In this article, we’ll look at the 8 Best Small-Cap Value Stocks to Buy According to Analysts.
Over the past 12 months, the small-cap focused Russell 2000 Index has climbed more than 21%. That overshadows the S&P 500’s 14% gain over that timeframe.
On March 25, Jill Carey Hall, the head of US small and mid-cap strategy at B&A Securities, appeared on CNBC television to discuss the performance of the sector. Hall said that they expect small and mid-cap stocks to outperform the megacaps this year.
According to Hall, the way investors should look at the current geopolitical issues is how they impact the story for profit growth, inflation, and Fed rates. While acknowledging that the small-cap index is more sensitive to Fed rate movements, Hall said they think rate hikes are far away out.
On rising oil prices, she pointed out that small-caps do have more exposure to sectors that are beneficiaries of higher oil prices than sectors that are currently consumers. Nevertheless, Hall urged investors to be selective when picking small-cap stocks. She believes value stocks look better positioned in the current backdrop, noting that small-cap value stocks do better in stagflation environments.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 8 best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 8 Best Small-Cap Value Stocks to Buy According to Analysts, we used financial media sources, including CNN and Bloomberg, as well as online rankings and the Finviz stock screener to build an initial pool of candidates. From this pool, we filtered for stocks with a market capitalization between $300 million and $2 billion as of March 29, 2026, a forward P/E ratio of less than 15, a dividend yield of more than 2%, and an analyst consensus upside potential of more than 30%. We also considered institutional interest in each stock using hedge fund holdings data from Insider Monkey’s 13F database, as of Q4 2025. The final list is ranked in ascending order based on analyst upside potential.
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 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
Best Small-Cap Value Stocks to Buy According to Analysts
8. Century Communities Inc (NYSE:CCS)
Market Cap: $1.61 billion
Dividend Yield: 2.15%
Forward P/E: 7.78%
Analysts upside: 29.80%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24
Century Communities Inc (NYSE:CCS) is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts. On March 10, the homebuilder Century Communities Inc announced that it has acquired a Denver site for a luxury apartment project.
Century Communities acquired this site through its multi-family division, Century Living. The site is located in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood, providing walking distance access to amenities like shops, restaurants, and parks. Additionally, the neighborhood provides quick access to Union Station and I-25.
The project features a five-story building with 116 apartment units. The property will include amenities such as resident lounges, a fitness center, a pool, and a sun deck. It will also have parking spaces both in the first-level garage and underground. The units are expected to be ready for leasing in 2028. For this project, Century Living serves as both the developer and general contractor.
Century Communities Inc delivered blowout Q4 2025 earnings and went on to boost its quarterly dividend. It posted EPS of $1.59, surpassing the forecast of $1.35, and revenue of $1.23 billion exceeded the anticipated $1.06 billion.
The management said the quarter was supported by strong orders and deliveries, attributing this to continued demand for affordable new homes even in a challenging economic environment.
Century Communities closed 2025 in a strong financial position, revealing $1.1 billion of total liquidity, which included $158.0 million of cash. The company went on to raise its quarterly dividend to $0.32 per share from $0.29 previously.
Colorado-based Century Communities Inc is one of America’s largest homebuilding companies. It operates through Century Communities and Century Complete brands, handling all aspects of homebuilding from acquisition to development of land and property marketing. The company has footprints in 45 markets across 16 states in the US.
7. Manpower Inc (NYSE:MAN)
Market Cap: $1.32 billion
Dividend Yield: 5.07%
Forward P/E: 5.74%
Analysts upside: 36.69%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 37
Manpower Inc (NYSE:MAN) is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts. On March 18, Goldman Sachs upgraded Manpower Inc stock to Neutral from Sell and set a price target of $30. According to Goldman, the revenue headwinds that have weighed on Manpower for years have stabilized. Consequently, the downside risk on the stock has subsided, the firm notes.
In Europe, Manpower primarily serves clients in the industrial and manufacturing sectors, offering temporary staffing services. The equity research firm sees bright prospects for Manpower as industrial activities in Europe have improved recently. France, in particular, has seen temporary staffing headcount stabilize after years of contraction. Manpower has around 25% revenue exposure to the French market.
Goldman Sachs also notes that Manpower is less exposed to AI risks, considering that it focuses more on industrial staffing needs than white-collar recruitments. Still, Manpower has recently spoken about strong demand for specialized tech skills in the US and internationally.
In Q4 2025, Manpower reported a 7% YoY increase in revenue to $4.7 billion. The company reported ongoing stabilization in North America and Europe, citing marked improvements in France and Italy. The quarter was also supported by strength in the company’s namesake Manpower segment as well as improvements in the Experis and Talent Solutions units. The company exited 2025 with $871 million of cash and cash equivalents.
