Mutual Fund Series Trust

11/06/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/06/2025 12:14

Summary Prospectus by Investment Company (Form 497K)

Catalyst/SMH Total Return Income Fund

Class A: TRIFX Class C: TRICX Class I: TRIIX

summary PROSPECTUS

NOVEMBER 1, 2025

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's complete prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's prospectus and other information about the Fund at https://catalystmf.com/literature-and-forms/. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-866-447-4228, emailing [email protected] or by asking any financial intermediary that offers shares of the Fund. The Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, both dated November 1, 2025 are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus and may be obtained, free of charge, at the website or phone number noted above.

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FUND SUMMARY: CATALYST/SMH TOTAL RETURN INCOME FUND

Investment Objective: The Fund's investment objective is income and capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund: 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 and Example below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and is included in the section of the Fund's prospectus entitled How to Buy Shares on page 101 and Appendix A - Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers, and in the sections of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information entitled Reduction of Up-Front Sales Charge on Class A Shares on page 64 and Waivers of Up-Front Sales Charge on Class A Shares on page 65.

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

Class

A

Class

C

Class

I

Maximum Sales Charge

(Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a % of offering price)

5.75% None None

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)

(as a % of the original purchase price)

1.00%1 None None

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed

on Reinvested Dividends and other Distributions

None None None
Redemption Fee None None None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Management Fees 1.00% 1.00% 1.00%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 0.25% 1.00% None
Other Expenses 1.14% 1.14% 1.14%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses2 0.62% 0.62% 0.62%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 3.01% 3.76% 2.76%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement3 (0.81)% (0.81)% (0.81)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 2.20% 2.95% 1.95%

1 The 1.00% maximum deferred sales charge may be assessed in the case of investments at or above the $1 million breakpoint (where you do not pay an initial sales charge) on shares redeemed within two years of purchase.

2 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The total annual fund operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.

3 The Fund's investment advisor, Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC (the "Advisor"), has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to limit total annual fund operating expenses (excluding brokerage costs; borrowing costs, such as (a) interest, and (b) dividends on securities sold short; taxes; underlying fund expenses; and extraordinary expenses, such as regulatory inquiry and litigation expenses) at 1.58%, 2.33% and 1.33% for Class A shares, Class C shares and Class I shares, respectively, through October 31, 2026. This agreement may be terminated by the Trust's Board of Trustees only on 60 days' written notice to the Advisor, by the Advisor with the consent of the Board of Trustees, or upon the termination of the investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Advisor. Fee waivers and expense reimbursements are subject to possible recoupment by the Advisor from the Fund in future years on a rolling three-year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed) so long as such recoupment does not cause the Fund's expense ratio (after the repayment is taken into account) to exceed both: (i) the Fund's expense limitation at the time such expenses were waived, and (ii) the Fund's current expense limitation at the time of recoupment.

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Example: 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 hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example only accounts for the Fund's expense limitation in place through its expiration period, October 31, 2026, and then depicts the Fund's total annual expenses thereafter. 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:

YEAR Class A Class C Class I
1 $785 $298 $198
3 $1,380 $1,075 $780
5 $1,999 $1,871 $1,388
10 $3,657 $3,950 $3,031

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 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. The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 was 62% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies:

Normally, the Fund invests primarily in a broad range of income-producing securities. These include equity securities, such as dividend-paying common stocks and REITs, and debt securities, such as interest-paying bonds and convertible bonds. The Fund may also invest in preferred stock, master limited partnerships ("MLPs"), and bank notes. The composition of the Fund's investments in equity, debt, and cash or money market instruments may vary substantially depending on various factors, including market conditions.

Generally, at least 30% of the Fund's assets is invested in equity securities. Subject to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), the Fund may invest in other investment companies ("acquired funds"), including business development companies ("BDCs") and other closed-end funds, and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"). The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization, but generally focuses on stocks with capitalization between $500 million and $10 billion.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in equity securities of issuers domiciled outside the United States, including, without limitation, sponsored American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"). The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its assets in debt securities of non-U.S. issuers.

