Small-cap Mutual Funds often attract attention for their high-return potential, but they’re also misunderstood and misrepresented. This long-form article dives deep into three major myths around Small cap funds using data, logic, and clarity.
While it’s true that small-cap funds exhibit higher Volatility, assuming they’re always riskier than Large cap funds can be misleading.
Volatility ≠ Permanent Loss. Short-term fluctuations do not always translate to long-term losses.
According to data from Value Research and Morningstar (as of 2023), small-cap funds have had longer periods of underperformance, but when the cycle turns, they often outperform large-caps by a wide margin.
Small-cap funds are cyclical and tend to outperform over the long term if one has the patience to ride out volatility. Risk is not just about price movement—it’s about behaviour during those phases.
Many believe that only high-risk investors should consider small-cap funds.
If the goal is long-term—say 7+ years—even a moderate investor can benefit by allocating 10-20% of their Portfolio to small-cap funds.
SIPs in small-caps help average out volatility and make the journey smoother.
It’s about time horizon and discipline, not just risk appetite. Anyone with a longer goal and the right mindset can benefit.
Talk to our investment specialist
There’s a common assumption that small-cap funds are guaranteed to outperform.
Over the past 10 years (as per AMFI data till 2023), top large-cap funds have delivered CAGR of 12-14%, while top small-cap funds ranged between 14-18%—only slightly higher, not exponentially.
Poor quality small-cap stocks can ruin portfolios. It’s not about Market cap, it’s about fundamentals and fund manager expertise.
Outperformance is possible—but not guaranteed. Look at consistency, quality, and how the fund behaves in downturns.
Fund NAV Net Assets (Cr) 3 MO (%) 6 MO (%) 1 YR (%) 3 YR (%) 5 YR (%) 2024 (%) Nippon India Small Cap Fund Growth ₹164.181
↑ 3.41 ₹67,642 1.4 -2.4 7.9 20.6 22.7 -4.7 DSP Small Cap Fund Growth ₹197.517
↑ 3.77 ₹16,886 3.1 2.8 15.6 20.8 20.1 -2.8 Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund Growth ₹163.351
↑ 3.85 ₹12,934 0.5 -2.3 5.7 18.5 19.8 -8.4 HDFC Small Cap Fund Growth ₹130.509
↑ 2.61 ₹37,424 -3.8 -7.7 7.9 17.1 19.6 -0.6 Sundaram Small Cap Fund Growth ₹258.17
↑ 6.11 ₹3,306 0.2 -1 12.6 20 19.3 0.4 IDBI Small Cap Fund Growth ₹29.5122
↑ 0.84 ₹606 4.4 -2.9 4.3 18.3 18.9 -13.4 ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund Growth ₹82.66
↑ 1.83 ₹8,355 -1.4 -5 6 15.5 18.3 -0.4 SBI Small Cap Fund Growth ₹162.661
↑ 2.54 ₹34,932 -0.2 -4.2 2.4 13.7 15.4 -4.9 Kotak Small Cap Fund Growth ₹242.82
↑ 5.34 ₹16,871 0.4 -5.8 3.1 14.7 15.4 -9.1 Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund Growth ₹84.3057
↑ 1.40 ₹4,882 1 -1.1 10.5 18.3 14.8 -3.7 Note: Returns up to 1 year are on absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Research Highlights & Commentary of 10 Funds showcased
Commentary Nippon India Small Cap Fund DSP Small Cap Fund Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund HDFC Small Cap Fund Sundaram Small Cap Fund IDBI Small Cap Fund ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund SBI Small Cap Fund Kotak Small Cap Fund Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund Point 1 Highest AUM (₹67,642 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹16,886 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹12,934 Cr). Top quartile AUM (₹37,424 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹3,306 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹606 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹8,355 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹34,932 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹16,871 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹4,882 Cr). Point 2 Established history (15+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Established history (20+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Oldest track record among peers (21 yrs). Established history (8+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Established history (16+ yrs). Established history (21+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Point 3 Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 4★ (lower mid). Rating: 3★ (lower mid). Not Rated. Rating: 3★ (bottom quartile). Top rated. Rating: 3★ (bottom quartile). Rating: 5★ (top quartile). Point 4 Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Point 5 5Y return: 22.71% (top quartile). 5Y return: 20.06% (top quartile). 5Y return: 19.85% (upper mid). 5Y return: 19.58% (upper mid). 5Y return: 19.27% (upper mid). 5Y return: 18.88% (lower mid). 