The last three years have been tough for active money managers, but better times could be coming, Fundstrat Global Advisors founder Tom Lee told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Monday.
Low intersector volatility and poor performance among small-cap stocks have made it tough for managers to yield returns for clients, said Lee. But he sees a reversal coming in 2015, as small-cap stocks present a play on U.S. acceleration and valuations have become more attractive.
"We're optimistic that next year is going to see a sea change" for active managers, Lee said.
Read More Why 2015 could bring the surprising return of risk
As for standout sectors in 2015, technology stocks will potentially enter a big rerate cycle and could perform well for the next five years, he said. The tech sector is positioned for growth due to pent-up demand and the need for capital spending, he said.
Fundstrat is also bullish on consumer discretionary, and Lee reiterated his call that the energy sector could surprise to the upside.
Responding to data that showed existing home sales fell to a six-month low in November, Lee noted that households are still working to clear their credit histories after the housing crisis set off a surge of foreclosures and short sales.
However, a first wave of homeowners will see their credit histories cleared at the end of this year, and for the next two years, nearly 20 million households will go through that process, said Lee.