Small-cap fund rankings can change sharply when market leadership changes. Nippon India Small Cap Fund, SBI Small Cap Fund and Quant Small Cap Fund may show very different results depending on the period selected.
This page compares matching research snapshots rather than declaring a permanent winner. It is designed to help readers separate return, downside risk and consistency before opening the complete fund reports.
Current evidence
Returns and risk side by side
The return rows are annualised where the required history is available. Higher return is not automatically better; read it with volatility, drawdown and risk-adjusted evidence.
| Metric | Nippon India Small Cap Fund As of 21 Aug 2026 | SBI SMALL CAP FUND As of 21 Aug 2026 | Quant Small Cap Fund As of 21 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year annualised return | 10.7% | 7.7% | 14.4% |
| 3-year annualised return | 17.7% | 13.8% | 19.0% |
| 5-year annualised return | 21.4% | 16.6% | 22.0% |
| Annualised volatility | 17.9% | 15.1% | 19.3% |
| Maximum drawdown | -48.6% | -40.3% | -46.7% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.71 | 0.60 | 0.90 |
| Benchmark consistency | 60.2% | 47.6% | 62.1% |
Source: reviewed Genvest fund metrics derived from historical scheme NAV and benchmark data. Dates can differ by fund when source snapshots refresh at different times.
Interpretation
How to use this comparison
Why can small-cap fund results diverge so much?
Small-cap portfolios can differ in concentration, liquidity exposure, turnover and investment style. Those differences can amplify both gains and drawdowns across market cycles.
Should the highest-return fund be preferred?
Not on return alone. Check whether the return was accompanied by higher volatility, a deeper drawdown or weaker benchmark consistency, and whether that risk fits the investor time horizon.
How much small-cap exposure is appropriate?
That is a portfolio-level suitability decision, not a fund-ranking decision. It depends on goals, risk capacity, time horizon, existing equity exposure and the ability to tolerate prolonged underperformance.
Method
Do not let one metric make the decision
Trailing return answers what happened between one chosen start and end date. It is useful, but sensitive to timing.
Volatility describes the variability of historical returns. It does not tell you the size of the worst loss.
Maximum drawdown captures the largest observed peak-to-trough decline in the measured history.
Sharpe ratio compares excess historical return with volatility. It is one risk-adjusted lens, not a prediction.
Benchmark consistency asks how frequently a fund stayed ahead across the measured periods, rather than looking only at the endpoint.
Learn how rolling returns differ from CAGRFAQ
Common comparison questions
Which is better: Nippon India Small Cap Fund or SBI SMALL CAP FUND or Quant Small Cap Fund?
There is no universal winner. The appropriate choice depends on portfolio role, time horizon, risk capacity and the current return and risk evidence. This comparison is educational and not a personalised recommendation.
Why should mutual funds be compared over matching periods?
Matching periods reduce the distortion caused by different start and end dates. Investors should still use multiple periods because one trailing window can favour a particular market cycle.
Are the numbers on this page current?
Each table column displays the as-of date of the reviewed Genvest research snapshot used for that fund. The page should not be read as real-time market data.