In addition, the Fund may invest, without limitation, in lower quality, higher yielding debt securities (rated Ba or lower by Moody's Investors Service or BB or lower by S&P Global Ratings, or unrated but determined by the Fund's sub-advisor, SMH Capital Advisors, LLC (the "Sub-Advisor") to be of equivalent quality), also known as "junk bonds." While there are no restrictions on maturity, the bonds in the Fund's portfolio generally have an average maturity of less than ten years.

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The Sub-Advisor seeks to invest in attractively valued securities that, in its opinion, represent above-average long-term investment opportunities. The Sub-Advisor seeks investments with yields above the market average and generally focuses on value-oriented securities - those with low price to sales, price to book, and price to earnings ratios relative to their growth rates. Securities may be sold when the Sub-Advisor believes that they no longer represent relatively attractive investment opportunities.

The Fund is classified as "non-diversified" for purposes of the 1940 Act, which means that it is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer.

Distribution Policy: The Fund's distribution policy is to make twelve monthly distributions to shareholders. The Fund may, at the discretion of management, target a specific level of monthly distributions (including any return of capital) from time to time. Shareholders receiving periodic payments from the Fund may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits. However, all or a portion of a distribution may consist of a return of capital. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net profit. For more information about the Fund's distribution policy, please turn to "Additional Information About the Fund's Principal Investment Strategies and Related Risks - Principal Investment Strategies - Catalyst/SMH Total Return Income Fund - Distribution Policy and Goals" section in the Fund's Prospectus.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund:

As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. Investment markets are unpredictable and there will be certain market conditions where the Fund will not meet its investment objective and will lose money. The Fund's net asset value and returns will vary and you could lose money on your investment in the Fund, and those losses could be significant.

The following summarizes the principal risks of investing in the Fund. These risks could adversely affect the net asset value, total return, and value of the Fund and your investment.

ADRs Risk. ADRs, which are typically issued by a bank, are certificates that evidence ownership of shares of a foreign company and are alternatives to purchasing foreign securities directly in their national markets and currencies. ADRs are subject to the same risks as direct investment in foreign companies and involve risks that are not found in investments in U.S. companies. In addition to the risks of investing in foreign securities discussed below, there is no guarantee that an ADR issuer will continue to offer a particular ADR. As a result, the Fund may have difficulty selling the ADR, or selling them quickly and efficiently at the prices at which they have been valued. In a sponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign company assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depositary's transaction fees.

Business Development Companies ("BDC") Risk. BDCs may carry risks similar to those of a private equity or venture capital fund. BDC company securities are not redeemable at the option of the shareholder and they may trade in the market at a discount to their net asset value. A BDC is a form of investment company that is required

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to invest at least 70% of its total assets in securities (typically debt) of private companies, thinly traded U.S. public companies, or short-term high-quality debt securities. The BDCs held by the Fund may leverage their portfolios through borrowings or the issuance of preferred stock. While leverage often serves to increase the yield of a BDC, this leverage also subjects a BDC to increased risks, including the likelihood of increased volatility and the possibility that a BDC's common share income will fall if the dividend rate of the preferred shares or the interest rate on any borrowings rises.

Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both fixed income and equity securities, and are therefore subject to the risks associated with both fixed income and equity securities. The market value of convertible securities and other debt securities tends to fall when prevailing interest rates rise. The market value of convertible securities also tends to change whenever the market value of the underlying common or preferred stock fluctuates.

Credit Risk. An issuer of a security may fail to pay principal and interest in a timely manner, reducing the Fund's total return. The Fund may invest in high-yield, high-risk securities, commonly called "junk bonds," that are not investment grade and are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality debt securities. Credit risk may be substantial for the Fund.

Distribution Policy Risk. The Fund may, at the discretion of management, target a specific level of monthly distributions (including any return of capital) from time to time. Shareholders receiving periodic payments from the Fund may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits. However, all or a portion of a distribution may consist of a return of capital (i.e., from your original investment). Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net profit. Shareholders should note that a return of capital will reduce the tax basis of their shares and potentially increase the taxable gain, if any, upon disposition of their shares.

