BARON ASSET FUND
NSAR-A, 1998-05-29
Previous: ADVANTUS BOND FUND INC, NSAR-A, 1998-05-29
Next: CMS ENERGY CORP, 424B5, 1998-05-29



<PAGE>      PAGE  1
000 A000000 03/31/98
000 C000000 0000810902
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 BARON ASSET FUND
001 B000000 811-5032
001 C000000 2125832000
002 A000000 767 FIFTH AVENUE  24TH FLOOR
002 B000000 NEW YORK
002 C000000 NY
002 D010000 10153
003  000000 N
004  000000 N
005  000000 N
006  000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000  3
007 C010100  1
007 C020100 BARON ASSET FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200  2
007 C020200 BARON GROWTH & INCOME FUND
007 C030200 N
007 C010300  3
007 C020300 BARON SMALL CAP FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400  4
007 C010500  5
007 C010600  6
007 C010700  7
007 C010800  8
007 C010900  9
007 C011000 10
008 A00AA01 BAMCO, INC.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-29080
008 D01AA01 NEW YORK
008 D02AA01 NY
008 D03AA01 10153
011 A00AA01 BARON CAPITAL, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-27533
011 C01AA01 NEW YORK
011 C02AA01 NY
011 C03AA01 10153
012 A00AA01 DST SYSTEMS, INC.
012 B00AA01 84-00448
<PAGE>      PAGE  2
012 C01AA01 KANSAS CITY
012 C02AA01 MO
012 C03AA01 84105
013 A00AA01 COOPERS & LYBRAND, LLP
013 B01AA01 NEW YORK
013 B02AA01 NY
013 B03AA01 10019
013 B04AA01 6013
014 A00AA01 BARON CAPITAL, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-27533
015 A00AA01 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 NEW YORK
015 C02AA01 NY
015 C03AA01 10286
015 E01AA01 X
018  00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 N
019 B00AA00    0
020 A000001 BARON CAPITAL, INC.
020 B000001 13-3107580
020 C000001   2652
020 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY
020 B000002 13-2655998
020 C000002    173
020 A000003 GOLDMAN SACHS
020 B000003 13-5515160
020 C000003    143
020 A000004 KALB VOORHIS
020 B000004 13-5549000
020 C000004    114
020 A000005 BEAR STEARNS
020 B000005 13-3604093
020 C000005     78
020 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
020 B000006 13-5674085
020 C000006     86
020 A000007 LEHMAN BROTHERS
020 B000007 13-2518466
020 C000007     66
020 A000008 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000008 94-1701676
020 C000008     63
020 A000009 BT ALEX BROWN
020 B000009 52-1319768
020 C000009     60
020 A000010 FIRST BOSTON
020 B000010 13-5659485
020 C000010     59
021  000000     4006
022 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS
<PAGE>      PAGE  3
022 B000001 13-5515160
022 C000001     60639
022 D000001       885
022 A000002 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
022 B000002 94-1701676
022 C000002     29730
022 D000002     18941
022 A000003 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
022 B000003 13-1912900
022 C000003     36792
022 D000003      3708
022 A000004 BEAR STEARNS
022 B000004 13-3604093
022 C000004     36919
022 D000004       902
022 A000005 HERZOG HEINE
022 B000005 13-4955436
022 C000005     20800
022 D000005     16188
022 A000006 MERILL LYNCH & CO
022 B000006 13-5674085
022 C000006     26036
022 D000006     10381
022 A000007 GRIFFITHS MCBURNEY & PTRS
022 C000007     32706
022 D000007         0
022 A000008 ALEX BROWN
022 B000008 52-1319768
022 C000008     21726
022 D000008       575
022 A000009 PIPER JAFFREY
022 B000009 41-0953246
022 C000009     18711
022 D000009      2610
022 A000010 ROBERTSON STEPHENS
022 B000010 95-4035346
022 C000010     17222
022 D000010      3645
023 C000000     516066
023 D000000     117850
024  00AA00 N
025 D00AA01       0
025 D00AA02       0
025 D00AA03       0
025 D00AA04       0
025 D00AA05       0
025 D00AA06       0
025 D00AA07       0
025 D00AA08       0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
<PAGE>      PAGE  4
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 Y
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027  000000 Y
029  00AA00 N
030 A00AA00      0
030 B00AA00  0.00
030 C00AA00  0.00
031 A00AA00      0
031 B00AA00      0
032  00AA00      0
033  00AA00      0
034  00AA00 N
035  00AA00      0
036 B00AA00      0
037  00AA00 N
038  00AA00      0
039  00AA00 N
040  00AA00 Y
041  00AA00 Y
045  00AA00 Y
046  00AA00 N
047  00AA00 Y
048  00AA00  1.000
048 A01AA00        0
048 A02AA00 0.000
048 B01AA00        0
048 B02AA00 0.000
048 C01AA00        0
048 C02AA00 0.000
048 D01AA00        0
048 D02AA00 0.000
048 E01AA00        0
048 E02AA00 0.000
048 F01AA00        0
048 F02AA00 0.000
048 G01AA00        0
048 G02AA00 0.000
048 H01AA00        0
048 H02AA00 0.000
048 I01AA00        0
048 I02AA00 0.000
048 J01AA00        0
048 J02AA00 0.000
048 K01AA00        0
048 K02AA00 0.000
049  00AA00 N
<PAGE>      PAGE  5
050  00AA00 N
051  00AA00 N
052  00AA00 N
053 A00AA00 N
054 A00AA00 Y
054 B00AA00 Y
054 C00AA00 Y
054 D00AA00 N
054 E00AA00 N
054 F00AA00 N
054 G00AA00 Y
054 H00AA00 Y
054 I00AA00 N
054 J00AA00 Y