Manpower Inc is an American multinational workforce solutions provider. It operates through the namesake Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions brands. The company offers a broad array of staffing services, including recruitment services, workforce consulting services, and outsourcing services. Manpower was founded in 1948 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
6. La-Z-Boy Inc (NYSE:LZB)
Market Cap: $1.31 billion
Dividend Yield: 3.03%
Forward P/E: 10.73%
Analysts upside: 39.32%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21
La-Z-Boy Inc (NYSE:LZB) is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts. La-Z-Boy Inc team led by the CEO Melinda Whittington presented at the 47th Annual Raymond James Institutional Investor Conference on March 2. The team used the platform to highlight the company’s strategic shifts, growth opportunities, and industry challenges.
On strategy, the team outlined La-Z-Boy’s shift toward a consumer-first business model. As part of this shift, the company plans to expand its retail network to 450 stores across the US and Canada. La-Z-Boy last reported having a retail network of 375 stores, including 16 new locations opened in the past year. The company also acquired 15 retail locations in the Southeast region. La-Z-Boy says new stores break even in their first year and start contributing to earnings in the third year.
Notably, the shift to the consumer-first strategy comes as La-Z-Boy makes more of its sales through the direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels. The company says DTC sales now make up 50% of its revenue, up from 25% a decade ago.
Looking ahead, La-Z-Boy aims to grow its sales at twice the market rate. Moreover, the company targets double-digit operating margins. The company says brand revitalization and distribution transformation will help it improve profitability and market share.
For its fiscal Q3 2026, which ended in January, La-Z-Boy posted adjusted EPS of $0.61, which exceeded the anticipated $0.59. Revenue increased 4% YoY to $542 million and surpassed the consensus forecast of $535.47 million. La-Z-Boy closed the quarter with $306.1 million in cash.
For fiscal Q2, the company guided revenue in the band of $560 million to 580 million. Analysts projected revenue of $590.2 million for that quarter. According to La-Z-Boy’s management, this guidance reflects a cautious view on macroeconomics.
La-Z-Boy Inc is an American furniture manufacturer headquartered in Monroe, Michigan. It makes a variety of home furniture, including sofas, upholstered recliners, stationary chairs, and lift chairs. The company operates through wholesale and retail channels and sells its products in the US and Canada.
5. TriNet Group Inc (NYSE:TNET)
Market Cap: $1.8 billion
Dividend Yield: 3.05%
Forward P/E: 8.17
Analysts upside: 40.10%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32
TriNet Group Inc (NYSE:TNET) is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts.
At the 2026 Transform conference on March 24, TriNet Group Inc unveiled strategic expansions to its platform. Among other innovations, the company announced the addition of AI-power HR support. Called TriNet Assistant, this feature enables users to obtain personalized answers and complete tasks through a conversational experience. This tool is designed to handle repetitive and administrative work so HR professionals can focus on more important tasks.
The company has also introduced a global workforce management tool that it calls TriNet Global. This feature is designed to help companies hire and manage a global team without the usual complexities. At launch, this tool supports compliant hiring and payroll in more than 150 countries.
Another addition to the TriNet platform is an AI-driven IT asset management tool. With this tool, companies can save on hardware costs, reduce IT workloads, and reduce security risks more easily.
These platform additions come as TriNet prepares to distribute a quarterly dividend of $0.29 per share. The company announced on March 19 that it intended to pay out the dividend on April 27 to shareholders of record as of April 1. Last month, TriNet said it returned more than $200 million to shareholders in 2025 through a combination of dividends and share repurchases. As of February 6, the company had $400 million available under its existing share repurchase program.
California-based TriNet Group Inc is a leading provider of human resources solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. Its solutions include administering payroll and health benefits as well as advising clients on employment laws. This way, TriNet enables clients to develop a top-tier workforce and grow their businesses.
4. Wolverine World Wide Inc (NYSE:WWW)
Market Cap: $1.28 billion
Dividend Yield: 2.53%
Forward P/E: 9.39
Analysts upside: 47.02%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
Wolverine World Wide Inc (NYSE:WWW) is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts.
On March 26, Needham initiated coverage of Wolverine World Wide Inc stock with a Buy rating and a price target of $21. For this bullish stance, Needham cited the strength of Wolverine’s Saucony running-sneaker brand. The firm identifies Saucony as a growth driver, pointing to its strength in the running category and growing brand awareness.
Saucony revenue rose more than 31% in 2025. Besides Saucony, Needham also sees continued strength in Wolverine’s outdoor brand Merrell. This brand has delivered consistently strong performance, and Needham expects it to keep it up with solid growth in 2026.
Previously, on March 14, the S&P Global Ratings upgraded Wolverine to B+ from B with a stable outlook. Pointing to the footwear company’s improved profitability and operating performance in 2025, the rating agency sees Wolverine maintaining leverage below 5x over the coming year.
The agency expects the company’s 2026 operating performance to be broadly similar to the 2025 level. It sees tariff costs and continued marketing spending on the Saucony brand offsetting growth in the company’s active group. Nevertheless, the S&P expects modestly lower tariff costs for Wolverine in the second half of 2026 due to recent changes to the US tariff policies.
Wolverine reported Q4 2025 adjusted diluted EPS of $0.45, which exceeded the anticipated $0.44. Revenue of $517.5 million rose 4.6% YoY and topped expectations of $508.46 million. The company closed 2025 with $206 million in cash. The company plans to distribute a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share on May 1 to shareholders of record as of April 1.
