Back to top

Image: Bigstock

3 Small-Cap Growth Mutual Funds for Higher Returns

Read MoreHide Full Article

Small-cap funds generally invest in companies having a market cap of less than $2 billion. The companies, smaller in size, offer growth potential, and their market capitalization may increase subsequently. Less international exposure makes small-cap funds less vulnerable to a stronger U.S. dollar.

Although small-cap stocks are believed to provide greater returns, they are expected to be more volatile than large and mid-cap companies. Also, growth funds may experience more fluctuations than the other fund classes.

Risk-taking investors who prefer capital appreciation over dividend payout may consider small-cap growth mutual funds. Growth funds focus on realizing an appreciable amount of capital growth by investing in stocks projected to rise in value over the long term. Meanwhile, small-cap funds are good choices for investors seeking diversification across different sectors and companies.

Below, we share with you three small-cap growth mutual funds, namely Goldman Sachs Small Cap Growth Insights Fund (GSAOX - Free Report) , Putnam Small Cap Growth (PNSAX - Free Report) and Blackrock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund (CSGEX - Free Report) . Each has earned a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and is expected to outperform its peers in the future. Investors can click here to see the complete list of funds.

Goldman Sachs Small Cap Growth Insights Fund invests most of its assets, along with borrowings, if any, in a broadly diversified portfolio of small-cap domestic and foreign equity issues that are traded in the United States. GSAOX advisors also invest in fixed-income securities that are considered to be cash equivalents.

Goldman Sachs Small Cap Growth Insights Fund has returned 17.3% in the past three years.  As of the end of July 2025, GSAOX had 398 issues, and 1.2% of its assets were invested in Hims & Hers Health.

Putnam Small Cap Growth fund invests most of its net assets in small-cap growth stocks of U.S.-based companies that have a market cap similar to the Russell 2000 Growth Index at the time of purchase. PNSAX advisors choose to invest in companies whose earnings are expected to grow faster than their competitors in terms of business growth and other characteristics, which may lead to an appreciation in stock price.

Putnam Small Cap Growth fund has returned 16.5% in the past three years. PNSAX has an expense ratio of 1.17%.

Blackrock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund invests most of its assets, along with borrowings, if any, in domestic small-cap growth equity securities. CSGEX advisors also invest in derivative products that provide investment exposure to such securities.

Blackrock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund has three-year annualized returns of 13.5%. Raffaele Savi has been one of the fund managers of CSGEX since March 2017.

To view the Zacks Rank and the past performance of all small-cap growth mutual funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of small-cap growth mutual funds.

Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox?

Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >>

Published in