+91-22-48913909Small Cap Mutual Funds
Small cap funds take the exposure at the lowest end of the market capitalization. Small cap companies include the startups or firms that are in their early stage of development with small revenues. Many successful small cap firms have eventually grown into large cap companies. Since, small cap stocks give high growth potential, companies in their early stage of development, have great scope of higher developments.
Recently sebi has classified how AMC's to classify largecaps and midcaps.
| Market Capitalization | Description |
|---|---|
| Large cap company | 1st to 100th company in terms of full market capitalization |
| Mid cap company | 101st to 250th company in terms of full market capitalization |
| Small cap company | 251st company onwards in terms of full market capitalization |
Small Cap Funds (Investing in Small Cap Stocks)
Small caps are typically defined as firms with a market capitalization (MC=no of shares issued by the company X market price per share) of less than INR 500 Crore. Their market capitalization is much lower than the large and mid-cap. Many small caps are young firms with substantial growth potential. But, the risk of failure is higher with small cap compared to large and mid-cap.
Many small cap companies serve a niche market with sound consumer demand for their products and services. They also serve emerging industries with the potential for substantial future growth. Small cap firms have the potential to generate good returns. However, the risks involved in it are very high. But, if the investment period of a small cap is high, the risks tend to lower down.
The smallest equities of small caps are micro-cap and nano-cap stocks. Wherein, micro caps are firms with a market cap of INR 100 to 500 Crore and nano-caps are companies with market cap of below INR 100 Crore. BSE small cap Index, have recorded that four out of every 10 stocks have more than 30% increase in their net profits for the fiscal year of 2014-16.
Some of the most emerging small cap companies in India are Indiabulls Real, Just Dial, PNB Gilts, Federal Bank Ltd, Gitanjali Gems Ltd, Indian Cements Ltd, Indian Overseas bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, PVR Ltd, etc.
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Pros and Cons of Investing in Small Cap Funds
Here are some pros and cons of Investing in small-cap funds that will guide you to understand the fund:
Pros
- Small cap stocks are priced lower than mid cap and large cap stocks.
- Small cap funds help to diversify your Portfolio. A trader can trade in a number of stocks as compared to the other caps.
- Small cap stocks give high growth potential. Since these are the companies at their early stage of development, they have great scope of higher developments.
- At times, small cap funds tend to perform better than the Large cap funds. As large companies incline towards stability, small caps can sometimes give it a better chance of performing better.
Cons
- Small cap stocks are riskier as they tend to have a low lasting business. For example, a company might have a unique service/product, but may not have enough finance to market it. So, sometimes lack of funding fails a business
- Small Cap stocks are more volatile in nature than large cap stocks.
- Due to their nature of stocks, small caps can outperform in a rising market and even can underperform during a downturn.
How to Invest in Small Cap Funds?
Following are the important factors you need to look at before investing in a small-cap fund:
Past Performances
An investor should do a fair assessment of the funds’ performances for over a period of time. Also, it is suggested to go for a fund that consistently beats its benchmark over 4-5 years, additionally, one should see each period and see if the fund is able to beat the benchmark or not.
Portfolio Construction
It is essential to check the portfolio construction of the scheme that you will be investing in. Since, small-cap is a risky fund, the portfolio of the scheme should have a small portion dedicated to large-caps and also to debt/money market instruments so that it generates regular income.
Fund Manager
A fund manager plays an important role in the overall performance of the scheme. A fund manager is responsible for making investment decisions for the fund’s portfolio. So, investors before investing in small-caps should ideally examine past performance of the fund managed by that particular fund manager, especially in the tough market phase.
Fund House Reputation
While choosing the small cap funds to invest, always look at the quality & reputation of the fund house. A fund house with a long-standing record, large Assets Under Management (AUM), star funds or good performing fund etc., is the one to invest in. A fund house should have a strong presence in the industry along with a consistent track record.
Equity Fund Taxation
The short-term and long-term Capital Gains offered by Mutual Funds are taxed at different rates.
