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Best Small Cap Mutual Funds

Small-cap mutual funds primarily invest their fund corpus in stocks of companies with a market capitalisation of less than Rs.5,000 crore. They are a sub-category of equity mutual funds, and thus their performance is impacted by market fluctuations. That said, the best small-cap mutual funds have the potential to generate substantial returns in the long term.

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List of Small Cap Mutual Funds in India

Fund NameCategoryRisk1Y ReturnsRatingFund Size(in Cr)
Quant Small Cap FundEquityVery High6.5%5₹3,302
Canara Robeco Small Cap FundEquityVery High-1.0%5₹4,832
Axis Small Cap FundEquityVery High1.4%5₹11,463
Nippon India Small Cap FundEquityVery High8.3%4₹23,910
Tata Small Cap FundEquityVery High18.3%4₹3,301
Kotak Small Cap FundEquityVery High-2.2%4₹8,618
Edelweiss Small Cap FundEquityVery High2.5%4₹1,458
Bank of India Small Cap FundEquityVery High-1.4%4₹415
SBI Small Cap FundEquityVery High6.4%4₹15,395
Bandhan Emerging Businesses FundEquityVery High-2.4%4₹1,423
HSBC Small Cap FundEquityVery High5.1%3₹8,626
HDFC Small Cap FundEquityVery High12.8%3₹14,649
ICICI Prudential Smallcap FundEquityVery High5.4%3₹4,618
IDBI Small Cap FundEquityVery High0.5%3₹144
Union Small Cap FundEquityVery High-1.3%3₹710
View All

Features of Small Cap Funds

Here are some features of small-cap mutual funds: 

Asset allocation: According to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) rules, small-cap funds must allocate at least 65% of their investment corpus to small-cap stocks. 

Risk-reward ratio: The top small-cap mutual funds are associated with higher risk levels compared to mid-cap and large-cap funds over the short and medium term. Nevertheless, they can generate substantial returns and even outperform other equity-oriented funds over the long term.

Taxability

Short-term capital gains tax: If the holding period of the units sold is less than 1 year, the short-term capital gains are taxed at 15%, irrespective of the realised sum. 

Long-term capital gains: LTCG tax of 10% is applicable on gains exceeding Rs.1 lakh if the holding period is more than 1 year. On the flip side, if the cumulative capital gain is within Rs.1 lakh for a financial year, it is tax-free.

Who Are These Funds Suited For?

Small-cap funds are associated with higher risk when compared with other types of equity funds. The underlying stocks are severely impacted in a bearish market due to small-cap companies’ perceived financial and organisational instability. Thus, these funds may suffer huge losses during a bearish trend. However, in a bullish market, these mutual fund schemes can generate substantial returns and even outperform large and mid-cap funds. That said, they must also consider certain aspects that will help them choose the best small-cap mutual fund scheme.  

Investors must make sure to take the following things into account before investing in small-cap mutual funds: 

Investment goal: When choosing the right investments, there is seldom a “one size fits all” solution. The investment goals and horizons are not the same among all individuals. One person may be looking to invest for 3 years, while another might be ready to earmark their savings for 10 years. The choice of small-cap MF scheme for investor A and investor B will vary accordingly. Hence, investors need to identify their financial objective before investing in any of the best small-cap funds 2023.

Expense ratio: It is the annual fee levied by an Asset Management Company (AMC) on investors. It measures the % of fund assets utilised towards operating and administrative expenses, comprising fund manager’s fee, custodial service fee, legal expenses, etc. This charge differs from one scheme to another. Hence, individuals must consider the fund's expense ratio before allocating their funds to it since it determines the precise % of returns they realise. 

Past performance of the fund: The returns generated by a fund since its inception give an idea regarding the variables that have influenced the same in the past. Hence, it’s an essential factor to consider for investors willing to invest in small-cap mutual funds. However, trailing performance may not be a strict indicator of a scheme’s prospects.

Experience of the fund manager:  A particular scheme’s performance is directly impacted by the decisions of fund managers as they buy and sell securities based on their research and analysis. Thus, it’s crucial to glance through a respective fund managers qualifications and previous performance before investing in small-cap funds.  

Portfolio composition: Although a scheme’s composition can vary going forward, analysing the current holdings can be insightful. It offers a glimpse of the sectors a particular plan is covering presently and the value it can provide. 

Direct or regular plan: A direct plan is offered by an asset management company (AMC) directly. In this case, there is no involvement of a third party, for example, brokers, and distributor, unlike a regular plan. Hence, direct plans have a lower expense ratio. Furthermore, since no brokerage or commission is necessary in direct methods, they report a higher NAV than regular plans.

