A blend fund is an equity mutual fund that usually invests in both value and growth stocks. Such funds can further diversify by investing in stocks of different market capitalizations or using popular investment styles. For instance, small blend portfolios invest in value and growth stocks in the bottom 10% of the capitalization of the U.S. equity market.
We have used the last one-year return data (from money.usnews.com) to rank the ten best performing small blend funds. Following are the ten best performing small blend funds, in reverse order.
Fidelity® Small Cap Discovery (NASDAQ:DISCA)
Fidelity® Small Cap Discovery Fund primarily invests in companies with small market capitalizations, which it determines using the Russell 2000® Index or the S&P Small Cap 600® Index. This fund has given a return of almost 8% in the last three months and almost 23% in the last three years. FSCRX has more than $3 billion in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: TFI International (NYSE:TFII), Jones Lang LaSalle and ASGN (NYSE:ASGN).
Hodges Small Cap Fund
Hodges Small Cap Fund Retail Class normally invests in the stocks of small capitalization companies. It uses the Russell 2000® Index to determine the small capitalization companies. This fund has given a return of almost 4% in the last three months and almost 23% in the last three years. HDPSX has more than $210 million in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: Texas Pacific Land (NYSE:TPL), Commercial Metals Company (NYSE:CMC) and Boyd Gaming (NYSE:BYD).
Private Capital Management Value Fund
Private Capital Management Value Fund (MUTF:VFPIX) mainly invests in the common stocks of companies that are listed in North America. This fund has given a return of about 5% in the last three months and over 22% in the last three years. VFPIX has more than $37 million in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: ECN Capital Corp (TSX:ECN), QuinStreet and KKR & Co.
Fidelity® Series Small Cap Discovery Fd
Fidelity® Series Small Cap Discovery Fund primarily invests in companies with small market capitalizations. It invests in securities from both domestic and foreign issuers. This fund has given a return of over 8% in the last three months and almost 25% in the last three years. FJACX has more than $1.50 billion in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: TFI International, Insight Enterprises (NASDAQ:NSIT) and First American Financial (NYSE:FAF).
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class A invests in the equity securities of micro-capitalization companies. It may also invest in foreign securities, such as ADRs and GDRs. This fund has given a return of almost 4% in the last three months and almost 18% in the last three years. MMEAX has more than $90 million in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: Northern Oil & Gas, Harmonic (NASDAQ:HLIT), and Earthstone Energy (NYSE:ESTE).
Fuller & Thaler Behavioral Mcr-Cp Eq Fd (FTMSX, 37%)
Along with investing in U.S. small cap companies, Fuller & Thaler Behavioral Micro-Cap Equity Fund (MUTF:FTMSX) may also invest in ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds), REITs (real estate investment trusts) and BDCs (Business Development Companies). This fund has given a return of over 4% in the last three months and over 23% in the last three years. FTMSX has more than $14 million in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: B. Riley Financial, Matador Resources (NYSE:MTDR), and Veritiv (NYSE:VRTV).
Highland Small Cap Equity Fund (HSZAX, 38%)
Highland Small-cap Equity Fund Class A (MUTF:HSZAX) invests in the common and preferred stocks of small-cap companies. To select small cap companies, it uses the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index. This fund has given a return of almost 8% in the last three months and over -6% in the last three years. HSZAX has more than $18 million in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: NexPoint Residential (NYSE:NXRT) Trust, NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust and Braemar Hotels & Resorts.
DWS Small Cap Core Fund (SZCAX, 41%)
Dws Small Cap Core Fund - Class S normally invests in small U.S. companies exhibiting potential for above-average long-term total return. This fund has given a return of over 6% in the last three months and over 25% in the last three years. SZCAX has more than $450 million in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: Veritiv, Cross Country Healthcare (NASDAQ:CCRN) and Stride.
Vulcan Value Partners Small Cap Fund (VVPSX, 45%)
Vulcan Value Partners Small Cap Fund (MUTF:VVPSX), under normal circumstances, invests in publicly traded small-cap companies that it believes are undervalued and possess a sustainable competitive advantage. This fund has given a return of over -1% in the last three months and over 24% in the last three years. VVPSX has more than $1.10 billion in total assets. The top three holdings of the fund are: Upstart (NASDAQ:UPST) Holdings, Cushman & Wakefield and Cerence (NASDAQ:CRNC).
Perritt Ultra MicroCap Fund (PREOX, 48%)
Perritt Ultra MicroCap Fund (MUTF:PREOX) normally invests in the common stocks of U.S. firms with a market capitalization of less than $300 million. This fund has given a return of almost 4% in the last three months and almost 21% in the last three years. PREOX has more than $17 million in total assets. The top four holdings of the fund are: First American Government Obligs X, DLH Holdings (NASDAQ:DLHC), Transcat (NASDAQ:TRNS) and A-Mark Precious Metals (NASDAQ:AMRK).