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 ₹179.25
↑ 2.70 ₹74,604 13.4 10.7 3.3 17.5 19.3 -4.7 DSP Small Cap Fund Growth ₹220.384
↑ 3.30 ₹18,358 15.7 14.7 9 18.7 17.8 -2.8 IDBI Small Cap Fund Growth ₹33.5411
↑ 0.60 ₹695 19 18.2 9 17.8 17.7 -13.4 Sundaram Small Cap Fund Growth ₹289.549
↑ 4.44 ₹3,681 16.2 12.4 9.8 18.7 17.1 0.4 Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund Growth ₹176.471
↑ 3.38 ₹13,847 12 8.4 -0.3 15.6 16.9 -8.4 HDFC Small Cap Fund Growth ₹137.44
↑ 1.88 ₹38,809 8 1.2 -3.3 12.7 15.4 -0.6 ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund Growth ₹88.2
↑ 0.84 ₹8,949 10.4 4.8 -0.9 12.1 14.2 -0.4 SBI Small Cap Fund Growth ₹179.3
↑ 2.09 ₹37,395 13.9 10.1 1.9 13 13.8 -4.9 Kotak Small Cap Fund Growth ₹266.709
↑ 3.95 ₹17,806 11.8 6.6 -1.9 12.4 12.8 -9.1 Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund Growth ₹95.1168
↑ 1.49 ₹5,453 15.9 14.3 8.3 16.5 12.8 -3.7 Note: Returns up to 1 year are on absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Research Highlights & Commentary of 10 Funds showcased
Commentary Nippon India Small Cap Fund DSP Small Cap Fund IDBI Small Cap Fund Sundaram Small Cap Fund Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund HDFC 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 (₹74,604 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹18,358 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹695 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹3,681 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹13,847 Cr). Top quartile AUM (₹38,809 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹8,949 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹37,395 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹17,806 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹5,453 Cr). Point 2 Established history (15+ yrs). Established history (19+ yrs). Established history (9+ yrs). Oldest track record among peers (21 yrs). Established history (20+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Established history (16+ yrs). Established history (21+ yrs). Established history (19+ yrs). Point 3 Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Not Rated. Rating: 3★ (lower mid). Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 4★ (lower mid). 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: 19.35% (top quartile). 5Y return: 17.84% (top quartile). 5Y return: 17.71% (upper mid). 5Y return: 17.08% (upper mid). 5Y return: 16.88% (upper mid). 5Y return: 15.45% (lower mid). 5Y return: 14.15% (lower mid). 5Y return: 13.84% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 12.84% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 12.79% (bottom quartile). Point 6 3Y return: 17.54% (upper mid). 3Y return: 18.66% (top quartile). 3Y return: 17.76% (upper mid). 3Y return: 18.70% (top quartile). 3Y return: 15.61% (lower mid). 3Y return: 12.66% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 12.08% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 13.02% (lower mid). 3Y return: 12.41% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 16.47% (upper mid). Point 7 1Y return: 3.30% (upper mid). 1Y return: 8.99% (top quartile). 1Y return: 8.98% (upper mid). 1Y return: 9.84% (top quartile). 1Y return: -0.28% (lower mid). 1Y return: -3.25% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: -0.89% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 1.89% (lower mid). 1Y return: -1.87% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 8.33% (upper mid). Point 8 Alpha: 2.35 (upper mid). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: 5.40 (top quartile). Alpha: 7.77 (top quartile). Alpha: -2.10 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: -2.06 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (lower mid). Alpha: -3.80 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (lower mid). Point 9 Sharpe: 0.05 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.13 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.17 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.26 (top quartile). Sharpe: -0.15 (lower mid). Sharpe: -0.31 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: -0.17 (lower mid). Sharpe: -0.22 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: -0.25 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 0.23 (top quartile). Point 10 Information ratio: -0.24 (lower mid). Information ratio: 0.00 (top quartile). Information ratio: -0.35 (lower mid). Information ratio: -0.16 (upper mid). Information ratio: -0.62 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.00 (top quartile). Information ratio: -0.90 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.00 (upper mid). Information ratio: -0.96 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.00 (upper mid). Nippon India Small Cap Fund
