conditions is wrong.

FUND PERFORMANCE

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The table also shows how the Fund's performance compares to the S&P 500 Index, which is a broad-based, unmanaged measurement of changes in stock market conditions based on the average of 500 widely held common stocks. Both the bar chart and the table assume the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at www.advisorshares.com.

Calendar Year Total Returns

The Fund's year-to-date total returnas of September 30, 2024was 6.49%.

5

Best and Worst Quarter Returns (for the period reflected in the bar chart above)

Return Quarter/Year
Highest Return 15.81% 4Q/2023
Lowest Return -25.70% 2Q/2022

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023

ADVISORSHARES HOTEL ETF 1 Year

Since Inception

(4/20/2021)

Return Before Taxes Based on NAV 23.97% 6.08%
Return After Taxes on Distributions 23.14% 5.75%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 14.19% 4.56%
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 26.29% 6.84%

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation, may differ from those shown, and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases, your return after taxes may exceed your return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period.

MANAGEMENT

Name Title
AdvisorShares Investments, LLC

Advisor

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

Name and Title Length of Service with the Advisor
Dan S. Ahrens, Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer & Portfolio Manager

since November 2008

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis at NAV only in a large specified number of shares called a "Creation Unit." Only institutional investors that are acting as the Fund's authorized participants (typically broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem Creation Units. A Creation Unit transaction generally is conducted in exchange for a basket of securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund along with a specified amount of cash.

Individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. The shares of the Fund are listed on the Exchange and, because shares trade at market price rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a value greater than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV. When buying or selling shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) (the "bid-ask spread"). Recent information regarding the Fund's NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads will be available on the Fund's website at www.advisorshares.com.

6

TAX INFORMATION

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains (or a combination thereof), unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), which may be taxed upon withdrawal.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

Investors purchasing shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges. If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Advisor may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing broker-dealers or other intermediaries and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

7