Aditya Birla SL Liquid Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Aditya Birla SL Liquid Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹458.0516 as of 30 August 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹68,800 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.55%, 7.02% and 6.38%, respectively, and it carries a Medium Risk tag.

Our view is that this is a steady cash-management style fund for conservative investors who want liquid exposure with low portfolio churn. The return pattern is stable rather than exciting, and the portfolio sits fully in debt and money-market style instruments, which helps explain the lower-volatility profile.

Quick facts

The fund is managed by Kaustubh Gupta, Sunaina da Cunha and Sanjay Pawar.

Source data date: as of 30 Aug 2026

Performance

The recent pattern looks mixed. Over one month, the fund stayed mildly positive while the benchmark remained negative, which supports the idea of a steadier short-term profile. Over three months, the benchmark moved ahead, so the fund has not led every recent window even though it remained in positive territory.

The one-year figure is more encouraging because the fund’s return is clearly above the benchmark’s negative reading. That tells us the fund has handled the last year better than the benchmark on a relative basis, even if the gain itself is not high. For investors who care more about consistency than sharp upside, that matters.

The three-year picture is stronger than the five-year picture. The fund’s 3-year return of 7.02% is ahead of the benchmark’s 6.40%, which suggests a decent medium-term compounding run. Over five years, though, the benchmark at 7.13% is ahead of the fund’s 6.38%, so the longer arc is slightly less favorable.

Overall, the return path points to a low-drama profile rather than a high-momentum one. The fund has been able to protect reasonably well in weaker benchmark phases, but it has also given up some ground in stronger stretches. That is consistent with a liquid-style holding meant for stability and quick access rather than aggressive growth.

Source data date: as of 30 Aug 2026

Peer comparison

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.

The fund’s 1-year return is very close to the other liquid funds listed here, so the recent comparison is tight rather than one-sided. Its 3-year return is slightly better than the available peer figures shown, while its 5-year return is also a touch ahead of the peer returns for funds with data.

That makes the fund look fairly consistent on medium- to long-term compounding. The short-term difference versus peers is small enough that the choice may come down more to portfolio comfort, expense ratio and redemption needs than to return gaps alone. JioBlackRock Liquid Fund Direct Growth Plan has no 3-year or 5-year figure available here, so it cannot be compared on the longer windows in the same way.

Source data date: as of 30 Aug 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Market-cap distribution

Sector and holding mix

The portfolio is entirely in the “other” market-cap bucket, which fits a liquid fund built around short-duration instruments rather than equity exposure. That means the return profile should be read with stability and liquidity in mind, not with the expectations usually attached to stock funds.

The largest allocation, Certificate of Deposit at 44.41%, is only slightly ahead of Commercial Paper at 42.79%, so the fund is not overly dependent on one sleeve. Treasury Bills at 13.18% add another meaningful layer, and together these three buckets explain most of the behavior an investor is likely to see.

Among the named holdings, the CD and CP exposures may have the greatest day-to-day influence because they account for the largest shares. The portfolio does not look concentrated in one single issuer from the visible table, which should help keep the experience relatively even for a liquid-style allocation.

Source data date: as of 30 Aug 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors who want a low-volatility parking place for surplus cash and are comfortable with a Medium Risk tag rather than an equity-style growth profile. The return pattern is steady, with the three-year result stronger than the five-year result and the latest one-year return holding up better than the benchmark.

The fund looks most appropriate for a shorter to medium holding horizon where access and consistency matter more than trying to outperform sharply. The main trade-off is that the portfolio can preserve a fairly stable path, but it is unlikely to deliver dramatic upside. Investors who want a cash-like allocation with return visibility may find that balance useful.

Tax and exit load

Exit load

0.007% for Day 1, 0.0065% on Day 2, 0.0060% on Day 3, 0.0055% on Day 4, 0.0050% on Day 5, 0.0045% on Day 6, NIL after 7D

Source data date: as of 30 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL Liquid Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹458.0516 as of 30 August 2026.

What are the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?

The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.55%, 7.02% and 6.38%, respectively.

How does it compare with the benchmark?

It has outperformed the benchmark over 1 year and 3 years, while the benchmark is ahead over 5 years. The 1-month and 3-month windows also show mixed relative movement.

How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?

Its 1-year return is very close to the other liquid funds shown, while its 3-year and 5-year returns are slightly ahead of the available peer figures with data. JioBlackRock Liquid Fund Direct Growth Plan does not have 3-year or 5-year figures available here.

What is the minimum SIP?

The minimum SIP is ₹0.

What risk and portfolio style should investors expect?

The fund carries a Medium Risk tag and is invested entirely in short-term debt and money-market instruments. Its largest visible sleeves are Certificate of Deposit, Commercial Paper and Treasury Bills, which supports a stable liquid-fund style profile.

Bottom line

Aditya Birla SL Liquid Fund Direct Growth Plan has been steadier in the recent and medium-term windows than the benchmark, although the five-year result is a little weaker than the benchmark. Against the peer set shown here, its available return figures sit very close to the group and are slightly better over the longer windows where data is available. The portfolio is built entirely from short-term instruments, with no equity-cap exposure, which supports a liquid, stability-first role rather than a return-chasing one.

Published on 31 August 2026 at 4:23 PM IST