DSP Small Cap Fund
IDBI Small Cap Fund
Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
HDFC 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 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 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 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 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 (09 Jul 26) ₹179.25 ↑ 2.70 (1.53 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹74,604 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd. Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.44 Sharpe Ratio 0.05 Information Ratio -0.24 Alpha Ratio 2.35 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹10,860 30 Jun 23 ₹15,169 30 Jun 24 ₹23,621 30 Jun 25 ₹24,128 30 Jun 26 ₹25,102 Returns for Nippon India Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 3.9% 3 Month 13.4% 6 Month 10.7% 1 Year 3.3% 3 Year 17.5% 5 Year 19.3% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 20% 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 9.5 Yr. Kinjal Desai 25 May 18 8.11 Yr. Amber Singhania 11 Mar 26 0.31 Yr. Data below for Nippon India Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 24.65% Financial Services 15.05% Consumer Cyclical 14.19% Basic Materials 11.05% Health Care 9.49% Consumer Defensive 9.04% Technology 7.05% Utility 3.27% Communication Services 1.65% Real Estate 0.78% Energy 0.43% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 2.9% Equity 97.1% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 22 | BHEL2% ₹1,438 Cr 34,507,422 HDFC Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 22 | HDFCBANK2% ₹1,322 Cr 17,754,929 TD Power Systems Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 15 | TDPOWERSYS2% ₹1,277 Cr 9,680,747 Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 21 | MCX2% ₹1,169 Cr 3,957,067
↓ -342,933 Apar Industries Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 17 | APARINDS2% ₹1,154 Cr 879,502 State Bank of India (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 19 | SBIN1% ₹964 Cr 10,000,000
↑ 2,000,000 NLC India Ltd (Utilities)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 22 | NLCINDIA1% ₹938 Cr 26,990,331 Karur Vysya Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 17 | KARURVYSYA1% ₹921 Cr 31,907,252 Zydus Wellness Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 16 | ZYDUSWELL1% ₹876 Cr 17,273,570 Tube Investments of India Ltd Ordinary Shares (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 18 | TIINDIA1% ₹785 Cr 2,499,222 2. DSP Small Cap Fund
DSP Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 14 Jun 07 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹220.384 ↑ 3.30 (1.52 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹18,358 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC DSP BlackRock Invmt Managers Pvt. Ltd. Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.72 Sharpe Ratio 0.13 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹10,594 30 Jun 23 ₹13,804 30 Jun 24 ₹19,548 30 Jun 25 ₹21,421 30 Jun 26 ₹23,103 Returns for DSP Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.2% 3 Month 15.7% 6 Month 14.7% 1 Year 9% 3 Year 18.7% 5 Year 17.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 17.6% 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 16.04 Yr. Data below for DSP Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Consumer Cyclical 31.79% Industrials 16.23% Basic Materials 15.28% Health Care 9.25% Financial Services 8.24% Consumer Defensive 6.15% Technology 2.11% Communication Services 0.44% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 10.5% Equity 89.5% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Lumax Auto Technologies Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 18 | LUMAXTECH5% ₹921 Cr 5,337,441
↓ -600,000 Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 23 | 5332934% ₹725 Cr 3,762,866 Thangamayil Jewellery Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 21 | THANGAMAYL3% ₹628 Cr 1,493,620
↓ -91,335 Sansera Engineering Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 24 | SANSERA3% ₹506 Cr 1,770,029 Welspun Corp Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 21 | WELCORP3% ₹470 Cr 3,411,788
↓ -343,883 Jubilant Ingrevia Ltd Ordinary Shares (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 22 | JUBLINGREA2% ₹450 Cr 6,970,677