Equity Security Risk. Common and preferred stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in, and perceptions of, their issuers change.

Fixed Income Risk. When the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Federal Reserve policy changes may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, which could cause the value of the Fund's investments and share price to decline. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment by the Fund, possibly causing the Fund's share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments

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Foreign Securities/Investments Risk. Since the Fund's investments may include ADRs and foreign securities, the Fund is subject to risks beyond those associated with investing in domestic securities. The value of foreign securities is subject to currency fluctuations. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the same regulatory requirements as U.S. companies, thereby resulting in less publicly available information about these companies. In addition, foreign accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards generally differ from those applicable to U.S. companies.

Interest Rate Risk. Overall bond prices, including the prices of securities held by the Fund, may decline over short or even long periods of time due to rising interest rates. Bonds with longer maturities tend to be more sensitive to interest rates than bonds with shorter maturities. For example, if interest rates go up by 1.0%, the price of a 4% coupon bond will decrease by approximately 1.0% for a bond with 1 year to maturity, and approximately 4.4% for a bond with 5 years to maturity. Rising interest rates pose a heightened risk to any longer-term fixed income securities held by the Fund.

Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality bonds, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default, illiquidity of the instrument, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce the Fund's ability to sell its bonds. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease the Fund's share price.

Large Capitalization Company Risk. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Large-capitalization companies may be more mature and subject to more limited growth potential compared with smaller capitalization companies. During different market cycles, the performance of large capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets.

Lower Quality Debt Risk. Lower-quality debt securities and certain types of other securities involve greater risk of default or price changes due to changes in the credit quality of the issuer.

Management Risk. The portfolio managers' judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular securities in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect, and there is no guarantee that the portfolio managers' judgment will produce the desired results.

Market Risk. Overall stock or bond market risks may also affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, and political events affect the securities markets.

Medium (Mid) Capitalization Company Risk. The earnings and prospects of mid-capitalization companies are more volatile than larger companies, they may experience higher failure rates than larger companies, and normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures.

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MLP and MLP-Related Securities Risk. Investments in MLPs and MLP-related securities involve risks different from those of investing in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP or MLP-related security, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between an MLP and the MLP's general partner, cash flow risks, dilution risks (which could occur if the MLP raises capital and then invests it in projects whose return fails to exceed the cost of capital raised), and risks related to the general partner's limited call right. MLPs and MLP-related securities are generally considered interest-rate sensitive investments. During periods of interest rate volatility, these investments may not provide attractive returns. Depending on the state of interest rates in general, the use of MLPs or MLP-related securities could enhance or harm the overall performance of a Fund.

Non-diversification Risk. Because a relatively high percentage of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a limited number of companies that could be in the same or related economic sectors, the Fund's portfolio may be more susceptible to any single economic, technological or regulatory occurrence than the portfolio of a diversified fund.

Real Estate and REIT Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations, and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market and the direct ownership of real estate. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, rising operating costs, interest rates, and property taxes. In addition, some real estate related investments are not fully diversified and are subject to the risks associated with financing a limited number of projects. REITs are heavily dependent upon the management team and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation.

Sector Exposure Risk. Securities within the same sector may decline in price due to sector-specific market or economic developments. If the Fund invests more heavily in a particular sector, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect that sector. As a result, the Fund's share price may fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors. Additionally, some sectors could be subject to greater government regulation than other sectors. Therefore, changes in regulatory policies for those sectors may have a material effect on the value of securities issued by companies in those sectors.

Financials Sector Risk. Performance of companies in the financial sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. The impact of more stringent capital requirements, recent or future regulation of any individual financial company, or recent or future regulation of the financial sector as a whole cannot be predicted.

