Investors salivate over the biggest companies in the market — the likes of Apple, Google and Amazon — but where’s the love for the market’s perpetual underdogs: small-cap stocks?
When these investments do get some time in the limelight, it’s often for unflattering reasons — violent price swings or fraudulent activity, for example. Small caps can diversify portfolios and bring higher growth potential — albeit with higher risks.
What are small-cap stocks?
Small-cap stocks are company shares with market values between $250 million and $2 billion, though that range isn't universal. "Cap" is shorthand for market capitalization, or the total number of a company’s shares multiplied by its current stock price.
The definition of small when it comes to stocks is subjective. The Russell 2000 Index, the first benchmark of small-cap stocks, is the best-known gauge. The market caps of its member companies currently range from about $240 million to $6 billion. The other major indexes tracking these stocks — the Standard & Poor’s SmallCap 600 and the MSCI USA Small Cap Index — include U.S. companies with even broader ranges of market caps.
Small-cap stocks vs. mid-cap and large-cap stocks
Again, definitions can vary, but here is the breakdown of small-cap stocks versus mid-cap and large-cap stocks, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA):
- Small-cap stocks: Public companies valued at $250 million to $2 billion.
- Mid-cap stocks: Companies whose market capitalization is more than $2 billion but less than $10 billion.
- Large-cap stocks: Companies worth $10 billion or more.
Best small-cap stocks, ordered by one-year performance
Below is a table of the 21 best-performing stocks that are listed on major U.S. exchanges and have a market cap under $10 billion, ordered by one-year returns.
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The best-performing small cap stock by one-year return is Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc (ELOX), which is up 1,362,627.25%. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ticker | Company | Performance (Year) | ||
ELOX | Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc | 1,362,627.25% | ||
AXTI | AXT Inc | 3,213.93% | ||
NVA | Nova Minerals Corp | 1,947.83% | ||
SHAZ | SharonAI Holdings Inc | 1,391.67% | ||
BW | Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc | 1,298.95% | ||
ERAS | Erasca Inc | 1,235.96% | ||
NUAI | New Era Energy & Digital Inc | 1,187.13% | ||
ANRO | Alto Neuroscience Inc | 1,085.59% | ||
RLMD | Relmada Therapeutics Inc | 994.79% | ||
CLYM | Climb Bio Inc | 990.33% | ||
KOD | Kodiak Sciences Inc | 929.33% | ||
SPRB | Spruce Biosciences Inc | 921.70% | ||
SLGL | Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd | 910.64% | ||
EQ | Equillium Inc | 885.71% | ||
ALMS | Alumis Inc | 810.93% | ||
QTTB | Q32 Bio Inc | 780.56% | ||
STTK | Shattuck Labs Inc | 765.62% | ||
OPTX | Syntec Optics Holdings Inc | 756.20% | ||
OVID | Ovid Therapeutics Inc | 756.01% | ||
NBTX | Nanobiotix ADR | 743.92% | ||
CELC | Celcuity Inc | 740.60% | ||
Source: Finviz. Data is current as of July 1, 2026, and is intended for informational purposes only. | ||||
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Small caps historically have a relatively high correlation — meaning they tend to move in lockstep — with large-cap stocks. But which group is performing better than the other over a given time frame fluctuates regularly, based on factors such as macroeconomic growth and politics.
Why small-cap stocks are risky
As small-cap businesses expand, their stocks offer a higher growth potential compared with larger companies. But that comes with a greater risk of volatility — including more (and bigger) fluctuations in stock prices and earnings reports. This trade-off is known as the risk premium.
Small-cap stocks can also be more fertile territory for fraudulent activity.
Why small-cap stocks are appealing
The sheer number of small-cap stocks means there’s a plethora of options for investing in them. What’s more, the proliferation of exchange-traded funds has made it easier to buy a basket of stocks with a specific investing strategy — growth or value, for example. Small caps can be an under-appreciated — or even overlooked — way to add diversification to your portfolio.
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Why small-cap stocks are not that different
It’s important to know what makes small-cap stocks distinctive, but you shouldn’t necessarily obsess over the differences. They have a lot in common with the others that might be in your portfolio: They trade on exchanges, their prices are published intraday, Wall Street analysts write research reports about them, and by virtue of being public, these companies must disclose a wealth of information to investors.
Article sources
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- 1.FINRA. Market Cap Explained.
