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11 Best Small-Cap Growth Stocks to Buy Right Now

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In this article, we will look at the 11 Best Small-Cap Growth Stocks to Buy Right Now.

On August 14, Jonathan Krinsky of BTIG joined CNBC for an interview to discuss the sustainability of the recent small-cap rally. He noted that the current situation resembles July 2024, when small caps were mostly flat while the Nasdaq performed well, and after a better-than-expected CPI report, the small caps surged. The current situation is very similar as small-caps have again been flat year-to-date, while the Nasdaq remains strong, and a recent CPI report has pushed small caps higher. This becomes more relevant as the markets are priced in for a September rate cut too.

Krinsky noted that the recent breakout deserves attention; however, the key question remains regarding the sustainability of this momentum. He highlighted that after the last election, the small-caps rose for some time; however, the market lost steam quickly. Regardless, Krinsky continues to see potentially good opportunities in small-caps as the valuations remain low and investors remain heavily uninvested in this sector.

Krinsky also mentioned that the Russell 2000 is now above recent trading highs, around 2300, with a 52-week high near 2466. While this suggests a buying chance, he advises caution and to use tight stops since the setup is similar to last year’s.

With that, let’s take a look at the 11 best small-cap growth stocks to buy right now.

A close-up of an organized portfolio board, monitoring the performance of a diverse array of stocks.

Our Methodology

To curate the list of 11 best small-cap growth stocks to buy right now, we used the Finviz stock screener, CNN, and Yahoo Finance as our sources. Using the screener, we aggregated a list of small-cap growth stocks (market cap between $300 million and $2 billion) with analyst price targets showing more than 25% upside. Lastly, we cross-checked the market capitalization from Yahoo Finance and ranked the stocks in ascending order of the number of hedge fund holders sourced from Insider Monkey’s Q1 2025 database. Please note that the data was recorded on August 18, 2025.

​Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

11 Best Small-Cap Growth Stocks to Buy Right Now

11. Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ:VCEL)

Market Capitalization: $1.831 billion

Analyst Upside Potential: 51.60%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14

Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ:VCEL) is one of the Best Small-Cap Growth Stocks to Buy Right Now. On August 4, Mike Kratky from Leerink Partners raised the firm’s price target on Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ:VCEL) from $50 to $57, while maintaining a Buy rating on the stock.

The analyst noted that the company missed revenue estimates for the fiscal second quarter slightly. However, management’s outlook and strategic plan suggest better results during the second half of the year. Kratky noted that the conversion rates for MACI Arthro, which refer to the percentage of patients who move from an initial biopsy to receiving a MACI implant using the less invasive arthroscopic technique, are aligning with the traditional methods. This indicates  that the ongoing training and activations could drive growth in biopsies and implants through 2026.

Moreover, the analyst also finds that the current valuation of Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ:VCEL) is below its historic average and noted that management expects stable expenses for the rest of the year. Kratky finds the company’s risk/reward situation attractive.

Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ:VCEL) is a biopharmaceutical company that develops advanced therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care.

10. NetScout Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTCT)

Market Capitalization: $1.611 billion

Analyst Upside Potential: 42.79%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22

NetScout Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTCT) is one of the Best Small-Cap Growth Stocks to Buy Right Now. On August 7, NetScout Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTCT) released its fiscal first quarter results for 2026, with both revenue and EPS exceeding Wall Street estimates.

The company delivered $186.75 million in revenue, up around 7% year-over-year and ahead of estimates by $5.25 million. The EPS of $0.34 also exceeded expectations by $0.04. Management noted that this growth was driven by an increased product revenue, which makes up around 39% of the total revenue.

Moreover, NetScout Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTCT) also grew its product backlog significantly to $30.9 million. Management expects full-year revenue between $825 million and $865 million.

NetScout Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTCT) provides solutions for enterprise performance management, carrier service assurance, and cybersecurity.

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AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

AI is eating the world—and the machines behind it are ravenous.

Each ChatGPT query, each model update, each robotic breakthrough consumes massive amounts of energy. In fact, AI is already pushing global power grids to the brink.

Wall Street is pouring hundreds of billions into artificial intelligence—training smarter chatbots, automating industries, and building the digital future. But there’s one urgent question few are asking:

Where will all of that energy come from?

