- ISIN
- US0930014859
- CUSIP
- 093001485
- Issuer
- William Blair
- Inception Date
- Dec 27, 1999
- Category
- Small Cap Growth Equities
- Min. Investment
- $500,000
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Equity
- Asset Class Size
- Small-Cap
- Asset Class Style
- Growth
Share Price Chart
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Performance
WBSIX Performance Chart
William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund (WBSIX) is up 19.2% since the beginning of the year. WBSIX is currently trading at $40 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of WBSIX shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,519.
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Returns By Period
William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund (WBSIX) has returned 19.23% so far this year and 33.70% over the past 12 months. Looking at the last ten years, WBSIX has achieved an annualized return of 15.09%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.88% per year.
William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund
- 1D
- 2.77%
- 1M
- 6.13%
- YTD
- 19.23%
- 6M
- 16.34%
- 1Y
- 33.70%
- 3Y*
- 20.12%
- 5Y*
- 8.72%
- 10Y*
- 15.09%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- -0.01%
- YTD
- 9.16%
- 6M
- 8.64%
- 1Y
- 25.22%
- 3Y*
- 19.78%
- 5Y*
- 11.99%
- 10Y*
- 13.88%
WBSIX Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Dec 27, 1999, WBSIX's average daily return is +0.06%, while the average monthly return is +1.21%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 4.8 years.
Historically, 61% of months were positive and 39% were negative. The best month was Feb 2000 with a return of +45.2%, while the worst month was Oct 2008 at -22.8%. The longest winning streak lasted 8 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 5 months.
On a daily basis, WBSIX closed higher 53% of trading days. The best single day was Dec 19, 2024 with a return of +11.2%, while the worst single day was Mar 16, 2020 at -13.5%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.34% | 1.22% | -6.94% | 12.47% | 3.66% | 4.05% | 19.23% | ||||||
| 2025 | 2.57% | -5.90% | -7.83% | -2.89% | 3.54% | 5.91% | 0.42% | 6.01% | -0.84% | -0.76% | 3.36% | 0.45% | 3.03% |
| 2024 | -4.11% | 9.04% | 2.11% | -5.97% | 7.26% | 0.14% | 5.88% | -0.30% | 0.59% | -2.89% | 12.18% | 6.51% | 32.88% |
| 2023 | 10.32% | -1.50% | -1.91% | -1.48% | -0.90% | 6.95% | 3.12% | -4.28% | -4.66% | -6.94% | 8.43% | 10.12% | 16.38% |
| 2022 | -12.45% | 1.07% | 2.35% | -11.80% | -2.54% | -7.36% | 10.05% | -1.85% | -7.01% | 8.87% | 4.90% | -5.07% | -21.46% |
| 2021 | 1.50% | 7.03% | -0.70% | 3.51% | -1.68% | 2.94% | -1.42% | 4.20% | -2.52% | 5.41% | -5.32% | -0.25% | 12.64% |
Benchmark Metrics
William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund has an annualized alpha of 6.76%, beta of 1.00, and R2 of 0.70 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since December 27, 1999.
- This fund captured 133.98% of S&P 500 Index gains and 102.86% of its losses - amplifying both gains and losses, but participating more in upside than downside.
- This fund generated an annualized alpha of 6.76% versus S&P 500 Index - delivering returns beyond what market exposure alone would predict.
- With beta of 1.00 and R2 of 0.70, this fund moves broadly in line with S&P 500 Index - much of its variation is explained by market exposure rather than independent behavior.
- Alpha
- 6.76%
- Beta
- 1.00
- R²
- 0.70
- Upside Capture
- 133.98%
- Downside Capture
- 102.86%
Expense Ratio
WBSIX has a high expense ratio of 1.25%, indicating above-average management fees.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
WBSIX ranks 40 for risk / return — on par with similar mutual funds. You're getting a typical balance of risk and reward. Not a standout, but not a red flag either — a reasonable choice if other factors align with your goals.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund (WBSIX) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| WBSIX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.44 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.37 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.61 | 2.78 | -0.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.39 | 12.44 | -3.05 |
Dividends
Dividend History
William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund provided a 6.28% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $2.54 per share.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $2.54 | $2.54 | $7.12 | $0.50 | $1.01 | $6.70 | $3.83 | $0.64 | $3.27 | $5.00 | $1.48 | $1.99 |
Dividend yield | 6.28% | 7.49% | 20.14% | 1.53% | 3.55% | 17.85% | 9.73% | 2.07% | 12.60% | 16.89% | 5.42% | 8.25% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund. The dividends shown in the table have been adjusted to account for any splits that may have occurred.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | ||||||
| 2025 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $2.54 | $2.54 |
| 2024 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $7.12 | $7.12 |
| 2023 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| 2022 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.01 | $1.01 |
| 2021 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $6.70 | $6.70 |
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund was 62.35%, occurring on Nov 20, 2008. Recovery took 1045 trading sessions.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Financial crisis2007–2009 | -62.35%Nov 2008 | 1y 4mo | 4y 1mo | 5y 6moJul 2007 - Jan 2013 |
COVID crash2020 | -39.16%Mar 2020 | 26d | 4mo 20d | 5mo 16dFeb 2020 - Aug 2020 |
Bear market2022 | -38.13%Jun 2022 | 7mo 9d | 2y 4mo | 3yNov 2021 - Nov 2024 |
Dot-com crash2000–2002 | -32.68%Apr 2001 | 7mo 5d | 2y 2mo | 2y 9moSep 2000 - Jun 2003 |
Dot-com crash2000–2002 | -32.42%Apr 2000 | 1mo 2d | 4mo 19d | 5mo 21dMar 2000 - Aug 2000 |
Drawdown Indicators
| WBSIX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.35% | -56.78% | -5.57% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.75% | -9.10% | -3.65% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.76% | -18.90% | -5.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -38.13% | -25.43% | -12.70% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.16% | -33.92% | -5.24% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.80% | +1.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.12% | -10.71% | -0.41% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.53% | 2.03% | +1.50% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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