054 K00AA00 N
054 L00AA00 Y
054 M00AA00 Y
054 N00AA00 N
054 O00AA00 N
055 A00AA00 N
055 B00AA00 N
056  00AA00 N
057  00AA00 N
058 A00AA00 N
059  00AA00 Y
060 A00AA00 Y
060 B00AA00 Y
061  00AA00      500
062 A00AA00 N
062 B00AA00   0.0
062 C00AA00   0.0
062 D00AA00   0.0
062 E00AA00   0.0
062 F00AA00   0.0
062 G00AA00   0.0
062 H00AA00   0.0
062 I00AA00   0.0
062 J00AA00   0.0
062 K00AA00   0.0
062 L00AA00   0.0
062 M00AA00   0.0
062 N00AA00   0.0
062 O00AA00   0.0
062 P00AA00   0.0
062 Q00AA00   0.0
062 R00AA00   0.0
063 A00AA00   0
063 B00AA00  0.0
077 A000000 N
078  000000 N
080 C00AA00        0
<PAGE>      PAGE  6
081 A00AA00 N
081 B00AA00   0
082 A00AA00 N
082 B00AA00        0
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00        0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00        0
085 A00AA00 Y
085 B00AA00 N
086 A010000      0
086 A020000      0
086 B010000      0
086 B020000      0
086 C010000      0
086 C020000      0
086 D010000      0
086 D020000      0
086 E010000      0
086 E020000      0
086 F010000      0
086 F020000      0
028 A010100    270311
028 A020100         0
028 A030100         0
028 A040100     76787
028 B010100    196285
028 B020100         0
028 B030100         0
028 B040100     50328
028 C010100    196545
028 C020100         0
028 C030100         0
028 C040100     53316
028 D010100    330404
028 D020100         0
028 D030100         0
028 D040100     65113
028 E010100    378111
028 E020100         0
028 E030100         0
028 E040100     71876
028 F010100    434075
028 F020100         0
028 F030100         0
028 F040100     90154
028 G010100   1805731
028 G020100         0
028 G030100         0
028 G040100    407574
028 H000100         0
<PAGE>      PAGE  7
042 A000100   0
042 B000100   0
042 C000100 100
042 D000100   0
042 E000100   0
042 F000100   0
042 G000100   0
042 H000100   0
043  000100   4840
044  000100   1073
066 A000100 Y
066 B000100 N
066 C000100 Y
066 D000100 N
066 E000100 N
066 F000100 N
066 G000100 N
067  000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069  000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 N
070 B010100 Y
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 N
070 C020100 N
070 D010100 N
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 N
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 N
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 N
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
070 J020100 Y
070 K010100 Y
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 Y
070 L020100 Y
070 M010100 N
070 M020100 N
070 N010100 Y
070 N020100 N
070 O010100 Y
070 O020100 N
<PAGE>      PAGE  8
070 P010100 Y
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 N
070 R020100 N
071 A000100   1438922
071 B000100    186161
071 C000100   3787021
071 D000100    5
072 A000100  6
072 B000100     5470
072 C000100     9683
072 D000100        0
072 E000100        9
072 F000100    19358
072 G000100        0
072 H000100        0
072 I000100      477
072 J000100      117
072 K000100        0
072 L000100      536
072 M000100       44
072 N000100      495
072 O000100        0
072 P000100        0
072 Q000100        0
072 R000100       30
072 S000100        0
072 T000100     4840
072 U000100        0
072 V000100        0
072 W000100       29
072 X000100    25926
072 Y000100        0
072 Z000100   -10764
072AA000100    18957
072BB000100        0
072CC010100   556602
072CC020100        0
072DD010100        0
072DD020100        0
072EE000100        0
073 A010100   0.0000
073 A020100   0.0000
073 B000100   0.0000
073 C000100   0.0000
074 A000100      860
074 B000100        0
074 C000100   351688
074 D000100    57062
<PAGE>      PAGE  9
074 E000100    14900
074 F000100  4781555
074 G000100        0
074 H000100        0
074 I000100        0
074 J000100      937
074 K000100        0
074 L000100    24906
074 M000100       31
074 N000100  5231939
074 O000100    43734
074 P000100       49
074 Q000100        0
074 R010100        0
074 R020100        0
074 R030100        0
074 R040100      706
074 S000100        0
074 T000100  5187450
074 U010100 96643077
074 U020100        0
074 V010100    53.68
074 V020100     0.00
074 W000100   0.0000
074 X000100   260000
074 Y000100        0
075 A000100        0
075 B000100  3900697
076  000100     0.00
028 A010200     28912
028 A020200         0
028 A030200         0
028 A040200     13606
028 B010200     16224
028 B020200         0
028 B030200         0
028 B040200     11818
028 C010200     11486
028 C020200      1162
028 C030200         0
028 C040200      7869
028 D010200     23186
028 D020200         0
028 D030200         0
028 D040200      8971
028 E010200     35650
028 E020200         0
028 E030200         0
028 E040200     13754
028 F010200     33204
028 F020200         0
<PAGE>      PAGE  10
028 F030200         0
028 F040200     16929
028 G010200    148662
028 G020200      1162
028 G030200         0
028 G040200     72947