↓ -29,323 Dodla Dairy Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 21 | DODLA2% ₹405 Cr 3,750,000 LT Foods Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 17 | LTFOODS2% ₹392 Cr 10,000,000 SPR Auto Technologies Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 24 | SHRIPISTON2% ₹367 Cr 1,081,165 eClerx Services Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 18 | ECLERX2% ₹334 Cr 2,211,836 3. IDBI Small Cap Fund
IDBI Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 21 Jun 17 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹33.5411 ↑ 0.60 (1.83 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹695 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC IDBI Asset Management Limited Rating Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 2.3 Sharpe Ratio 0.17 Information Ratio -0.35 Alpha Ratio 5.4 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹10,917 30 Jun 23 ₹14,083 30 Jun 24 ₹21,728 30 Jun 25 ₹21,091 30 Jun 26 ₹23,146 Returns for IDBI Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.2% 3 Month 19% 6 Month 18.2% 1 Year 9% 3 Year 17.8% 5 Year 17.7% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 14.3% 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 0.93 Yr. Mahesh Bendre 1 Jul 24 2 Yr. Data below for IDBI Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 27.58% Basic Materials 16.22% Consumer Cyclical 14.1% Financial Services 11.08% Consumer Defensive 9.75% Health Care 6.95% Technology 6.46% Utility 2.92% Real Estate 1.49% Communication Services 0.98% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 2.48% Equity 97.52% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Garware Hi-Tech Films Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 25 | 5006555% ₹36 Cr 58,461
↓ -1,326 Avalon Technologies Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 23 | AVALON4% ₹26 Cr 167,845
↓ -3,517 Navin Fluorine International Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 19 | NAVINFLUOR3% ₹21 Cr 29,286 Manorama Industries Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 24 | 5419743% ₹20 Cr 142,461
↑ 22,179 KSH International Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 25 | KSHINTL3% ₹18 Cr 233,215
↓ -16,165 Allied Blenders and Distillers Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | ABDL3% ₹18 Cr 326,615 Schneider Electric Infrastructure Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 25 | SCHNEIDER3% ₹17 Cr 133,576 Arvind Fashions Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 29 Feb 24 | ARVINDFASN2% ₹17 Cr 361,684
↑ 53,437 Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 21 | 5332932% ₹15 Cr 78,792 Pricol Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 25 | PRICOLLTD2% ₹13 Cr 237,103
↑ 23,351 4. Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 15 Feb 05 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹289.549 ↑ 4.44 (1.56 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹3,681 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Sundaram Asset Management Company Ltd Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.94 Sharpe Ratio 0.26 Information Ratio -0.16 Alpha Ratio 7.77 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹10,058 30 Jun 23 ₹13,324 30 Jun 24 ₹19,270 30 Jun 25 ₹20,299 30 Jun 26 ₹22,202 Returns for Sundaram Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 5.5% 3 Month 16.2% 6 Month 12.4% 1 Year 9.8% 3 Year 18.7% 5 Year 17.1% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 17% 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 3.67 Yr. Shalav Saket 20 Mar 26 0.28 Yr. Data below for Sundaram Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Consumer Cyclical 20.24% Financial Services 20.17% Industrials 20.05% Health Care 11.76% Basic Materials 8.17% Technology 4.19% Communication Services 4.18% Consumer Defensive 2.39% Real Estate 1.81% Utility 1.2% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 4.97% Equity 94.17% Debt 0.85% Other 0% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity MTAR Technologies Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 24 | MTARTECH6% ₹209 Cr 264,884
↓ -25,000 Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 23 | ASTERDM3% ₹122 Cr 1,681,362 SJS Enterprises Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 23 | SJS3% ₹122 Cr 577,256 Rategain Travel Technologies Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 23 | RATEGAIN3% ₹115 Cr 1,534,556 PNB Housing Finance Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | PNBHOUSING3% ₹99 Cr 957,209 Craftsman Automation Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 24 | CRAFTSMAN3% ₹96 Cr 105,565
↓ -974 Eternal Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 24 | ETERNAL2% ₹91 Cr 3,614,474
↑ 152,705 Affle 3i Ltd (Communication Services)
Equity, Since 31 May 21 | AFFLE2% ₹89 Cr 606,603
