Small caps

Small-cap mutual funds rebounded somewhat in the final quarter of 1998, but most of these funds brought negative returns for the year. While some analysts are hopeful small caps will catch up with the better performing blue chips in 1999, others expect this group to continue to lag behind its bigger brothers. Below are the top performing small caps in the final quarter of 1998.

Total return

Fund name 4th qtr. 1998 3-yr.*

Transamerica Prem. Sm. Co. 51.5% 80.3% N/A

800-892-7587

Parnassus 44.6 1.4 13.7

800-999-3505

Fremont US Micro-Cap 44.1 2.9 17.8

800-548-4539

Frontier Equity 41.1 -28.3 N/A

800-231-2901

Oberweis Micro-Cap 39.3 4.4 12.4

800-323-6166

Bridgeway Agressive Growth 38.5 19.2 23.1

800-661-3550

Kopp Emerging Growth A 38.8 0.2 N/A

888-533-5677

Source: Morningstar

N/A: not available

*Annualized

WHITNEY DODDS WOODRUFF