028 H000200         0
042 A000200   0
042 B000200   0
042 C000200 100
042 D000200   0
042 E000200   0
042 F000200   0
042 G000200   0
042 H000200   0
043  000200    529
044  000200     85
066 A000200 Y
066 B000200 N
066 C000200 N
066 D000200 N
066 E000200 Y
066 F000200 N
066 G000200 N
067  000200 N
068 A000200 N
068 B000200 N
069  000200 N
070 A010200 Y
070 A020200 N
070 B010200 Y
070 B020200 N
070 C010200 Y
070 C020200 N
070 D010200 Y
070 D020200 N
070 E010200 N
070 E020200 N
070 F010200 N
070 F020200 N
070 G010200 N
070 G020200 N
070 H010200 N
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 N
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 Y
070 K010200 Y
070 K020200 N
070 L010200 Y
<PAGE>      PAGE  11
070 L020200 Y
070 M010200 N
070 M020200 N
070 N010200 Y
070 N020200 N
070 O010200 Y
070 O020200 N
070 P010200 Y
070 P020200 N
070 Q010200 Y
070 Q020200 N
070 R010200 Y
070 R020200 N
071 A000200    117622
071 B000200     39412
071 C000200    426556
071 D000200    9
072 A000200  6
072 B000200      356
072 C000200     2418
072 D000200        0
072 E000200        0
072 F000200     2116
072 G000200        0
072 H000200        0
072 I000200      122
072 J000200       39
072 K000200        0
072 L000200       63
072 M000200        5
072 N000200       41
072 O000200        0
072 P000200        0
072 Q000200        0
072 R000200       15
072 S000200        0
072 T000200      529
072 U000200        3
072 V000200        0
072 W000200        4
072 X000200     2937
072 Y000200        0
072 Z000200     -163
072AA000200     5597
072BB000200        0
072CC010200    39476
072CC020200        0
072DD010200      282
072DD020200        0
072EE000200      929
073 A010200   0.0170
<PAGE>      PAGE  12
073 A020200   0.0000
073 B000200   0.0560
073 C000200   0.0000
074 A000200        0
074 B000200        0
074 C000200     2790
074 D000200    11032
074 E000200     5960
074 F000200   491617
074 G000200        0
074 H000200        0
074 I000200        0
074 J000200        0
074 K000200        0
074 L000200     2172
074 M000200       12
074 N000200   513583
074 O000200     2026
074 P000200       76
074 Q000200        0
074 R010200        0
074 R020200        0
074 R030200        0
074 R040200       75
074 S000200        0
074 T000200   511406
074 U010200 18748801
074 U020200        0
074 V010200    27.28
074 V020200     0.00
074 W000200   0.0000
074 X000200    32000
074 Y000200        0
075 A000200        0
075 B000200   425329
076  000200     0.00
028 A010300    260629
028 A020300         0
028 A030300         0
028 A040300      7310
028 B010300     22269
028 B020300         0
028 B030300         0
028 B040300      4803
028 C010300     16640
028 C020300         0
028 C030300         0
028 C040300      9804
028 D010300     41305
028 D020300         0
028 D030300         0
<PAGE>      PAGE  13
028 D040300      9410
028 E010300     36913
028 E020300         0
028 E030300         0
028 E040300      8520
028 F010300     58421
028 F020300         0
028 F030300         0
028 F040300      6281
028 G010300    436177
028 G020300         0
028 G030300         0
028 G040300     46128
028 H000300         0
042 A000300   0
042 B000300   0
042 C000300 100
042 D000300   0
042 E000300   0
042 F000300   0
042 G000300   0
042 H000300   0
043  000300    372
044  000300    275
066 A000300 Y
066 B000300 N
066 C000300 Y
066 D000300 N
066 E000300 N
066 F000300 N
066 G000300 N
067  000300 N
068 A000300 N
068 B000300 N
069  000300 N
070 A010300 Y
070 A020300 N
070 B010300 Y
070 B020300 Y
070 C010300 Y
070 C020300 N
070 D010300 Y
070 D020300 N
070 E010300 N
070 E020300 N
070 F010300 N
070 F020300 N
070 G010300 N
070 G020300 N
070 H010300 N
070 H020300 N
<PAGE>      PAGE  14
070 I010300 N
070 I020300 N
070 J010300 Y
070 J020300 Y
070 K010300 Y
070 K020300 N
070 L010300 Y
070 L020300 N
070 M010300 N
070 M020300 N
070 N010300 Y
070 N020300 N
070 O010300 Y
070 O020300 N
070 P010300 Y
070 P020300 N
070 Q010300 Y
070 Q020300 N
070 R010300 Y
070 R020300 N
071 A000300    444019
071 B000300     69356
071 C000300    302737
071 D000300   23
072 A000300  6
072 B000300      737
072 C000300      545
072 D000300        0
072 E000300        0
072 F000300     1489
072 G000300        0
072 H000300        0
072 I000300       80
072 J000300       38
072 K000300        0
072 L000300       24
072 M000300        3
072 N000300      139
072 O000300        0
072 P000300        0
072 Q000300        0
072 R000300       15
072 S000300        0
072 T000300      372
072 U000300        3
072 V000300        0
072 W000300        2
072 X000300     2165
072 Y000300        0
072 Z000300     -883
072AA000300        0
<PAGE>      PAGE  15
072BB000300     2946
072CC010300    63019
072CC020300        0
072DD010300        0
072DD020300        0
072EE000300        0
073 A010300   0.0000
073 A020300   0.0000
073 B000300   0.0000
073 C000300   0.0000
074 A000300        7
074 B000300        0
074 C000300    22572
074 D000300        0