↑ 12,325 E I D Parry India Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | EIDPARRY2% ₹79 Cr 1,045,263 DCB Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 24 | DCBBANK2% ₹78 Cr 4,443,809 5. Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Growth Launch Date 13 Jan 06 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹176.471 ↑ 3.38 (1.95 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹13,847 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Franklin Templeton Asst Mgmt(IND)Pvt Ltd Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.72 Sharpe Ratio -0.15 Information Ratio -0.62 Alpha Ratio -2.1 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹10,307 30 Jun 23 ₹14,537 30 Jun 24 ₹23,249 30 Jun 25 ₹22,705 30 Jun 26 ₹22,664 Returns for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 4.1% 3 Month 12% 6 Month 8.4% 1 Year -0.3% 3 Year 15.6% 5 Year 16.9% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 15% 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 15.42 Yr. Sandeep Manam 18 Oct 21 4.7 Yr. Akhil Kalluri 8 Sep 22 3.81 Yr. Data below for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 21.8% Consumer Cyclical 17.38% Financial Services 16.94% Health Care 10.23% Basic Materials 10.06% Technology 9.52% Utility 3.54% Real Estate 3.37% Consumer Defensive 3.28% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 3.88% Equity 96.12% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Ordinary Shares (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 20 | EQUITASBNK2% ₹337 Cr 48,064,081 Syrma SGS Technology Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 22 | SYRMA2% ₹330 Cr 3,028,902
↓ -511,395 Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 22 | 5332932% ₹316 Cr 1,638,600 Eris Lifesciences Ltd Registered Shs (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 19 | ERIS2% ₹313 Cr 2,233,791 MTAR Technologies Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 25 | MTARTECH2% ₹309 Cr 391,982
↓ -125,000 Kajaria Ceramics Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 25 | KAJARIACER2% ₹308 Cr 2,871,241
↑ 221,585 PNB Housing Finance Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 24 | PNBHOUSING2% ₹280 Cr 2,721,134 Angel One Ltd Ordinary Shares (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 24 | ANGELONE2% ₹275 Cr 8,139,640 Brigade Enterprises Ltd (Real Estate)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 14 | BRIGADE2% ₹252 Cr 3,868,691 Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | ASTERDM2% ₹250 Cr 3,431,339
↓ -494,365 6. HDFC Small Cap Fund
HDFC Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 3 Apr 08 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹137.44 ↑ 1.88 (1.39 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹38,809 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC HDFC Asset Management Company Limited Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.58 Sharpe Ratio -0.31 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹9,800 30 Jun 23 ₹14,202 30 Jun 24 ₹20,070 30 Jun 25 ₹21,309 30 Jun 26 ₹20,727 Returns for HDFC Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 3% 3 Month 8% 6 Month 1.2% 1 Year -3.3% 3 Year 12.7% 5 Year 15.4% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 15.4% 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 12.02 Yr. Dhruv Muchhal 22 Jun 23 3.03 Yr. Data below for HDFC Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 21.38% Consumer Cyclical 20.81% Financial Services 12.52% Health Care 11.83% Technology 10.13% Basic Materials 7.46% Consumer Defensive 4.05% Communication Services 1.68% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 10.14% Equity 89.86% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Firstsource Solutions Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 18 | FSL4% ₹1,522 Cr 57,922,189
↑ 1,402,758 Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 19 | ASTERDM4% ₹1,474 Cr 20,240,031
↓ -3,827,000 Bank of Baroda (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 19 | BANKBARODA3% ₹1,257 Cr 46,828,792 Gabriel India Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 18 | GABRIEL3% ₹1,075 Cr 9,775,044 eClerx Services Ltd (Technology)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 18 | ECLERX2% ₹952 Cr 6,313,993
↑ 38,545 Eris Lifesciences Ltd Registered Shs (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | ERIS2% ₹918 Cr 6,563,458
↓ -200,000 Fortis Healthcare Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | FORTIS2% ₹876 Cr 9,440,132 Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 23 | KIMS2% ₹845 Cr 11,133,566 Indian Bank (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 16 | INDIANB2% ₹807 Cr 9,688,128 Apar Industries Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 16 | APARINDS2% ₹663 Cr 505,371 7. ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
