U.S. Growth and Core Equity

What Differentiates
Our U.S. Growth and Core Equity Team

Quality Growth and Core Investing with a Valuation Discipline

What We Believe

We believe investing in quality companies whose stocks are mispriced enables us to outperform over time. Our intense focus on finding companies with strong managements, sustainable business models, and attractive financials helps us identify durable business franchises that can sustain growth and/or returns on capital for a long period of time.

Because we believe the price you pay for an asset matters, we seek to purchase quality companies when their stocks present attractive risk/reward opportunities. Our experienced analyst team develops long-term fundamental forecasts, incorporating a range of potential outcomes for each investment candidate. To those fundamental forecasts, we apply multiple valuation methods. In doing so, we believe we can build a more complete picture of what a company is worth and what investors should be willing to pay for a stock.

Why This Matters

It is a common misconception that an investor can outperform the market by simply investing in the stocks of high-quality companies. We believe many growth-oriented investors underappreciate the role of valuation in finding stocks that will outperform the market.

Resources

Jim Golan speaking in large cap growth our edge video

Large-Cap Growth: Our Edge

Jim Golan and Nancy Aversa explain how William Blair’s Large Cap Growth Strategy targets structurally advantaged companies to unlock alpha potential for clients.

View Video
Floating Bubbles

The Rising Opportunity in U.S. SMID Caps

Our U.S. growth and core equity team believes multiple catalysts are driving the rising opportunity in U.S. small- and mid-cap (SMID) stocks.
Read Paper

Featured Funds

Featured Strategies

U.S. Growth and Core Equity Strategies

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Strategy NameDescription
U.S. Growth and Core Equity
All Cap Growth

Broad opportunity set across all market caps in a portfolio of high-quality growth companies.

Large Cap Growth

Concentrated portfolio of structurally advantaged, large-cap quality growth companies that are diversified across sectors.

Small-Mid Cap Growth

Portfolio of high-quality small- and mid-cap growth companies that seeks to provide attractive long-term investment returns with lower levels of risk.

Small-Mid Cap Core

Portfolio of high-quality small- and mid-cap companies across a broad universe that seeks to provide attractive long-term investment returns with lower levels of risk.

Small Cap Growth

Portfolio of high-quality small-cap growth companies whose stocks are attractively valued.

U.S. Growth and Core Equity Fund Performance

Performance cited represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results and current performance may be lower or higher than the data quoted. Returns shown assume reinvestment of dividends and capital gains. Investment returns and principal will fluctuate with market and economic conditions and you may have a gain or loss when you sell shares. Class N shares are available to the general public without a sales load. Class I and Class R6 shares are available only to investors who meet certain eligibility requirements.

Index: Hide|Display
AS OF DATE: Monthly|Quarterly
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RETURNS:
As of
10/31/25
AVERAGE ANNUAL RETURNS: As of  10/31/25
Ticker and Fund NameShare ClassMonth

YTD

1-YR

3-YR

5-YR

10-YR

Since Inception

Gross Expense Ratio

Net Expense Ratio

Fact Sheet

BGFIX

Growth Fund

I4.08%15.66%20.98%24.71%14.68%14.81%
8.94%Since10/01/99
0.89%-

Russell 3000® Growth Index

-3.46%20.86%29.59%29.67%18.59%17.71%
9.09%
---

S&P 500 Index

-2.34%17.52%21.45%22.68%17.64%14.64%
8.61%
---

LCGFX

Large Cap Growth Fund

I2.52%16.67%20.78%27.12%15.92%16.74%
7.49%Since12/27/99
0.75%0.65%

Russell 1000® Growth Index

-3.63%21.50%30.52%30.69%19.24%18.28%
8.37%
---

WSMDX

Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund

I0.54%-0.64%2.10%9.82%5.72%9.76%
9.96%Since12/29/03
1.11%0.99%

Russell 2500™ Growth Index

-2.55%12.75%15.78%13.94%8.05%10.65%
9.84%
---

WBCIX

Small-Mid Cap Core Fund

I-0.88%-0.06%2.15%8.48%10.79%-
9.28%Since10/01/19
1.15%0.95%

Russell 2500 Index

-0.67%10.21%11.94%12.42%11.84%-
10.36%
---

WBSIX

Small Cap Growth Fund

I-0.76%-0.76%6.50%11.16%9.40%12.06%
11.61%Since12/27/99
1.12%0.99%

Russell 2000® Growth Index

-3.24%15.27%18.81%14.42%8.94%9.65%
6.42%
---
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Prices: As of 11/11/25

