10 high-profitability small-cap stocks that are outperforming in 2026

[Five stacks of coloured coins with a graph line above]
Richard Drury

A notable shift is underway in the small-cap market in 2026: profitable Russell 2000 companies are decisively outperforming their non-profitable counterparts, with profitable stocks up approximately 8% year-to-date while non-profitable names are slightly in the red, a sharp reversal from 2025, when non-profitable small caps surged +20% versus only +10% for profitable ones.

This flight to quality within the small-cap universe reflects a more discerning market environment, where investors are increasingly rewarding companies with real earnings rather than speculative growth stories.

Against this backdrop, the following list highlights the top 10 small-cap stocks with high Seeking Alpha Profitability Quant Grades of A- or better, ranked by their year-to-date performance, spanning technology, healthcare, industrials, and beyond, as a quality-first lens on the small-cap opportunity set

The list is topped by Spire Global (SPIR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SPIR]), with a standout YTD performance of 187.47%. Power Solutions International, Inc. (PSIX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PSIX]) and Blue Bird Corporation (BLBD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BLBD]) follow as the immediate runners-up, with gains of 35.88% and 34.15%, respectively.

The top ten features a diverse range of industries, including Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PBYI]) in the biotech sector and Mitek Systems, Inc. (MITK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MITK]) in application software. While all stocks on the list carry strong profitability ratings, their Quant ratings vary from “Hold” to “Buy.”

Here is the list:

*
Spire Global, Inc. (SPIR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SPIR]), YTD perf: 187.47%, Quant rating: 4.33

*
Power Solutions International, Inc. (PSIX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PSIX]), YTD perf: 35.88%, Quant rating: 2.76

*
Blue Bird Corporation (BLBD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BLBD]), YTD perf: 34.15%, Quant rating: 3.33

*
Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PBYI]), YTD perf: 30.76%, Quant rating: 3.12

*
Mitek Systems, Inc. (MITK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MITK]), YTD perf: 28.44%, Quant rating: 3.35

*
Viemed Healthcare, Inc. (VMD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VMD]), YTD perf: 27.99%, Quant rating: 3.90

*
BK Technologies Corporation (BKTI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BKTI]), YTD perf: 27.42%, Quant rating: 3.00

*
Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (MLAB [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MLAB]), YTD perf: 22.09%, Quant rating: 3.29

*
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PEB [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PEB]), YTD perf: 20.32%, Quant rating: 3.02

*
Westlake Chemical Partners LP (WLKP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/WLKP]), YTD perf: 19.26%, Quant rating: 3.09

Small-Cap ETFs: (IJR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IJR]), (IWM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IWM]), (VB [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VB]), (VBR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VBR]), (VBK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VBK]), (SCHA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SCHA]), (SPSM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SPSM]), and (DFAS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DFAS])

MORE ON SMALL CAP STOCKS

* 1999 Vs. 2026: No Contest [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4890322-1999-versus-2026-no-contest]
* Why We Are 'Buying The Dips' [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4890316-why-we-are-buying-the-dips]
* The Best Buying Opportunity Since Liberation Day [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4890308-the-best-buying-opportunity-since-liberation-day]
* Value is beating growth across the board this year [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4574467-value-beating-growth-across-the-board-this-year]
* Top and lowest-rated small-cap stocks heading into earnings [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4574425-top-and-lowest-rated-small-cap-stocks-heading-into-earnings]