5Y return: 18.28% (lower mid). 5Y return: 15.42% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 15.38% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 14.78% (bottom quartile). Point 6 3Y return: 20.57% (top quartile). 3Y return: 20.85% (top quartile). 3Y return: 18.48% (upper mid). 3Y return: 17.12% (lower mid). 3Y return: 20.04% (upper mid). 3Y return: 18.27% (lower mid). 3Y return: 15.46% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 13.70% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 14.65% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 18.30% (upper mid). Point 7 1Y return: 7.90% (upper mid). 1Y return: 15.59% (top quartile). 1Y return: 5.71% (lower mid). 1Y return: 7.89% (upper mid). 1Y return: 12.58% (top quartile). 1Y return: 4.35% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 5.96% (lower mid). 1Y return: 2.35% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 3.14% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 10.51% (upper mid). Point 8 Alpha: 2.58 (upper mid). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: -0.83 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: 6.09 (top quartile). Alpha: -1.94 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 3.69 (top quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (lower mid). Alpha: -2.10 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (lower mid). Point 9 Sharpe: 0.76 (lower mid). Sharpe: 0.90 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.48 (lower mid). Sharpe: 0.86 (upper mid). Sharpe: 1.01 (top quartile). Sharpe: 0.42 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 0.86 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.34 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 0.42 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 0.95 (top quartile). Point 10 Information ratio: -0.10 (upper mid). Information ratio: 0.00 (top quartile). Information ratio: -0.58 (lower mid). Information ratio: 0.00 (top quartile). Information ratio: -0.31 (lower mid). Information ratio: -0.71 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: -0.64 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.00 (upper mid). Information ratio: -0.99 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.00 (upper mid). Nippon India Small Cap Fund
DSP Small Cap Fund
Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
HDFC Small Cap Fund
Sundaram Small Cap Fund
IDBI Small Cap Fund
ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
SBI Small Cap Fund
Kotak Small Cap Fund
Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
100 Crore & Sorted on 5 Year CAGR Returns.
The primary investment objective of the scheme is to generate long term capital appreciation by investing predominantly in equity and equity related instruments of small cap companies and the secondary objective is to generate consistent returns by investing in debt and money market securities. Below is the key information for Nippon India Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile DSP BlackRock Micro Cap Fund) The primary investment objective is to seek to generate long term capital appreciation from a portfolio that is substantially constituted of equity and equity related securities of small cap companies. From time to time, the fund manager will also seek participation in other equity and equity related securities to achieve optimal portfolio construction. There is no assurance that the investment objective of the Scheme will be realized Research Highlights for DSP Small Cap Fund Below is the key information for DSP Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation by investing in mid and small cap companies. Research Highlights for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund Below is the key information for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund Returns up to 1 year are on To provide long-term capital appreciation by investing predominantly in Small-Cap and Mid-Cap companies. Research Highlights for HDFC Small Cap Fund Below is the key information for HDFC Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile Sundaram SMILE Fund) To primarily achieve capital appreciation by
investing in diversified stocks that are
generally termed as small and mid-caps and
by investing in other equities. Research Highlights for Sundaram Small Cap Fund Below is the key information for Sundaram Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on The Investment objective of the Scheme is to provide investors with the opportunities for long-term capital appreciation by investing predominantly in Equity and Equity related instruments of Small Cap companies. However
