Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Small Caps Outperform Large Caps: Should SIP Investors Rebalance?
Small-cap investments did much better than large-cap investments over the past year.
That does not automatically mean people should stop their monthly investment plans.
Experts say investors should first check whether their investments still match the plan they made for their goals and comfort with risk.
If small-cap funds have grown to take up too much of the portfolio, they may need to rebalance.
Some experts suggest adjusting existing holdings, while another suggests sending new monthly investments to large- or mid-cap funds.
A monthly SIP and the mix of investments already saved are two different things.
The right mix depends on each person, so there is no single allocation that suits everyone.
Long-term investors should stay diversified and review their plans rather than make decisions based only on recent performance.
Small-cap indices outperformed large caps by 21.5% over the past year, prompting questions about SIP allocation.
Experts advise investors not to alter SIPs solely because of recent returns or valuation estimates.
Investors should check whether small- and mid-cap gains have pushed their portfolios beyond planned allocations.
If allocations remain within personal targets, experts say recent outperformance alone is not a reason to change course.
For overweight small-cap portfolios, options include rebalancing existing holdings or directing new SIP money to other categories.
- Who
- SIP investors, with advice from Vaibhav Porwal of Dezerv and Bharath Rathore of Anand Rathi Wealth.
- What
- Experts discuss whether investors should rebalance after small-cap indices outperformed large caps by 21.5% in a year.
- When
- The comparison covers the past year; the article gives no publication date.
- Where
- India's mutual fund and equity market.
- Why
- Recent outperformance may have increased small- and mid-cap shares in portfolios, potentially taking them beyond investors' intended allocations.
Porwal's emphasis
Rathore's emphasis
How to address an overweight small-cap allocation
Porwal's emphasis
Vaibhav Porwal says to focus on rebalancing the accumulated portfolio; investors can discuss the amount, timing and tax cost with a wealth manager.
Rathore's emphasis
Bharath Rathore says investors can begin rebalancing by redirecting fresh SIP contributions towards large- and mid-cap funds.
Small-cap allocation guide
Porwal's emphasis
Porwal says there is no single appropriate allocation; it should reflect each investor's goals and risk appetite.
Rathore's emphasis
Rathore offers 20–22% small-cap exposure as a reference point for reviewing a portfolio.
- Small-cap outperformance
- Small-cap indices beat large caps by 21.5% over the past year.
- Valuation estimates cited
- Bharath Rathore said midcaps were about 20% below estimated fair value, small caps about 18% below, and the Nifty 50 about 16% below.
- Small-cap allocation reference
- Rathore suggested 20–22% as a reference point for reviewing small-cap exposure, not a universal target.
- Allocation example
- Rathore said an overall mid- and small-cap allocation around 25% need not prompt a change based only on recent performance.
- Investment horizon
- The article discusses investors with five- to 10-year horizons.
- Equity allocation
- Rathore said long-term investors could consider up to 80% in equity and the remaining 20% in debt, depending on circumstances.
- SIP instalments
- Porwal said that after seven years of monthly investing, each new instalment may represent barely 1% of the accumulated investment.