074 E000300        0
074 F000300   429999
074 G000300     3864
074 H000300        0
074 I000300        0
074 J000300        0
074 K000300        0
074 L000300     2438
074 M000300       26
074 N000300   458906
074 O000300     9409
074 P000300       67
074 Q000300        0
074 R010300        0
074 R020300       27
074 R030300        0
074 R040300      163
074 S000300        0
074 T000300   449240
074 U010300 37944889
074 U020300        0
074 V010300    11.84
074 V020300     0.00
074 W000300   0.0000
074 X000300    28000
074 Y000300        0
075 A000300        0
075 B000300   301586
076  000300     0.00
SIGNATURE   LINDA S. MARTINSON                           
TITLE       GENERAL COUNSEL     
 


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000810902
<NAME> BARON ASSET FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 1
   <NAME> BARON ASSET FUND
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-30-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                 $  3,792,278,589
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                $  5,205,204,756
<RECEIVABLES>                         $     25,906,772
<ASSETS-OTHER>                        $        827,210
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                        $  5,231,938,738
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>              $     43,733,821
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>             $        754,580
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                   $     44,488,401
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>              $  3,776,495,362
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       96,643,077
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       67,990,946
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>            $(    10,763,633)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>              $(     5,941,285)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>              $  1,427,659,893
<NET-ASSETS>                          $  5,187,450,337
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                     $      9,683,065
<INTEREST-INCOME>                     $      5,469,884
<OTHER-INCOME>                        $          8,833
<EXPENSES-NET>                        $     25,925,415
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>              $(    10,763,633)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>              $     18,957,042
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>             $    556,602,004
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                 $    564,795,413
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     37,087,254
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>          (      8,435,123)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                $  1,962,951,943
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>             $ (   24,898,326)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                 $     19,358,410
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                       $     25,925,415
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                  $  3,900,696,789
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>              $             47.43
<PER-SHARE-NII>                   $(             0.11)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>            $              6.36
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                $             53.68
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                  0.013
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000810902
<NAME> BARON ASSET FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 2
   <NAME> BARON GROWTH & INCOME FUND
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                   $  360,280,362
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                  $  511,398,607
<RECEIVABLES>                           $    2,171,953
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                    $       11,936
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          $  513,582,496
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                $    2,025,661
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>               $      151,105
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                     $    2,176,766
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                $  353,459,795
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       18,748,801
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       15,702,090
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>              $(     159,305)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                 $    6,227,796
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                $  151,877,444