AI is the most electricity-hungry technology ever invented. Each data center powering large language models like ChatGPT consumes as much energy as a small city. And it’s about to get worse.

Even Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, issued a stark warning:

“The future of AI depends on an energy breakthrough.”

Elon Musk was even more blunt:

“AI will run out of electricity by next year.”

As the world chases faster, smarter machines, a hidden crisis is emerging behind the scenes. Power grids are strained. Electricity prices are rising. Utilities are scrambling to expand capacity.

And that’s where the real opportunity lies…

One little-known company—almost entirely overlooked by most AI investors—could be the ultimate backdoor play. It’s not a chipmaker. It’s not a cloud platform. But it might be the most important AI stock in the US owns critical energy infrastructure assets positioned to feed the coming AI energy spike.

As demand from AI data centers explodes, this company is gearing up to profit from the most valuable commodity in the digital age: electricity.

The “Toll Booth” Operator of the AI Energy Boom

  • It owns critical nuclear energy infrastructure assets, positioning it at the heart of America’s next-generation power strategy.
  • It’s one of the only global companies capable of executing large-scale, complex EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) projects across oil, gas, renewable fuels, and industrial infrastructure.
  • It plays a pivotal role in U.S. LNG exportation—a sector about to explode under President Trump’s renewed “America First” energy doctrine.

Trump has made it clear: Europe and U.S. allies must buy American LNG.

And our company sits in the toll booth—collecting fees on every drop exported.

But that’s not all…

As Trump’s proposed tariffs push American manufacturers to bring their operations back home, this company will be first in line to rebuild, retrofit, and reengineer those facilities.

AI. Energy. Tariffs. Onshoring. This One Company Ties It All Together.

While the world is distracted by flashy AI tickers, a few smart investors are quietly scooping up shares of the one company powering it all from behind the scenes.

AI needs energy. Energy needs infrastructure.

And infrastructure needs a builder with experience, scale, and execution.

This company has its finger in every pie—and Wall Street is just starting to notice.

Wall Street is noticing this company also because it is quietly riding all of these tailwinds—without the sky-high valuation.

While most energy and utility firms are buried under mountains of debt and coughing up hefty interest payments just to appease bondholders…

This company is completely debt-free.

In fact, it’s sitting on a war chest of cash—equal to nearly one-third of its entire market cap.

It also owns a huge equity stake in another red-hot AI play, giving investors indirect exposure to multiple AI growth engines without paying a premium.

And here’s what the smart money has started whispering…

The Hedge Fund Secret That’s Starting to Leak Out

This stock is so off-the-radar, so absurdly undervalued, that some of the most secretive hedge fund managers in the world have begun pitching it at closed-door investment summits.

They’re sharing it quietly, away from the cameras, to rooms full of ultra-wealthy clients.

Why? Because excluding cash and investments, this company is trading at less than 7 times earnings.

And that’s for a business tied to:

  • The AI infrastructure supercycle
  • The onshoring boom driven by Trump-era tariffs
  • A surge in U.S. LNG exports
  • And a unique footprint in nuclear energy—the future of clean, reliable power

You simply won’t find another AI and energy stock this cheap… with this much upside.

This isn’t a hype stock. It’s not riding on hope.

It’s delivering real cash flows, owns critical infrastructure, and holds stakes in other major growth stories.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

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A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

I work for one of the largest independent financial publishers in the world – representing over 1 million people in 148 countries.

We’re independently funding today’s broadcast to address something on the mind of every investor in America right now…

Should I put my money in Artificial Intelligence?

Here to answer that for us… and give away his No. 1 free AI recommendation… is 50-year Wall Street titan, Marc Chaikin.

Marc’s been a trader, stockbroker, and analyst. He was the head of the options department at a major brokerage firm and is a sought-after expert for CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and Yahoo! Finance…

But what Marc’s most known for is his award-winning stock-rating system. Which determines whether a stock could shoot sky-high in the next three to six months… or come crashing down.

That’s why Marc’s work appears in every Bloomberg and Reuters terminal on the planet…

And is still used by hundreds of banks, hedge funds, and brokerages to track the billions of dollars flowing in and out of stocks each day.

He’s used this system to survive nine bear markets… create three new indices for the Nasdaq… and even predict the brutal bear market of 2022, 90 days in advance.

Click to continue reading…