Artisan Small Cap Fund’s Q1 2026 Investor Letter

Artisan Partners, an investment management company, released its first-quarter 2026 investor letter for the “Artisan Small Cap Fund”.US equities were mixed in Q1 2026, with major indices hitting all-time highs in January before retreating amid geopolitical tensions, changing monetary policy, and economic uncertainty. Energy stocks surged, outpacing the market, while value outperformed growth as investors moved from tech to commodity-sensitive sectors. Market leadership broadened, with mid- and small-cap indices performing better than large caps. The Iran conflict influenced market behavior. AI-related investments supported capital spending and earnings, though investor sentiment was mixed. The portfolio saw negative absolute returns but outpaced the Russell 2000 Growth Index, offering some downside protection. Investor Class: ARTSX, Advisor Class: APDSX, and Institutional Class: APHSX returned -2.72%, -2.68%, and -2.69%, respectively, in the first quarter compared to -2.81% return for the index. The market shifted towards cyclical, commodity sectors, less aligned with high-quality franchises, due to geopolitical events and energy shocks. Despite this, many portfolio companies maintained solid earnings aligned with their profit cycles. The Firm views this environment as supportive of its stock selection approach, focused on bottom-up stock selection across industries. In addition, please check the Fund’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.

A copy of Artisan Small Cap Fund’s Q1 2026 investor letter is available to download here.

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