Growth Launch Date 18 Oct 07 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹88.2 ↑ 0.84 (0.96 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹8,949 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.78 Sharpe Ratio -0.17 Information Ratio -0.9 Alpha Ratio -2.06 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹11,045 30 Jun 23 ₹14,218 30 Jun 24 ₹20,096 30 Jun 25 ₹20,338 30 Jun 26 ₹20,455 Returns for ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 3.7% 3 Month 10.4% 6 Month 4.8% 1 Year -0.9% 3 Year 12.1% 5 Year 14.2% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 12.3% 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 0.4 Yr. Sharmila D'Silva 30 Jun 22 4.01 Yr. Aatur Shah 21 Apr 25 1.19 Yr. Sakshat Goel 5 Feb 26 0.4 Yr. Gaurav Jain 5 Feb 26 0.4 Yr. Data below for ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Industrials 24.86% Consumer Cyclical 20.66% Basic Materials 18.36% Financial Services 10.99% Health Care 7.43% Technology 4.42% Consumer Defensive 2.45% Utility 2% Energy 1.54% Real Estate 1.32% Communication Services 0.55% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 1.82% Equity 98.18% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Atul Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 23 | ATUL3% ₹240 Cr 350,000 HDFC Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 25 | HDFCBANK2% ₹223 Cr 3,000,000
↓ -1,200,000 Nifty 50 Index $$
- | -2% ₹223 Cr 93,730
↓ -19,500 Timken India Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 23 | TIMKEN2% ₹201 Cr 555,000 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 26 | M&M2% ₹191 Cr 626,078 Shadowfax Technologies Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 26 | SHADOWFAX2% ₹187 Cr 9,668,135
↑ 6,077,302 Minda Corp Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 26 | MINDACORP2% ₹185 Cr 2,970,830
↑ 1,347,774 Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 18 | GPPL2% ₹169 Cr 10,770,765
↓ -1,019,901 Pfizer Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 23 | PFIZER2% ₹168 Cr 365,366 TVS Holdings Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 23 | TVSHLTD2% ₹168 Cr 123,583 8. SBI Small Cap Fund
SBI Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 9 Sep 09 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹179.3 ↑ 2.09 (1.18 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹37,395 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC SBI Funds Management Private Limited Rating ☆☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.58 Sharpe Ratio -0.22 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹10,523 30 Jun 23 ₹13,391 30 Jun 24 ₹19,005 30 Jun 25 ₹19,070 30 Jun 26 ₹19,531 Returns for SBI Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.3% 3 Month 13.9% 6 Month 10.1% 1 Year 1.9% 3 Year 13% 5 Year 13.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 18.7% 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 12.63 Yr. Data below for SBI Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Consumer Cyclical 25.82% Industrials 22.25% Financial Services 14.47% Basic Materials 13.64% Technology 5.46% Consumer Defensive 3.43% Health Care 2.5% Real Estate 0.77% Communication Services 0.37% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 7.93% Equity 91.9% Debt 0.17% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Ather Energy Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Apr 25 | ATHERENERG5% ₹1,938 Cr 20,096,960 Nifty Index 30-06-2026
Derivatives, Since 31 May 26 | -3% ₹1,188 Cr 500,175
↑ 500,175 Navin Fluorine International Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 20 | NAVINFLUOR3% ₹1,163 Cr 1,631,795
↑ 58,216 Honeywell Automation India Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 25 | HONAUT3% ₹1,059 Cr 298,145 Kalpataru Projects International Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 May 20 | KPIL3% ₹1,031 Cr 7,900,000 ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 21 | ZFCVINDIA3% ₹1,027 Cr 700,000 City Union Bank Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 20 | CUB3% ₹1,004 Cr 39,314,614 Belrise Industries Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 25 | BELRISE3% ₹943 Cr 43,542,092 Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 23 | KIMS3% ₹935 Cr 12,323,990 Sundaram Fasteners Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 25 | SUNDRMFAST2% ₹860 Cr 10,000,000 9. Kotak Small Cap Fund