Yields: As of: 10/31/25

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Ticker and Fund NameShare ClassClosing Price

Daily Change

Daily % Change

Distribution Yield

30-Day SEC Yield (Subsidized)

30-Day SEC Yield (Unsubsidized)

Fact Sheet

BGFIX

Growth Fund

I$14.21-0.04-0.28%---

LCGFX

Large Cap Growth Fund

I$33.84-0.04-0.12%---

WSMDX

Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund

I$27.72-0.03-0.11%---

WBCIX

Small-Mid Cap Core Fund

I$16.86-----

WBSIX

Small Cap Growth Fund

I$35.320.060.17%---
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RATINGS: As of 09/30/2025
Ticker and Fund NameShare ClassCategory

Overall Rating

3-YR

5-YR

10-YR

Fact Sheet

BGFIX

Growth Fund
ILarge Growth

Out of 1024 funds

Out of 1024 funds

Out of 954 funds

Out of 766 funds

LCGFX

Large Cap Growth Fund
ILarge Growth

Out of 1024 funds

Out of 1024 funds

Out of 954 funds

Out of 766 funds

WSMDX

Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund
IMid-Cap Growth

Out of 476 funds

Out of 476 funds

Out of 444 funds

Out of 368 funds

WBCIX

Small-Mid Cap Core Fund
ISmall Blend

Out of 568 funds

Out of 568 funds

Out of 551 funds

-

WBSIX

Small Cap Growth Fund
ISmall Growth

Out of 512 funds

Out of 512 funds

Out of 496 funds

Out of 390 funds

The Morningstar Rating for funds, or "star rating", is calculated for managed products (including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and separate accounts) with at least a three-year history. Exchange- traded funds and open-ended mutual funds are considered a single population for comparative purposes. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product’s monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. The weights are: 100% three-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% five-year rating/40% three-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% five-year rating/20% three-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10 year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent three-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods.

©2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ratings and rankings are one measure of performance. Ratings may vary among share classes. Ratings reflect expense limitations in effect during the period, without such limitations returns would be lower. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Our U.S. Growth and Core Equity Team

Meet the Team

Jim Jones, CFA, Partner

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The flat organizational structure provides a platform for better conversations between associates, analysts, and portfolio managers and creates an investment culture whereby all parties are able to candidly express their investment views and opinions.

Jim Jones, CFA, Partner

RESEARCH ANALYST, U.S. GROWTH AND CORE EQUITY TEAM

Megan Gardner, CFA

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We try to dig deep into what motivates management in order to appreciate the DNA of a company. By understanding how team members interact, and how different people came into their roles, we’re able to build a differentiated view around how the company operates.

Megan Gardner, CFA

RESEARCH ANALYST, U.S. GROWTH AND CORE EQUITY TEAM

Kasey O’Brien

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There’s always room for debate and discussion, and also for disagreement. It’s never taken personally. It’s always a motivation to find the truth about the stock.

Kasey O’Brien

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, U.S. GROWTH AND CORE EQUITY TEAM

David Ricci, CFA, Partner

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I love the culture. Since my first day at William Blair, I’ve felt like people were rooting for me to be successful. It’s a fundamentally different feeling from the other places I’ve worked.

David Ricci, CFA, Partner

PORTFOLIO MANAGER, U.S. GROWTH AND CORE EQUITY TEAM

Contact Us

Our active ownership culture creates long-term client relationships by aligning with your interests and helping you achieve successful investment outcomes. Contact us to learn how we can partner with you.

Contact Us

Contact Us

Our active ownership culture creates long-term client relationships by aligning with your interests and helping you achieve successful investment outcomes. Contact us to learn how we can partner with you.
Contact Us

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