Real Estate Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations, and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market and the direct ownership of real estate. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, rising operating

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costs, interest rates, and property taxes. In addition, some real estate-related investments are not fully diversified and are subject to the risks associated with financing a limited number of projects

Security Risk. The value of the Fund may decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual security or group of securities in the Fund's portfolio. There can be no guarantee the securities held by the Fund will appreciate in value.

Small Capitalization Company Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in the stocks of smaller-sized companies, the Fund may be subject to additional risks, including the risk that earnings and prospects of these companies are more volatile than larger companies.

Underlying Fund Risk. Because the Fund may invest in other investment companies, including mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds or private funds, the value of your investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the underlying funds. Investing in underlying funds involves certain additional expenses and certain tax results that would not arise if you invested directly in the underlying funds. By investing in underlying funds, you will bear not only your proportionate share of the Fund's expenses (including operating costs and investment advisory and administrative fees), but also, indirectly, similar expenses and charges of the underlying funds, including any contingent deferred sales charges and redemption charges. Finally, you may incur increased tax liabilities by investing in the Fund rather than directly in the underlying funds. Each underlying fund is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of its investment strategy, including liquidity risk and default risk on the assets held by the underlying fund.

Performance:

The bar chart and accompanying table shown below provides an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the total return of its Class A shares for each of the last ten full calendar years. Class C shares and Class I shares have similar annual returns to Class A shares because they are invested in the same portfolio of securities; however, the returns for Class C shares and Class I shares are different from Class A shares because Class C shares and Class I shares have different expenses than Class A shares. The performance table shows average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares and how their average annual returns compare over time with those of a broad-based market index and a supplemental index. Sales charges are reflected in the information shown in the table, but the information shown in the bar chart does not reflect sales charges, and, if it did, returns would be lower. How the Fund has performed in the past (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling 1-866-447-4228 and on the Fund's website at www.CatalystMF.com.

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Annual Total Returns

During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 17.82% (quarter ended June 30, 2020), and the lowest return for a quarter was (25.57)% (quarter ended March 31, 2020). The Class A shares' year-to-date return as of September 30, 2025 was 8.77%.

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2024)

1 Year 5 Year 10 Year
Class A
Return Before Taxes 4.26% 6.43% 5.12%
Return After Taxes on Distributions 1.19% 4.30% 2.82%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 2.46% 4.10% 2.92%
Class C
Return Before Taxes 9.57% 6.85% 4.94%
Class I
Return Before Taxes 10.70% 7.95% 6.00%

S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

25.02% 14.53%

13.10%

ICE BofA High Yield U.S. Corporates Cash Pay Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 8.11% 4.06%

5.09%

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant for shareholders who hold Fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. After-tax returns are only shown for Class A shares. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

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Advisor: Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC is the Fund's investment advisor.

Sub-Advisor: SMH Capital Advisors, LLC serves as the Fund's investment sub-advisor.

Portfolio Managers: Dwayne Moyers, President, Chief Investment Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager of the Sub-Advisor, Lisa Haley, Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Assistant Portfolio Manager of the Sub-Adviser and Brandon Allred, Portfolio Manager of the Sub-Adviser, serve as the Fund's portfolio managers. Mr. Moyers, Ms. Haley and Mr. Allred are jointly and primarily responsible for managing the Fund. Mr. Moyers has served the Fund in this capacity since the Fund commenced operations in 2008. Ms. Haley has served the Fund in this capacity since 2023. Mr. Allred has served the Fund in this capacity since 2025.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: The minimum initial investment in each share class of the Fund is $2,500 for a regular account, and tax-deferred plans, such as IRA or 401(k), and $100 for an automatic investment plan account. The minimum subsequent investment in the Fund is $50. You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. Redemption requests may be made in writing, by telephone or through a financial intermediary, to the Fund or the Transfer Agent, and will be paid by check or wire transfer.

Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred plan such as an IRA or 401(k) plan. If you are investing in a tax-deferred plan, distributions may be taxable upon withdrawal from the plan.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

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Mutual Fund Series Trust published this content on November 06, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Edgar on November 06, 2025 at 18:14 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]