Major Advantages

Here are some of the benefits of investing in the best small-cap mutual funds:

  • High growth potential: These funds possess immense growth potential. It’s because small-cap companies have an aggressive expansion strategy that can boost their growth significantly, especially over the long term. 
  • Ability to outperform other equity funds: In case the large-cap and mid-cap funds are not delivering returns per expectations, small-cap mutual funds can be a suitable portfolio inclusion. These tend to offer better gains, thus, balancing your portfolio. 
  • Researched diversification: The best small-cap mutual funds usually invest in stocks of companies with massive potential to generate returns. Fund managers conduct extensive research to analyse the top-performing stocks and invest accordingly. It lets investors diversify their portfolio but with calculated risk. 

Investment route: Investors can allocate their savings to small-cap funds via two ways: lump sum and Systematic Investment Plan (SIP).  By opting for the first option, individuals can invest the total amount they want to invest in at one go. Nevertheless, please note that one may have to invest a minimum of Rs.1,000 in this case. On the contrary, SIP allows investors to allocate their funds to a mutual fund scheme at fixed intervals (monthly, quarterly, etc.). The instalment amount can be as low as Rs.100 in this regard.

Let's have a closer look

Now let us jump and check about these top 15 mutual fund schemes.

Quant Small Cap Fund Direct Plan Growth

Fund Performance: The Quant Small Cap Fund has given 68.43% annualized returns in the past three years and 22.88% in the last 5 years. The Quant Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Quant Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Quant Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹3,302Cr
1Y Returns6.5%

Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Canara Robeco Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹4,832Cr
1Y Returns-1.0%

Axis Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Axis Small Cap Fund has given 37.79% annualized returns in the past three years and 18.9% in the last 5 years. The Axis Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Axis Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Axis Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹500 and via SIP is ₹100.

Min Investment Amt₹500
AUM₹11,463Cr
1Y Returns1.4%

Nippon India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Nippon India Small Cap Fund has given 50.42% annualized returns in the past three years and 16.72% in the last 5 years. The Nippon India Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Nippon India Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Nippon India Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹100.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹23,910Cr
1Y Returns8.3%

Tata Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Tata Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Tata Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Tata Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹150.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹3,301Cr
1Y Returns18.3%

Kotak Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Kotak Small Cap Fund has given 45.81% annualized returns in the past three years and 16.55% in the last 5 years. The Kotak Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Kotak Mahindra Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Kotak Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹500 and via SIP is ₹500.

Min Investment Amt₹500
AUM₹8,618Cr
1Y Returns-2.2%

Edelweiss Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Edelweiss Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Edelweiss Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Edelweiss Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹500.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹1,458Cr
1Y Returns2.5%

Bank of India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Bank of India Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of BOI AXA Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Bank of India Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹415Cr
1Y Returns-1.4%

SBI Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The SBI Small Cap Fund has given 39.38% annualized returns in the past three years and 15.6% in the last 5 years. The SBI Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of SBI Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in SBI Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹500.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹15,395Cr
1Y Returns6.4%

Bandhan Emerging Businesses Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Bandhan Emerging Businesses Fund belongs to the Equity category of IDFC Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Bandhan Emerging Businesses Fund via lump sum is ₹1,000 and via SIP is ₹100.

Min Investment Amt₹1,000
AUM₹1,423Cr
1Y Returns-2.4%

HSBC Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The HSBC Small Cap Fund has given 47.56% annualized returns in the past three years and 12.81% in the last 5 years. The HSBC Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of HSBC Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in HSBC Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹8,626Cr
1Y Returns5.1%

HDFC Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The HDFC Small Cap Fund has given 46.22% annualized returns in the past three years and 13.49% in the last 5 years. The HDFC Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of HDFC Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in HDFC Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹100 and via SIP is ₹100.

Min Investment Amt₹100
AUM₹14,649Cr
1Y Returns12.8%

ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund Direct Plan Growth

Fund Performance: The ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund has given 44.84% annualized returns in the past three years and 14.73% in the last 5 years. The ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund belongs to the Equity category of ICICI Prudential Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in ICICI Prudential Smallcap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹100.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹4,618Cr
1Y Returns5.4%

IDBI Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The IDBI Small Cap Fund has given 40.17% annualized returns in the past three years and 12.14% in the last 5 years. The IDBI Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of IDBI Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in IDBI Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹5,000 and via SIP is ₹500.

Min Investment Amt₹5,000
AUM₹144Cr
1Y Returns0.5%

Union Small Cap Fund Direct Growth

Fund Performance: The Union Small Cap Fund has given 38.74% annualized returns in the past three years and 12.61% in the last 5 years. The Union Small Cap Fund belongs to the Equity category of Union Mutual Funds.

Minimum Investment Amount: The minimum amount required to invest in Union Small Cap Fund via lump sum is ₹1,000 and via SIP is ₹1,000.

Min Investment Amt₹1,000
AUM₹710Cr
1Y Returns-1.3%

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