Kotak Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 24 Feb 05 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹266.709 ↑ 3.95 (1.50 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹17,806 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Co Ltd Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.66 Sharpe Ratio -0.25 Information Ratio -0.96 Alpha Ratio -3.8 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹10,508 30 Jun 23 ₹13,126 30 Jun 24 ₹18,874 30 Jun 25 ₹19,014 30 Jun 26 ₹18,921 Returns for Kotak Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 4.4% 3 Month 11.8% 6 Month 6.6% 1 Year -1.9% 3 Year 12.4% 5 Year 12.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 16.5% 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 2.7 Yr. Data below for Kotak Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Health Care 24.64% Industrials 21.68% Consumer Cyclical 19.65% Financial Services 15.01% Basic Materials 8.36% Real Estate 3.2% Consumer Defensive 2.75% Communication Services 1.69% Technology 1.54% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 1.46% Equity 98.54% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Aster DM Healthcare Ltd Ordinary Shares (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 24 | ASTERDM5% ₹825 Cr 11,327,234 Vijaya Diagnostic Centre Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 24 | 5433504% ₹719 Cr 5,494,886
↓ -216,248 Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 23 | KIMS4% ₹642 Cr 8,454,118 Sansera Engineering Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Sep 21 | SANSERA3% ₹596 Cr 2,081,679 Kalpataru Projects International Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Jan 23 | KPIL3% ₹466 Cr 3,572,133 Century Plyboards (India) Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 18 | CENTURYPLY3% ₹451 Cr 5,836,731 Minda Corp Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 29 Feb 24 | MINDACORP2% ₹413 Cr 6,607,215 Techno Electric & Engineering Co Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 18 | TECHNOE2% ₹393 Cr 3,641,516
↓ -780 Metropolis Healthcare Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 28 Feb 25 | METROPOLIS2% ₹354 Cr 6,379,864
↑ 7,888 Shriram Finance Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 22 | SHRIRAMFIN2% ₹341 Cr 3,603,518 10. Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 31 May 07 NAV (09 Jul 26) ₹95.1168 ↑ 1.49 (1.59 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹5,453 on 31 May 26 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Birla Sun Life Asset Management Co Ltd Rating ☆☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.89 Sharpe Ratio 0.23 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 30 Jun 21 ₹10,000 30 Jun 22 ₹9,211 30 Jun 23 ₹11,875 30 Jun 24 ₹17,289 30 Jun 25 ₹17,534 30 Jun 26 ₹19,028 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 9 Jul 26 Duration Returns 1 Month 4.5% 3 Month 15.9% 6 Month 14.3% 1 Year 8.3% 3 Year 16.5% 5 Year 12.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 12.4% 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 1.67 Yr. Dhaval Joshi 21 Nov 22 3.61 Yr. Data below for Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund as on 31 May 26
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Financial Services 20.62% Consumer Cyclical 17.55% Industrials 14.54% Health Care 12.54% Basic Materials 12.37% Consumer Defensive 8.35% Real Estate 3.63% Technology 3.07% Utility 1.47% Communication Services 0.77% Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 5.08% Equity 94.92% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Navin Fluorine International Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Jul 20 | NAVINFLUOR3% ₹164 Cr 230,000 Sai Life Sciences Ltd (Healthcare)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 25 | SAILIFE3% ₹149 Cr 1,286,665 TD Power Systems Ltd (Industrials)
Equity, Since 30 Jun 23 | TDPOWERSYS3% ₹145 Cr 1,096,068
↓ -216,876 Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Dec 24 | MCX3% ₹141 Cr 478,000 Arvind Ltd (Consumer Cyclical)
Equity, Since 30 Nov 24 | ARVIND2% ₹129 Cr 2,726,165
↑ 84,152 Radico Khaitan Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 May 20 | RADICO2% ₹115 Cr 327,373 CCL Products (India) Ltd (Consumer Defensive)
Equity, Since 31 May 20 | CCL2% ₹112 Cr 1,060,480 PNB Housing Finance Ltd (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Aug 24 | PNBHOUSING2% ₹111 Cr 1,081,130 Shaily Engineering Plastics Ltd (Basic Materials)
Equity, Since 31 Oct 25 | 5014232% ₹108 Cr 361,012
↑ 1,012 Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Ltd Ordinary Shares (Financial Services)
Equity, Since 31 Mar 25 | 5429042% ₹103 Cr 18,907,129
↑ 1,800,000
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