| Fund Type | Short-Term Capital Gains | Long-Term Capital Gains |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Funds | 15% + cess + surcharge | Up to Rs. 1 lakh a year is tax-exempt. Any gains above Rs. 1 lakh are taxed at 10% + cess + surcharge |
Best Performing Small Cap Funds 2025
Fund Selection Methodology used to Find 10 Funds
Top and Best Small-Cap Funds to Consider 2025
Fund NAV Net Assets (Cr) Min SIP Investment 3 MO (%) 6 MO (%) 1 YR (%) 3 YR (%) 5 YR (%) 2024 (%) Nippon India Small Cap Fund Growth ₹166.34
↓ -0.32 ₹68,969 100 -1.2 0.3 -6.6 20.2 28.5 26.1 HDFC Small Cap Fund Growth ₹139.74
↓ -0.42 ₹38,412 300 -1.6 3.2 -1.5 20.1 26.3 20.4 Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund Growth ₹166.396
↓ -0.04 ₹13,790 500 -1.5 -3 -8.5 19.3 24.5 23.2 Sundaram Small Cap Fund Growth ₹261.359
↓ -0.82 ₹3,496 100 2.3 3.8 -0.7 19.5 24 19.1 IDBI Small Cap Fund Growth ₹29.2789
↓ -0.12 ₹647 500 -3.3 -0.6 -14 15.2 23.8 40 ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund Growth ₹86.37
↑ 0.11 ₹8,622 100 -2.5 0.8 -3.4 15.8 23.4 15.6 DSP Small Cap Fund Growth ₹195.826
↓ -0.40 ₹16,868 500 -0.6 0.7 -2.7 19.1 23.4 25.6 Kotak Small Cap Fund Growth ₹251.651
↑ 0.46 ₹18,024 1,000 -3.6 -2.8 -10.3 14.5 21.6 25.5 SBI Small Cap Fund Growth ₹168.527
↓ -0.77 ₹36,945 500 -1.9 0.1 -6.3 13.1 19.9 24.1 Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund Growth ₹84.9724
↓ -0.43 ₹5,127 1,000 0.8 1 -5.1 16.7 19.5 21.5 Note: Returns up to 1 year are on absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR basis. as on 4 Dec 25 Research Highlights & Commentary of 10 Funds showcased
Commentary Nippon India Small Cap Fund HDFC Small Cap Fund Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund Sundaram Small Cap Fund IDBI Small Cap Fund ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund DSP Small Cap Fund Kotak Small Cap Fund SBI Small Cap Fund Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund Point 1 Highest AUM (₹68,969 Cr). Top quartile AUM (₹38,412 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹13,790 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹3,496 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹647 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹8,622 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹16,868 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹18,024 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹36,945 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹5,127 Cr). Point 2 Established history (15+ yrs). Established history (17+ yrs). Established history (19+ yrs). Oldest track record among peers (20 yrs). Established history (8+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Established history (20+ yrs). Established history (16+ yrs). Established history (18+ yrs). Point 3 Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 3★ (lower mid). Not Rated. Rating: 3★ (bottom quartile). Rating: 4★ (lower mid). Rating: 3★ (bottom quartile). Top rated. 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: 28.47% (top quartile). 5Y return: 26.26% (top quartile). 5Y return: 24.45% (upper mid). 5Y return: 24.03% (upper mid). 5Y return: 23.80% (upper mid). 5Y return: 23.45% (lower mid). 5Y return: 23.36% (lower mid). 5Y return: 21.62% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 19.94% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 19.45% (bottom quartile). Point 6 3Y return: 20.23% (top quartile). 3Y return: 20.06% (top quartile). 3Y return: 19.32% (upper mid). 3Y return: 19.51% (upper mid). 3Y return: 15.16% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 15.84% (lower mid). 3Y return: 19.05% (upper mid). 3Y return: 14.49% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 13.07% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 16.74% (lower mid). Point 7 1Y return: -6.64% (lower mid). 1Y return: -1.53% (top quartile). 1Y return: -8.53% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: -0.74% (top quartile). 1Y return: -13.96% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: -3.36% (upper mid). 1Y return: -2.69% (upper mid). 1Y return: -10.28% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: -6.28% (lower mid). 1Y return: -5.05% (upper mid). Point 8 Alpha: -2.66 (lower mid). Alpha: 0.00 (top quartile). Alpha: -3.92 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 2.09 (top quartile). Alpha: -5.20 (bottom quartile). Alpha: -1.20 (lower mid). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: -5.17 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Point 9 Sharpe: -0.35 (lower mid). Sharpe: -0.07 (top quartile). Sharpe: -0.40 (lower mid). Sharpe: -0.12 (top quartile). Sharpe: -0.43 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: -0.28 (upper mid). Sharpe: -0.17 (upper mid). Sharpe: -0.46 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: -0.45 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: -0.25 (upper mid). Point 10 Information ratio: -0.11 (upper mid). Information ratio: 0.00 (top quartile). Information ratio: -0.26 (lower mid). Information ratio: -0.43 (lower mid). Information ratio: -0.79 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: -0.85 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.00 (top quartile). Information ratio: -0.97 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.00 (upper mid). Information ratio: 0.00 (upper mid). Nippon India Small Cap Fund
HDFC Small Cap Fund
Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Sundaram Small Cap Fund
IDBI Small Cap Fund
ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund
DSP Small Cap Fund
Kotak Small Cap Fund
SBI Small Cap Fund
Aditya Birla Sun Life Small Cap Fund
All the funds mentioned above are ideal, we are giving you detailed analysis of 5 funds.
