21 Best-Performing Small-Cap Stocks for October 2026

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

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FINRA. Market Cap Explained. View all sources . "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. 

» MORE: Market capitalization: What it is and why it matters

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.

» Want to start trading? Here's our list of the best platforms for day trading.

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.

» MORE: Diversification: An easy way to reduce your investing risk

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.

Looking for small-cap ETFs instead? Check out which ones are performing the best

Why small-cap stocks are not that different