<NET-ASSETS>                            $  511,405,730
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                       $    2,417,859
<INTEREST-INCOME>                       $      356,345
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                          $    2,937,192
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                $(     162,988)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                $    5,596,580
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>               $   39,476,062
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                   $   44,909,654
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>              $(     282,139)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>               $(     929,398)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      9,989,857
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>            (    2,923,049)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             47,958
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                  $  120,573,869
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                 $      285,821
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>               $    1,560,614
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                   $    2,115,615
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                         $    2,937,192
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                    $  425,328,518
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                $           24.89
<PER-SHARE-NII>                     $(          00.01)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>              $            2.47
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                $(          00.02)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>           $(          00.05)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                  $           27.28
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                  0.014
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000810902
<NAME> BARON ASSET FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> BARON SMALL CAP FUND
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                              OCT-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                     $394,628,419
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                    $456,435,310
<RECEIVABLES>                               $2,445,688
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 $25,627
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                            $458,906,625
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                    $9,409,362
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                     $256,959
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                         $9,666,321
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                  $390,050,259
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       37,944,889
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    (882,855)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                   $(2,946,429)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                   $63,019,329
<NET-ASSETS>                              $449,240,304
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                             $544,713
<INTEREST-INCOME>                             $737,412
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                              $2,164,980
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                     $(882,855)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                  $(2,946,429)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                  $63,019,329
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                      $59,190,045
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     42,421,064
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                (4,476,175)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                    $449,240,304
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                     $(1,488,550)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                             $2,164,980
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                      $301,586,134
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            10.00
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  (.02)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           1.86
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.84
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    1.4
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission