Mutual fund 1, 3, 5 years returns battle 2026: Which large, mid, small-cap schemes delivered consistent money gains?
Equity mutual funds are classified into different categories based on their investments across market capitalisations, primarily large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap funds.
Large-cap funds invest in well-established companies that tend to be relatively less volatile, while mid-cap funds focus on medium-sized companies. Small-cap funds, on the other hand, invest in smaller companies, which carry higher risks but also offer greater growth potential.
As per SEBI's categorisation norms, large-cap funds must invest at least 80% of their assets in large-cap stocks. Mid-cap and small-cap funds must invest at least 65% of their assets in their respective categories.
Over the last one year, the large-cap fund category declined by an average of 5.80%, while mid-cap funds fell by 1.06%. Small-cap funds, however, gained 3.13%.
Against this backdrop, here is a look at the schemes across these three categories that delivered positive returns over the 1-year period and also recorded positive returns over the 3-year and 5-year periods.
The table below lists large-cap funds ranked by their 1-year returns. It includes only schemes that have delivered positive returns over the 3-year and 5-year periods as well. Only three large-cap schemes met these criteria.
| Large-cap funds | 1-year return | 3-year return | 5-year return |
| Taurus Largecap Equity Fund | 5.55% | 14.73% | 10.47% |
| Quant Large Cap Fund | 1.90% | 13.83% | Not available |
| Invesco India Large Cap Fund | 0.30% | 14.52% | 10.52% |
*Source: Morningstar, Direct-Growth plans; CAGR as on 3 November 2026
Taurus Largecap Equity topped the list with a 1-year return of 5.55% and also recorded the highest 3-year return of 14.73% among the three schemes. However, Invesco India Large Cap delivered the highest 5-year return of 10.52%. Quant Large Cap does not have a 5-year return figure.
The following table lists mid-cap funds ranked by their 1-year returns. It includes only schemes that have also delivered positive returns over the 3-year and 5-year periods.
| Mid-cap funds | 1-year return | 3-year return | 5-year return |
| HSBC Midcap Fund | 11.04% | 21.12% | 17.14% |
| Axis Midcap Fund | 3.32% | 16.52% | 12.01% |
| ICICI Prudential Midcap Fund | 3.31% | 19.71% | 14.98% |
| Union Midcap Fund | 2.86% | 16.11% | 13.82% |
| Invesco India Mid Cap Fund | 2.18% | 22.08% | 17.55% |
HSBC Midcap Fund topped the list with a 1-year return of 11.04%. However, Invesco India Mid Cap Fund recorded the highest returns over both the 3-year and 5-year periods, at 22.08% and 17.55%, respectively.
| Small-cap funds | 1-year return | 3-year return | 5-year return |
| Bank of India Small Cap Fund | 17.69% | 18.64% | 18.26% |
| Union Small Cap Fund | 12.63% | 14.82% | 15.85% |
| ITI Small Cap Fund | 11.90% | 21.71% | 16.82% |
| DSP Small Cap Fund | 10.51% | 16.06% | 15.78% |
| LIC MF Small Cap Fund | 9.19% | 16.40% | 15.56% |
Bank of India Small Cap Fund topped the list with a 1-year return of 17.69%. However, ITI Small Cap Fund recorded the highest 3-year return of 21.71%, while Bank of India Small Cap Fund delivered the highest 5-year return of 18.26%.
Sheetal Goel is a Content Producer at Livemint, where she covers corporate developments, personal finance, business trends, markets, and SEBI-related updates. She focuses on simplifying complex financial concepts and presenting them in a clear, reader-friendly manner, thereby helping audiences better understand investment trends, personal finance, and market developments. Her writing focuses on making finance more accessible to everyday readers while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and relevance. <br><br> She holds a degree in Economics (Hons.) along with an MBA in Finance, which has helped her develop a strong foundation in financial analysis, market understanding, and business reporting. Before joining journalism, she worked with finance and broking firms, where she closely followed market developments, investment strategies, and evolving industry trends. This practical exposure strengthened her understanding of financial markets. She has also written content across multiple formats and platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. <br><br> Over time, she has developed expertise in covering market-linked stories, investor-focused topics, and regulatory updates in a simplified yet informative style. She also enjoys reading and listening to Hindi poetry, reflecting her appreciation for literature and creative expression beyond the world of markets and numbers.
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