Wolverine World Wide Inc is an American multinational footwear and apparel manufacturer. It makes shoes under brands such as Wolverine Boots and Shoes, Hush Puppies, Merrell, and Chaco. The company was founded in 1883 and is based in Rockford, Michigan.
3. Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD)
Market Cap: $1.47 billion
Dividend Yield: 6.32%
Forward P/E: 9.47
Analysts upside: 50.99%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts. On March 18, Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced that it had helped arrange a $350 million debt facility for a self-storage REIT platform. It said the financing was arranged with JPMorgan Chase Bank, and that the beneficiary self-storage platform is a joint venture of Centerbridge Partners and Reframe Holdings.
This joint venture intends to acquire and aggregate over $500 million of facilities in top metropolitan areas across the country. The debt financing is expected to give the joint venture capital flexibility to support its strategy.
Walker & Dunlop operates through three segments: capital markets, servicing and asset management, and corporate. Capital markets is the company’s largest business. In 2025, Walker & Dunlop sourced more than $22 billion from non-agency capital providers through its capital markets team. This amount included $15.9 billion for multifamily properties.
While discussing Q4 2025 results last month, Walker & Dunlop CEO Willy Walker said the company finished 2025 with strong momentum across its business. Walker added that Walker & Dunlop is well-positioned for growth in 2026 and beyond. The executive cited the company’s $144 billion servicing portfolio that generates recurring revenue, a solid capital markets pipeline, and improving economic conditions for commercial real estate.
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is a leading real estate finance and advisory services firm based in Maryland. It originates and services a variety of financing products for owners and developers of commercial real estate, including multifamily properties. The company says its ideals and capital help create communities where people live, shop, work, and play.
2. Qfin Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:QFIN)
Market Cap: $1.42 billion
Dividend Yield: 12.06%
Forward P/E: 2.77
Analysts upside: 104.35%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 16
Qfin Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:QFIN) is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts. The Chinese credit facilitator reported its Q4 and full-year 2025 results on March 17. The company closed 2025 with 291.3 million potential borrowers on its platform, reflecting an increase of 11.5% from the previous year. Users with approved credit lines increased to 63.6 million from 56.9 million in 2024, an increase of 11.8%.
However, the management said the 2025 period was marred by various challenges, including macroeconomic and regulatory uncertainties. The company’s total net revenue rose to RMB19,205.1 million in 2025 from RMB17,165.7 million in 2024. But net income dipped to RMB5,975.6 million from RMB6,248.1 million in 2024.
According to Qfin Holdings Inc CEO Haisheng Wu, they tightened risk standards and optimized the cost structure to mitigate the impact of the challenges they faced in 2025. The executive said they will maintain prudent business planning as the industry has yet to stabilize. This means the management stands ready to further streamline operations and optimize resource allocations.
Qfin Holdings Inc plans to pay a half-year dividend of $0.78 per share on May 14 for shareholders of record as of April 22. In 2025, the company returned around $450 million to shareholders through share repurchases.
Qfin Holdings Inc is a Chinese financial technology company. It primarily provides credit services through an AI-powered platform that matches borrowers with lenders. It helps with things like credit assessment, fund matching, and loan facilitation. Qfin Holdings serves consumers, small businesses, and financial institutions. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Shanghai, China.
1. Perrigo Company plc (NYSE:PRGO)
Market Cap: $1.31 billion
Dividend Yield: 12.17%
Forward P/E: 12.17
Analysts upside: 344.10%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 23
Perrigo Company plc (NYSE:PRGO) is among the best small-cap value stocks to buy according to analysts. On March 11, 2026, Perrigo Company PLC (NYSE: PRGO) presented at the UBS Global Consumer and Retail Conference, where CEO Patrick Lockwood‑Taylor discussed the company’s strategy to focus on core businesses and strengthen retailer partnerships. Despite a soft market environment, Perrigo aims to improve financial performance through innovation, geographic expansion, and cost reductions, including a planned 7% global workforce cut.
Financially, Perrigo has already achieved $320 million in savings from Project Energize and supply chain improvements. A new two‑year program is expected to deliver $80–$100 million annually, with most benefits realized in 2026. The company reported strong U.S. store brand market share gains and expects earnings to be weighted toward the second half of the year.
Operationally, Perrigo has exited non‑core businesses like Rare Diseases and Dermacosmetics, while maintaining over 90% service levels in infant formula. Its innovation pipeline has tripled in value compared to last year, strengthening partnerships and boosting performance in Europe.
Looking ahead, Perrigo expects better results in the second half of 2026 and sees 2027 as a key year for strategic acceleration. The company remains focused on core categories, disciplined capital allocation, and maintaining a leverage ratio of 3 or below while continuing its dividend policy.
Perrigo Company plc (NYSE:PRGO) offers over‑the‑counter health and wellness products across the U.S., Europe, and other global markets. It operates through two main segments: Consumer Self‑Care Americas and Consumer Self‑Care International.
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