What is the outlook for small-cap stocks?

Asked by: Emelie Douglas  |  Last update: July 31, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (13 votes)

Small-cap valuations – Attractive We expect earnings to drive the next leg higher for small-cap share prices. Analysts are looking for robust earnings growth: 15% this year, and by over 30% in 2025 and 2026. That is ahead of the long run rate of 13% growth (see Exhibit 3).

What is the prediction for small-cap stocks?

Looking ahead, S&P 500 stocks are currently forecast to generate 13% EPS growth in 2025 and 13.1% growth in 2026 (versus 8.5% EPS growth in 2025), while the S&P SmallCap 600 Index is currently forecast to generate EPS growth of 20.9% in 2025 and 18.6% EPS growth in 2026 (versus minus 8.0% EPS growth in 2024), according ...

What is the outlook for small caps in 2024?

Monthly performance of small caps via the Russell [+] 2000 from December 2023 to November 2024, highlighting the bumpiness that has come after several strong months. In the 12 months ending November 2024, the Russell 2000 had gained 34.6% — outpacing the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100.

Will small caps outperform in 2025?

However, the highly overstretched valuation of large-cap stocks, together with a few positive developments may shift market participants' preference from large to small-cap stocks. At this stage, we recommend small cap stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank that have strong growth potential for 2025.

What is the outlook for small-cap value?

2025 outlook: Small caps offer an inexpensive way to gain exposure to the robust US economy. Multiple favorable trends – including onshoring and increased CAPEX – may explain why Wall Street expects to see the strongest earnings gains come from small caps in 2025.

What’s the Outlook for Struggling Small-Cap Stocks? | Presented by CME Group

23 related questions found

Should I sell my small-cap stocks?

Small-cap is not a bad thing, it is just that you should have the time-frame. If you're investing for any 10 year, small-cap will beat all other kinds of funds hands down, but if you are coming with a very short-term expectation, you will be very surprised in a very negative way.

What is the outlook for value stocks in 2024?

Value stocks were strong in late 2024, and Mutual Series sees trends that could push this performance into 2025 and beyond. Value stocks were strong in late 2024, and we think this strength has staying power.

Is it good to invest in small-cap now?

Small-cap mutual funds are ideal for you if you have an investment horizon of five years and above, as small-cap stocks are volatile in the short term, and small-cap funds perform better in the long term.

Are small caps good in a recession?

Most investors think smaller companies underperform in a recession. In most cases, they are correct. However, what's less well-known is that small caps usually exit recessions quicker than assumed – outperforming large caps. This rebound can begin as early as three months into an economic downturn.

How long should I invest in small-cap?

With small-cap mutual funds, always opt to invest for the long Term. Therefore, the minimum period for which you should be investing in small-cap mutual funds is 5-6 years. As mentioned earlier, small-cap mutual funds tend to be very volatile. For example, they may go up and down in the short Term.

Should we invest in small-cap funds in 2024?

Small-cap funds are riskier than large-cap funds and may not be suitable for everyone. Small-cap companies are more sensitive to market changes and can experience sudden and wide price fluctuations. Small-cap companies are less popular and smaller in size, making their stock less liquid.

Will small-caps bounce back?

Rebound Potential: The initiation of rate cuts by central banks, signalling a move towards a more normalised interest rate environment, could reduce the performance gap between small and large cap stocks. This environment may favour small cap stocks, indicating a potential rebound.

Should I invest in small-cap value funds?

Not only have small-cap stocks historically outperformed their larger peers, but they've done so strongly, by an annual average of more than 300 basis points (bps), and consistently, more than 69% of the time (Figure 1).

Will small caps do well in 2024?

Given the changing macroeconomic backdrop, we outline why we see potential value for investors in small caps in 2024. The consensus is that interest rates look to have peaked, with markets now pricing in cuts across many major economies in 2024, something which could prove beneficial to small caps.

Why not to invest in small-cap stocks?

Small companies tend to underperform in recessions and bear markets because they simply don't have the same resources as large companies and aren't industry leaders that can more easily survive unexpected emergencies.

Will small caps do well in 2025?

We expect small-cap earnings growth could exceed that of large-cap stocks in 2025, aided by easier earnings comparisons.

What is the best asset to hold during a recession?

In a recession, it's smart to preserve your capital by investing in safer assets, such as bonds, particularly government bonds, which can perform well during economic downturns.

What is the outlook for small-cap equity?

The outlook for US small-capitalisation stocks looks better now than it has for several years. The main reasons include the US interest rate cutting cycle (small caps tend to benefit); attractive valuations; and continued reshoring and merger & acquisition trends.

How much of my portfolio should be in small-cap stocks?

To find an appropriate investment mix for your time horizon, find your age and the corresponding portfolio allocation. A typical mixture could include 60% large-cap (established companies), 20% mid-cap/small-cap (small to medium-sized compa- nies), and 20% international (companies outside the U.S.) stocks.

Why are small-cap funds falling?

Nifty Smallcap 100 index has fallen 4% to its lowest level since mid-June amid concerns about Q3FY25 performance. Disappointing earnings results have led to increased selling pressure, with many stocks down significantly from their 1-year highs and foreign investors pulling out funds.

Will stock bounce back in 2024?

NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates.

Should I pull my money out of the stock market?

Key Takeaways. While holding or moving to cash might feel good mentally and help avoid short-term stock market volatility, it is unlikely to be wise over the long term. Once you cash out a stock that's dropped in price, you move from a paper loss to an actual loss.