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 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 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 (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 1. Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 16 Sep 10 NAV (04 Dec 25) ₹166.34 ↓ -0.32 (-0.19 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹68,969 on 31 Oct 25 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd. Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.44 Sharpe Ratio -0.35 Information Ratio -0.11 Alpha Ratio -2.66 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 Returns for Nippon India Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 4 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -3.3% 3 Month -1.2% 6 Month 0.3% 1 Year -6.6% 3 Year 20.2% 5 Year 28.5% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 20.3% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 26.1% 2023 48.9% 2022 6.5% 2021 74.3% 2020 29.2% 2019 -2.5% 2018 -16.7% 2017 63% 2016 5.6% 2015 15.1% Fund Manager information for Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Data below for Nippon India Small Cap Fund as on 31 Oct 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity 2. HDFC Small Cap Fund
HDFC Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 3 Apr 08 NAV (04 Dec 25) ₹139.74 ↓ -0.42 (-0.30 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹38,412 on 31 Oct 25 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC HDFC Asset Management Company Limited Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.58 Sharpe Ratio -0.07 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 Returns for HDFC Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 4 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -3.3% 3 Month -1.6% 6 Month 3.2% 1 Year -1.5% 3 Year 20.1% 5 Year 26.3% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 16.1% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 20.4% 2023 44.8% 2022 4.6% 2021 64.9% 2020 20.2% 2019 -9.5% 2018 -8.1% 2017 60.8% 2016 5.4% 2015 6.4% Fund Manager information for HDFC Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Data below for HDFC Small Cap Fund as on 31 Oct 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity 3. Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Growth Launch Date 13 Jan 06 NAV (04 Dec 25) ₹166.396 ↓ -0.04 (-0.02 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹13,790 on 31 Oct 25 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Franklin Templeton Asst Mgmt(IND)Pvt Ltd Rating ☆☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.72 Sharpe Ratio -0.41 Information Ratio -0.26 Alpha Ratio -3.92 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 Returns for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 4 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -3.8% 3 Month -1.5% 6 Month -3% 1 Year -8.5% 3 Year 19.3% 5 Year 24.5% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 15.2% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 23.2% 2023 52.1% 2022 3.6% 2021 56.4% 2020 18.7% 2019 -5% 2018 -17.4% 2017 43.5% 2016 10.2% 2015 9.6% Fund Manager information for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund
Name Since Tenure Data below for Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund as on 31 Oct 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity 4. Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 15 Feb 05 NAV (04 Dec 25) ₹261.359 ↓ -0.82 (-0.31 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹3,496 on 31 Oct 25 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC Sundaram Asset Management Company Ltd Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 1.94 Sharpe Ratio -0.12 Information Ratio -0.43 Alpha Ratio 2.09 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 Returns for Sundaram Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 4 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -2.3% 3 Month 2.3% 6 Month 3.8% 1 Year -0.7% 3 Year 19.5% 5 Year 24% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 17% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 19.1% 2023 45.3% 2022 -2.1% 2021 60.3% 2020 26.2% 2019 -6.1% 2018 -29.2% 2017 55.6% 2016 -0.1% 2015 7.8% Fund Manager information for Sundaram Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Data below for Sundaram Small Cap Fund as on 31 Oct 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity 5. IDBI Small Cap Fund
IDBI Small Cap Fund
Growth Launch Date 21 Jun 17 NAV (03 Dec 25) ₹29.2789 ↓ -0.12 (-0.42 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹647 on 31 Oct 25 Category Equity - Small Cap AMC IDBI Asset Management Limited Rating Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 2.3 Sharpe Ratio -0.43 Information Ratio -0.79 Alpha Ratio -5.2 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 Returns for IDBI Small Cap Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 4 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month -5.2% 3 Month -3.3% 6 Month -0.6% 1 Year -14% 3 Year 15.2% 5 Year 23.8% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 13.6% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 40% 2023 33.4% 2022 2.4% 2021 64.7% 2020 19% 2019 -4.4% 2018 -15% 2017 2016 2015 Fund Manager information for IDBI Small Cap Fund
Name Since Tenure Data below for IDBI Small Cap Fund as on 31 Oct 25
Equity Sector Allocation
Sector Value Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity
Conclusion
Unlike any investment, small cap funds have its own pros and cons. If you are ready to take such risks and want to invest in small caps, then they are the right arena for you! You should further explore more!
All efforts have been made to ensure the information provided here is accurate. However, no guarantees are made regarding correctness of data. Please verify with scheme information document before making any investment.
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Research Highlights for Nippon India Small Cap Fund