Small-Cap: Much Ado About Quality

March 02, 2021

2020 was a year in which some small-cap asset managers flourished while most struggled to adapt to the changing tides of an unprecedented global pandemic. Active managers will not soon forget the difficulty of investing in 2020, but the dynamics that predicated the market may go overlooked.

In this newsletter, we seek to address the underperformance of small-cap active managers over the last several years, focusing on factor fallout and the definition of quality. We will specifically look to address how the rise of thematic versus fundamental investing came to the forefront in 2020.

Read > Small-Cap: Much Ado About Quality

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

Related Content

Three-line chart showing cumulative returns for the KOSPI Index, SK Hynix, and SK Hynix Daily 2x Leveraged ETF from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2026. While the KOSPI Index is at 137% cumulative, SK Hynix is at 671% and the ETF is at 948%, highlighting the growing role of ETFs. For full dataset, please contact marquettemarketing@marquetteassociates.com.

07.20.2026

Wagging the Dog

Our most recent Chart of the Week publication discussed how the AI investment opportunity has expanded beyond…

Seven-line chart showing cumulative return for Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Samsung, SK Hynix, Microsoft, and Micron from January 2026 through July 10, 2026. Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have all outperformed other companies shown, highlighting the increasing demand for hardware in the current surge of AI-related infrastructure manufacturing. For full dataset, please contact marquettemarketing@marquetteassociates.com.

07.13.2026

The Modern Gold Rush

One of the enduring lessons of the California Gold Rush is that the greatest fortunes were often made not by…

07.07.2026

2026 Halftime Market Insights Webinar

JULY 23 — 1:00pm CT Please join Marquette’s research team for our 2026 Halftime Market Insights Webinar…

06.25.2026

Commodities: An Overview of the Asset Class

Commodities represent a unique asset class within global financial markets. Like equities and bonds, commodity prices are influenced by the…

Two-line chart showing Private Construction Spending for Data Centers and Public Construction Spending for Transportation from December 2013 to present in billions of dollars. Data Centers in 2013 were $1.6 billion and Transportation was $28.7 billion. Since 2022, Data Center spending has increased quickly; Transportation has increased overall but relatively steadily. April 30, 2026 data point for Data Centers was 50.7, while Transportation was 49.9. For full dataset, please contact marquettemarketing@marquetteassociates.com.

06.15.2026

Centers of Attention

The rapid buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure is reshaping the U.S. investment landscape. According to recent Census Bureau data, spending…

05.26.2026

The Best and Worst of Times

The classic novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens begins with the line “It was the best of…

More articles

Subscribe to Research Email Alerts

Research Email Alert Subscription

Research alerts keep you updated on our latest research publications. Simply enter your contact information, choose the research alerts you would like to receive and click Subscribe. Alerts will be sent as research is published.

We respect your privacy. We will never share or sell your information.

Thank You

We appreciate your interest in Marquette Associates.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact us directly and we will respond to your inquiry within 24 hours.

Contact Us >