there can be no assurance that the investment objective under the Scheme will be realized. Research Highlights for IDBI Small Cap Fund Below is the key information for IDBI Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile ICICI Prudential Indo Asia Equity Fund) ICICI Prudential Indo Asia Equity Fund is an OE equity scheme that seeks to generate long term capital appreciation by investing in equity, equity related securities and or share classes/units of equity funds of companies, which are incorporated or have their area of primary activity, in the Asia Pacific region. Initially the Scheme will invest in share classes of International Opportunities Fund Asian Equity Fund and thereafter the Fund Manager of the Indo Asia Equity Fund may choose to make investment in listed equity shares, securities in the Asia Pacific region. However, there can be no assurance that the investment objective of the Scheme will be realized. Research Highlights for ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund Below is the key information for ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile SBI Small & Midcap Fund) The Scheme seeks to generate income and long term capital appreciation by
investing in a diversified portfolio of predominantly in equity and equity related securities of small & midcap Companies Research Highlights for SBI Small Cap Fund Below is the key information for SBI Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile Kotak Midcap Scheme) The investment objective of the Scheme is to generate capital appreciation from a diversified portfolio of equity and equity related securities. Research Highlights for Kotak Small Cap Fund Below is the key information for Kotak Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on (Erstwhile Aditya Birla Sun Life Small & Midcap Fund) An Open ended Small and Mid Cap Equity Scheme with an objective to generate consistent long-term capital appreciation by investing predominantly in equity and equity related securities of companies considered to be small and midcap. The Scheme may also invest a certain portion of its corpus in fixed income securities including money market instruments, in order to meet liquidity requirements from time to time. Research Highlights for Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund Below is the key information for Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund Returns up to 1 year are on 1. Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 16 Sep 10 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹164.181 ↑ 3.41 (2.12 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹67,642 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd. Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.44 Sharpe Ratio 0.76 Information Ratio -0.1 Alpha Ratio 2.58 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 100 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹14,412 31 Mar 23 ₹15,370 31 Mar 24 ₹23,874 31 Mar 25 ₹25,331 31 Mar 26 ₹24,787 Returns for Nippon India Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 7.8% 3 Month 1.4% 6 Month -2.4% 1 Year 7.9% 3 Year 20.6% 5 Year 22.7% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 19.7% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -4.7% 2023 26.1% 2022 48.9% 2021 6.5% 2020 74.3% 2019 29.2% 2018 -2.5% 2017 -16.7% 2016 63% 2015 5.6% Fund Manager information for Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Samir Rachh 2 Jan 17 9.25 Yr. Kinjal Desai 25 May 18 7.86 Yr. Amber Singhania 11 Mar 26 0.06 Yr. Data below for Nippon India Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 22.21% Financial Services 15.35% Consumer Cyclical 14.04% Basic Materials 11.29% Consumer Defensive 10.12% Health Care 9.73% Technology 7.12% Utility 3.51% Communication Services 1.04% Real Estate 0.84% Energy 0.78% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 3.97% Equity 96.03% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 21 | MCX2% ₹1,278 Cr 5,350,645
↓ -2,649,355 HDFC Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 22 | HDFCBANK2% ₹1,119 Cr 15,300,000 Karur Vysya Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 17 | 5900031% ₹923 Cr 31,907,252 Apar Industries Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 17 | APARINDS1% ₹869 Cr 879,502 TD Power Systems Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 15 | TDPOWERSYS1% ₹830 Cr 9,753,276 Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 22 | 5001031% ₹798 Cr 32,507,422
↑ 3,000,000 State Bank of India (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 19 | SBIN1% ₹784 Cr 8,000,000 Infosys Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 26 | INFY1% ₹750 Cr 6,000,000
↑ 4,000,000 Zydus Wellness Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 16 | ZYDUSWELL1% ₹731 Cr 17,144,089
↑ 11,668 NLC India Ltd (Utilities)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 22 | 5136831% ₹725 Cr 26,990,331 2. DSP Small Cap Fund
DSP Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 14 Jun 07 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹197.517 ↑ 3.77 (1.95 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹16,886 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC DSP BlackRock Invmt Managers Pvt. Ltd. Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.72 Sharpe Ratio 0.9 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 1,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-12 Months (1%),12 Months and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹13,921 31 Mar 23 ₹13,701 31 Mar 24 ₹19,782 31 Mar 25 ₹21,554 31 Mar 26 ₹22,131 Returns for DSP Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 9.7% 3 Month 3.1% 6 Month 2.8% 1 Year 15.6% 3 Year 20.8% 5 Year 20.1% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 17.2% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -2.8% 2023 25.6% 2022 41.2% 2021 0.5% 2020 58.9% 2019 33.1% 2018 0.7% 2017 -25.5% 2016 42.8% 2015 12.7% Fund Manager information for DSP Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Vinit Sambre 21 Jun 10 15.79 Yr. Data below for DSP Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Consumer Cyclical 33.83% Basic Materials 16.53% Industrials 15.06% Health Care 9.95% Financial Services 8.14% Consumer Defensive 7.04% Technology 2.32% Communication Services 0.5% Utility 0.03% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 6.6% Equity 93.4% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Lumax Auto Technologies Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 18 | LUMAXTECH6% ₹943 Cr 6,196,634 Thangamayil Jewellery Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 21 | THANGAMAYL4% ₹575 Cr 1,677,908 Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 23 | KIRLOSENG3% ₹500 Cr 3,762,866
↓ -173,926 Welspun Corp Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 21 | 5321443% ₹447 Cr 5,500,000 Jubilant Ingrevia Ltd Ordinary Shares (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 22 | JUBLINGREA2% ₹381 Cr 7,000,000 Sansera Engineering Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 24 | 5433582% ₹367 Cr 1,770,029 Dodla Dairy Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 21 | 5433062% ₹364 Cr 3,750,000 LT Foods Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 17 | 5327832% ₹363 Cr 10,000,000 Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 17 | 5323562% ₹349 Cr 9,200,000 Ipca Laboratories Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 14 | 5244942% ₹336 Cr 2,101,047 3. Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Growth Launch Date 13 Jan 06 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹163.351 ↑ 3.85 (2.41 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹12,934 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Franklin Templeton Asst Mgmt(IND)Pvt Ltd Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.72 Sharpe Ratio 0.48 Information Ratio -0.58 Alpha Ratio -0.83 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹13,137 31 Mar 23 ₹14,275 31 Mar 24 ₹21,824 31 Mar 25 ₹22,461 31 Mar 26 ₹21,457 Returns for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 8.6% 3 Month 0.5% 6 Month -2.3% 1 Year 5.7% 3 Year 18.5% 5 Year 19.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 14.8% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -8.4% 2023 23.2% 2022 52.1% 2021 3.6% 2020 56.4% 2019 18.7% 2018 -5% 2017 -17.4% 2016 43.5% 2015 10.2% Fund Manager information for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Name Since Tenure R. Janakiraman 1 Feb 11 15.17 Yr. Sandeep Manam 18 Oct 21 4.45 Yr. Akhil Kalluri 8 Sep 22 3.56 Yr. Data below for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Consumer Cyclical 18.2% Financial Services 18.2% Industrials 18.18% Basic Materials 10.17% Health Care 9.95% Technology 8.1% Real Estate 3.71% Consumer Defensive 3.44% Utility 3.41% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 6.65% Equity 93.35% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Syrma SGS Technology Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 22 | SYRMA2% ₹320 Cr 3,895,864 Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Ordinary Shares (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 20 | EQUITASBNK2% ₹309 Cr 48,064,081 Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | ASTERDM2% ₹306 Cr 4,675,704 Brigade Enterprises Ltd (Real Estate)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 14 | BRIGADE2% ₹269 Cr 3,868,691 CCL Products (India) Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 19 | CCL2% ₹266 Cr 2,616,654
↓ -393,625 Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 22 | KIRLOSENG2% ₹258 Cr 1,850,935
↓ -250,000 Eris Lifesciences Ltd Registered Shs (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 19 | ERIS2% ₹254 Cr 1,866,828 Kajaria Ceramics Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 25 | KAJARIACER2% ₹239 Cr 2,499,656
↑ 400,000 DCB Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 May 18 | DCBBANK2% ₹226 Cr 12,199,095 Deepak Nitrite Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Jan 16 | DEEPAKNTR2% ₹219 Cr 1,387,967 4. HDFC Small Cap Fund
HDFC Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 3 Apr 08 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹130.509 ↑ 2.61 (2.04 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹37,424 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC HDFC Asset Management Company Limited Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.58 Sharpe Ratio 0.86 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 300 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹13,435 31 Mar 23 ₹15,069 31 Mar 24 ₹22,261 31 Mar 25 ₹22,951 31 Mar 26 ₹22,395 Returns for HDFC Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 5% 3 Month -3.8% 6 Month -7.7% 1 Year 7.9% 3 Year 17.1% 5 Year 19.6% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 15.3% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -0.6% 2023 20.4% 2022 44.8% 2021 4.6% 2020 64.9% 2019 20.2% 2018 -9.5% 2017 -8.1% 2016 60.8% 2015 5.4% Fund Manager information for HDFC Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Chirag Setalvad 28 Jun 14 11.77 Yr. Dhruv Muchhal 22 Jun 23 2.78 Yr. Data below for HDFC Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 22.97% Consumer Cyclical 20.17% Financial Services 13.84% Health Care 11.71% Technology 9.89% Basic Materials 7.46% Consumer Defensive 4.29% Communication Services 1.6% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 8.07% Equity 91.93% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 19 | ASTERDM4% ₹1,575 Cr 24,067,031
↑ 139,897 Bank of Baroda (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 19 | BANKBARODA4% ₹1,508 Cr 46,828,792 Firstsource Solutions Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 18 | FSL3% ₹1,197 Cr 56,160,355
↑ 895,993 eClerx Services Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 18 | ECLERX3% ₹967 Cr 3,046,989
↑ 45,000 Indian Bank (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 16 | INDIANB3% ₹960 Cr 9,688,128 Gabriel India Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 18 | GABRIEL2% ₹928 Cr 9,293,189
↑ 50,000 Eris Lifesciences Ltd Registered Shs (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | ERIS2% ₹897 Cr 6,601,945
↑ 45,294 Fortis Healthcare Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | FORTIS2% ₹890 Cr 9,440,132 Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | 5433082% ₹830 Cr 11,133,566
↑ 6,400 Great Eastern Shipping Co Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Jan 15 | GESHIP2% ₹700 Cr 5,229,582 5. Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 15 Feb 05 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹258.17 ↑ 6.11 (2.42 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹3,306 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Sundaram Asset Management Company Ltd Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.94 Sharpe Ratio 1.01 Information Ratio -0.31 Alpha Ratio 6.09 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 100 Exit Load 0-12 Months (1%),12 Months and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹13,713 31 Mar 23 ₹13,694 31 Mar 24 ₹20,481 31 Mar 25 ₹21,101 31 Mar 26 ₹21,304 Returns for Sundaram Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 11.2% 3 Month 0.2% 6 Month -1% 1 Year 12.6% 3 Year 20% 5 Year 19.3% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 16.6% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 0.4% 2023 19.1% 2022 45.3% 2021 -2.1% 2020 60.3% 2019 26.2% 2018 -6.1% 2017 -29.2% 2016 55.6% 2015 -0.1% Fund Manager information for Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Rohit Seksaria 1 Nov 22 3.42 Yr. Data below for Sundaram Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Consumer Cyclical 21.48% Industrials 19.68% Financial Services 18.97% Health Care 12.65% Basic Materials 8.52% Communication Services 4.99% Technology 3.5% Consumer Defensive 2.86% Real Estate 2.1% Utility 1% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 4.15% Equity 95.75% Debt 0.1% Other 0% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity MTAR Technologies Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 24 | MTARTECH4% ₹121 Cr 349,511
↓ -3,078 Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 23 | ASTERDM4% ₹113 Cr 1,681,362 SJS Enterprises Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 23 | 5433873% ₹90 Cr 577,256 Affle 3i Ltd (Communication Services)
Equity, Since 31 May 21 | AFFLE3% ₹86 Cr 594,278
↑ 24,633 E I D Parry India Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | EIDPARRY3% ₹81 Cr 1,045,263
↑ 38,877 Eternal Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 24 | 5433203% ₹76 Cr 3,324,013
↑ 481,686 PNB Housing Finance Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | PNBHOUSING3% ₹75 Cr 992,680 Craftsman Automation Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 24 | CRAFTSMAN2% ₹74 Cr 106,539 DCB Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 24 | DCBBANK2% ₹70 Cr 4,443,809 Rategain Travel Technologies Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 23 | 5434172% ₹67 Cr 1,534,556
↑ 32,858 6. IDBI Small Cap Fund
IDBI Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 21 Jun 17 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹29.5122 ↑ 0.84 (2.92 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹606 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC IDBI Asset Management Limited Rating Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 2.3 Sharpe Ratio 0.42 Information Ratio -0.71 Alpha Ratio -1.94 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-12 Months (1%),12 Months and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹14,054 31 Mar 23 ₹13,974 31 Mar 24 ₹19,891 31 Mar 25 ₹22,198 31 Mar 26 ₹20,775 Returns for IDBI Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 10.1% 3 Month 4.4% 6 Month -2.9% 1 Year 4.3% 3 Year 18.3% 5 Year 18.9% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 13.1% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -13.4% 2023 40% 2022 33.4% 2021 2.4% 2020 64.7% 2019 19% 2018 -4.4% 2017 -15% 2016 2015 Fund Manager information for IDBI Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Dikshit Mittal 24 Jul 25 0.68 Yr. Mahesh Bendre 1 Jul 24 1.75 Yr. Data below for IDBI Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 30.2% Basic Materials 14.71% Consumer Cyclical 13.85% Consumer Defensive 8.71% Financial Services 8.6% Health Care 7.86% Technology 5.22% Utility 3% Communication Services 1.22% Real Estate 0.66% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 5.97% Equity 94.03% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Navin Fluorine International Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 19 | NAVINFLUOR3% ₹16 Cr 25,378 Avalon Technologies Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 23 | AVALON2% ₹14 Cr 146,747 Manorama Industries Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 24 | 5419742% ₹14 Cr 119,603 Allied Blenders and Distillers Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | ABDL2% ₹13 Cr 326,140 Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 21 | KIRLOSENG2% ₹13 Cr 98,601 KSH International Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 25 | KSHINTL2% ₹12 Cr 269,380 Hindustan Foods Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | 5191262% ₹11 Cr 223,053 Schneider Electric Infrastructure Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 25 | SCHNEIDER2% ₹11 Cr 133,576 Arvind Fashions Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 29 Feb 24 | ARVINDFASN2% ₹11 Cr 278,247 Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 24 | 5433742% ₹11 Cr 123,311 7. ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
Growth Launch Date 18 Oct 07 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹82.66 ↑ 1.83 (2.26 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹8,355 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.78 Sharpe Ratio 0.86 Information Ratio -0.64 Alpha Ratio 3.69 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 100 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹13,970 31 Mar 23 ₹14,431 31 Mar 24 ₹20,422 31 Mar 25 ₹21,102 31 Mar 26 ₹20,414 Returns for ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 6% 3 Month -1.4% 6 Month -5% 1 Year 6% 3 Year 15.5% 5 Year 18.3% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 12.1% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -0.4% 2023 15.6% 2022 37.9% 2021 5.7% 2020 61% 2019 22.8% 2018 10% 2017 -22.4% 2016 42.7% 2015 6% Fund Manager information for ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
Name Since Tenure Rajat Chandak 5 Feb 26 0.15 Yr. Sharmila D'Silva 30 Jun 22 3.76 Yr. Aatur Shah 21 Apr 25 0.95 Yr. Sakshat Goel 5 Feb 26 0.15 Yr. Gaurav Jain 5 Feb 26 0.15 Yr. Data below for ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 24.11% Basic Materials 19.43% Consumer Cyclical 18.53% Financial Services 11.21% Health Care 8.78% Technology 3.78% Consumer Defensive 3.61% Utility 2.09% Real Estate 1.16% Energy 0.8% Communication Services 0.55% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 2.22% Equity 97.78% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity HDFC Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 25 | HDFCBANK4% ₹307 Cr 4,200,000 Nifty 50 Index
- | -4% ₹280 Cr 124,930
↓ -32,500 Atul Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 23 | ATUL3% ₹223 Cr 350,000
↑ 2,126 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 26 | M&M2% ₹185 Cr 626,078
↑ 176,213 Timken India Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 23 | 5221132% ₹180 Cr 557,443
↓ -2,293 Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 18 | 5332482% ₹178 Cr 12,530,626 Procter & Gamble Health Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 29 Feb 24 | PGHL2% ₹175 Cr 365,000 Gillette India Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 23 | GILLETTE2% ₹173 Cr 238,258
↓ -18,567 Pfizer Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 23 | PFIZER2% ₹172 Cr 365,366 TVS Holdings Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 23 | 5200562% ₹146 Cr 104,530
↑ 5,788 8. SBI Small Cap Fund
SBI Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 9 Sep 09 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹162.661 ↑ 2.54 (1.58 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹34,932 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC SBI Funds Management Private Limited Rating ☆☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.58 Sharpe Ratio 0.34 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹12,826 31 Mar 23 ₹13,623 31 Mar 24 ₹18,594 31 Mar 25 ₹19,607 31 Mar 26 ₹18,444 Returns for SBI Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 7.6% 3 Month -0.2% 6 Month -4.2% 1 Year 2.4% 3 Year 13.7% 5 Year 15.4% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 18.3% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -4.9% 2023 24.1% 2022 25.3% 2021 8.1% 2020 47.6% 2019 33.6% 2018 6.1% 2017 -19.6% 2016 78.7% 2015 1.3% Fund Manager information for SBI Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure R. Srinivasan 16 Nov 13 12.38 Yr. Data below for SBI Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Consumer Cyclical 25.42% Industrials 22.89% Basic Materials 13.47% Financial Services 13.22% Technology 5.53% Consumer Defensive 3.77% Health Care 2.37% Real Estate 0.89% Communication Services 0.69% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 8.09% Equity 91.71% Debt 0.19% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Ather Energy Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 25 | ATHERENERG5% ₹1,515 Cr 20,096,960 Nifty Index 28-04-2026
Derivatives, Since 31 Mar 26 | -3% ₹1,122 Cr 500,175
↑ 500,175 ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 21 | ZFCVINDIA3% ₹964 Cr 700,000 City Union Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 20 | CUB3% ₹943 Cr 39,314,614
↓ -308,778 Navin Fluorine International Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 20 | NAVINFLUOR3% ₹924 Cr 1,500,000 Kalpataru Projects International Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 May 20 | KPIL3% ₹836 Cr 7,900,000 Belrise Industries Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 25 | BELRISE3% ₹810 Cr 43,542,092 Honeywell Automation India Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 25 | HONAUT2% ₹785 Cr 298,145
↑ 68,145 Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 23 | 5433082% ₹766 Cr 12,323,990 DOMS Industries Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 23 | DOMS2% ₹758 Cr 3,300,000 9. Kotak Small Cap Fund
Kotak Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 24 Feb 05 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹242.82 ↑ 5.34 (2.25 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹16,871 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Co Ltd Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.66 Sharpe Ratio 0.42 Information Ratio -0.99 Alpha Ratio -2.1 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 1,000 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹13,644 31 Mar 23 ₹13,128 31 Mar 24 ₹18,164 31 Mar 25 ₹19,742 31 Mar 26 ₹18,223 Returns for Kotak Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 7.1% 3 Month 0.4% 6 Month -5.8% 1 Year 3.1% 3 Year 14.7% 5 Year 15.4% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 16.3% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -9.1% 2023 25.5% 