Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund outperforms over long term despite short-term volatility

The Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund has delivered strong long-term returns despite near-term volatility in the small-cap space, reinforcing its positioning as a high-risk, high-reward offering for long-horizon investors. As of December 31, 2025, the fund’s Direct Plan has generated a CAGR of 23.49% since inception, outperforming its benchmark, the Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI, which returned 21.11% over the same period. Over a five-year period, the Direct Plan delivered 25% CAGR, again ahead of the benchmark’s 23.30%.

Short-term performance, however, reflects the broader correction in small-cap equities. Over the one-year period, the fund posted a negative return of around 3.35%, underperforming large-cap indices but broadly in line with the small-cap benchmark amid valuation resets and risk-off sentiment in equities. Fund managers and analysts view this divergence as characteristic of small-cap investing, where volatility often precedes long-term alpha generation.

At the portfolio level, the fund remains predominantly invested in small-cap stocks, with around 69% allocation to small caps, while mid caps account for nearly 19% and large caps close to 10%, providing some downside cushioning during market stress. Debt, cash, and equivalents remain minimal, reflecting the fund’s growth-oriented mandate.

The portfolio is well diversified across 92 stocks, with the top 10 holdings contributing just over 22% of net assets, limiting concentration risk. Sector exposure is balanced, led by capital markets, banking, consumer durables, finance, and pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, while more than half the portfolio is spread across other equity segments. Key holdings include Multi Commodity Exchange of India, KEI Industries, City Union Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, and GE Vernova T&D India.

From a strategy standpoint, the Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund follows a quality-first approach, focusing on companies with strong business models, competent management, good governance standards, and reasonable valuations. According to the fund house, stock selection is driven by in-house fundamental research rather than short-term market momentum, with an emphasis on earnings visibility and balance-sheet strength.

The fund adopts a no-style-bias investment philosophy, allowing flexibility to navigate changing business cycles and sectoral trends. It also actively manages portfolio beta by allocating up to 35% of assets to non-small-cap equities or debt instruments when market conditions warrant, helping moderate volatility without diluting long-term return potential.

Structural themes underpinning the portfolio include infrastructure spending, manufacturing and automation, financial inclusion and digitisation, housing-related demand, and export-led sectors benefiting from global supply-chain shifts. These themes are expected to support earnings growth over a multi-year horizon, even as near-term market sentiment remains cautious.

The fund is jointly managed by Pranav Gokhale and Shridatta Bhandwaldar, and had assets under management of about ₹13,100 crore as of end-December 2025. Given its positioning, the fund is best suited for investors with a high risk appetite and a minimum five-year investment horizon, who can withstand interim drawdowns in pursuit of superior long-term returns.

While small-cap valuations and volatility remain key risks, the fund’s historical performance, disciplined process, and diversified portfolio suggest it remains well placed to participate in any sustained recovery in the broader small-cap universe.