2022 34.8% 2021 -3.1% 2020 70.9% 2019 34.2% 2018 5% 2017 -17.3% 2016 44% 2015 8.9% Fund Manager information for Kotak Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Harish Bihani 20 Oct 23 2.45 Yr. Data below for Kotak Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Health Care 23.78% Industrials 22.27% Consumer Cyclical 19.48% Financial Services 14.25% Basic Materials 8.52% Consumer Defensive 3.52% Real Estate 3.39% Communication Services 1.97% Technology 1.78% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 1.03% Equity 98.97% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | ASTERDM5% ₹788 Cr 11,757,234 Sansera Engineering Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 21 | 5433584% ₹543 Cr 2,615,539 Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 23 | 5433083% ₹525 Cr 8,454,118 Vijaya Diagnostic Centre Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 24 | 5433503% ₹505 Cr 5,861,236 Century Plyboards (India) Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 18 | 5325483% ₹409 Cr 5,836,731
↑ 9,833 Kalpataru Projects International Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Jan 23 | KPIL2% ₹378 Cr 3,572,133 Techno Electric & Engineering Co Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 18 | TECHNOE2% ₹359 Cr 3,642,296 Ajanta Pharma Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 May 23 | 5323312% ₹321 Cr 1,144,880
↓ -74,422 Shriram Finance Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 22 | SHRIRAMFIN2% ₹314 Cr 3,603,518
↑ 421,898 ICICI Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 18 | ICICIBANK2% ₹306 Cr 2,535,719
↑ 800,000 10. Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 31 May 07 NAV (15 Apr 26) ₹84.3057 ↑ 1.40 (1.68 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹4,882 on 28 Feb 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Birla Sun Life Asset Management Co Ltd Rating ☆☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.89 Sharpe Ratio 0.95 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 1,000 Min SIP Investment 1,000 Exit Load 0-365 Days (1%),365 Days and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 31 Mar 21 ₹10,000 31 Mar 22 ₹12,119 31 Mar 23 ₹11,626 31 Mar 24 ₹16,987 31 Mar 25 ₹17,771 31 Mar 26 ₹17,904 Returns for Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 15 Apr 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 8.1% 3 Month 1% 6 Month -1.1% 1 Year 10.5% 3 Year 18.3% 5 Year 14.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 11.9% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 -3.7% 2023 21.5% 2022 39.4% 2021 -6.5% 2020 51.4% 2019 19.8% 2018 -11.5% 2017 -22.6% 2016 56.7% 2015 9.7% Fund Manager information for Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Abhinav Khandelwal 31 Oct 24 1.42 Yr. Dhaval Joshi 21 Nov 22 3.36 Yr. Data below for Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund as on 28 Feb 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Financial Services 22.08% Consumer Cyclical 16.48% Health Care 13.68% Industrials 13.66% Basic Materials 11.28% Consumer Defensive 7.96% Real Estate 3.8% Technology 2.7% Utility 1.48% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 6.87% Equity 93.13% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Navin Fluorine International Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 20 | NAVINFLUOR3% ₹142 Cr 230,000 Sai Life Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 25 | SAILIFE3% ₹125 Cr 1,286,665 Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 24 | MCX3% ₹114 Cr 478,000
↓ -88,000 CCL Products (India) Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 May 20 | CCL3% ₹112 Cr 1,078,825 TD Power Systems Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 23 | TDPOWERSYS3% ₹112 Cr 1,312,944 Karur Vysya Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 24 | 5900032% ₹100 Cr 3,472,155 Arvind Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 24 | 5001012% ₹89 Cr 2,642,013 Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Ltd Ordinary Shares (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 25 | UJJIVANSFB2% ₹86 Cr 17,107,129
↑ 2,276,736 PNB Housing Finance Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 24 | PNBHOUSING2% ₹82 Cr 1,081,130 Ramco Cements Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 25 | RAMCOCEM2% ₹79 Cr 858,998
Small-cap mutual funds are powerful wealth-creation tools—but only for those who approach them with patience, purpose, and knowledge. Don’t fall for half-truths. Know what you’re investing in.
If you're building a long-term SIP strategy, small-caps deserve a thoughtful place—not a reckless bet.
Research Highlights for Nippon India Small Cap Fund