Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 18, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan had a NAV of ₹17.842 as of 17 Sep 2026 and managed ₹767 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 25.27%, 0% and 0%, and it is tagged as High Risk. Our view is that the fund has shown a strong 1-year outcome, but the available longer-horizon record is still too short to judge it as a full market-cycle core holding.
The portfolio is focused on healthcare names, with a large weight in a few stocks and a longer tail of smaller positions. That makes it more suited to investors who understand sector concentration and can stay invested through uneven stretches rather than those looking for broad-market steadiness.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹17.842 as of 17 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹767 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.76% |
| Launch Date | 11 Dec 2023 |
| Min SIP | ₹100 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Equity |
| Exit Load | 0.50% on or before 30D, Nil after 30D |
| Fund Managers | Dhananjay Tikariha, Abhishek Bisen |
The fund is managed by Dhananjay Tikariha and Abhishek Bisen.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | 1.85% | -3.66% |
| 3M | 11.56% | -3.71% |
| 1Y | 25.27% | -7.13% |
| 3Y | Data not available | Data not available |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent pattern has been distinctly better than the benchmark. Over 1 month and 3 months, the fund stayed positive while the benchmark was negative, which suggests the portfolio has held up better through the latest stretch of market weakness.
The 1-year return is also comfortably ahead of the benchmark. That said, this fund is still young, so the 1-year figure carries more weight than any claim about long-run resilience. We would read the short record as encouraging, but not yet as proof of how it behaves across different market phases.
The path inside the 1-year period shows some early softness, followed by a recovery and a clearer upward move in the later part of the year. That profile is consistent with a fund that can move around but has recently built momentum. Against a benchmark that has been negative across all three visible horizons, the fund’s current stretch looks stronger in relative terms.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Kotak Healthcare?
A fund’s past returns alone don’t tell you whether you should buy it today or continue holding it.
The right decision depends on factors such as your current allocation, purchase price, risk profile, investment horizon and the role this fund plays in your overall portfolio.
Already holding Kotak Healthcare? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan | 69.8% | 36.32% | Data not available |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 25.31% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 25.27% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan | 24.51% | Data not available | Data not available |
| PGIM India Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 22.75% | Data not available | Data not available |
This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.
On the 1-year measure, the fund sits very close to HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan and slightly ahead of Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan and PGIM India Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan. The standout 1-year figure in this comparison comes from ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan, but that belongs to a very different theme.
For longer horizons, the comparison is thinner because the visible peer set does not provide usable 3-year or 5-year numbers for most funds. That means the present read is mainly about recent momentum rather than a mature long-term contest. Within the available numbers, Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan looks competitive on the near-term measure, but the evidence base for longer-run comparison remains limited.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Want to know more? Log in to Univest for more mutual fund insights.
Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | Healthcare | 13.96% |
| Divis Laboratories Ltd. | Healthcare | 9.25% |
| Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. | Healthcare | 4.75% |
| Molbio Diagnostics Limited | Domestic Equities | 4.53% |
| Max Healthcare Institute Ltd. | Healthcare | 4.34% |
| Ami Organics Ltd | Healthcare | 3.91% |
| Cipla Ltd. | Healthcare | 3.67% |
| Park Medi World Limited (Park Hospital) | Domestic Equities | 3.36% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. | Healthcare | 3.25% |
| Yatharth Hospital and Trauma Care Services Ltd | Healthcare | 3.25% |
The largest holding, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., is 13.96%, which is large enough to matter on its own. The weight then falls to 9.25% in the second holding, and by the tenth holding it is down to 3.25%, so influence is likely to taper as you move down the list.
The top 10 holdings together account for approximately 54.27% of the portfolio, and there are 34 disclosed holdings in total. That combination suggests a portfolio that is not a pure single-stock bet, but still has meaningful concentration in a relatively small group of positions.
Because several of the biggest positions are healthcare names, the fund may be more sensitive to developments in that sector than a diversified equity fund. At the same time, the longer tail beyond the top 10 can help broaden exposure, so the overall structure is concentrated without being narrowly limited to only a few names.
To see all holdings, visit the Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund suits investors who are comfortable with High Risk and who can handle sector-led swings. The recent 1-year outcome is strong, but the absence of 3-year and 5-year return history means the longer record is still developing.
It is better matched to a medium-to-long horizon than to money that may be needed soon. The main trade-off is that the fund may deliver stronger near-term upside when healthcare is in favour, but that comes with higher sensitivity to sector-specific movements and a benchmark that has recently been weak.
Tax and exit load
| Holding period | Tax rate | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Units held less than 1 year | 20% | Short-term capital gains tax |
| Units held more than 1 year | 12.5% | Long-term capital gains tax |
Exit load: 0.50% if units are sold on or before 30 days; nil after 30 days.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹17.842 as of 17 Sep 2026.
How has Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan performed over 1 year?
Its 1-year return is 25.27%. That is well ahead of the benchmark’s -7.13% over the same period.
What are the 3-year and 5-year returns?
The 3-year return is Data not available and the 5-year return is Data not available.
How does it compare with the benchmark?
The fund has outpaced the benchmark across 1 month, 3 months and 1 year. The benchmark has been negative in all three of those periods, while the fund has remained positive.
How does it compare with peer funds on 1-year return?
It is very close to HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan on the 1-year measure and ahead of Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan and PGIM India Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan. ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan has a higher 1-year figure, but it is a different theme.
What are the fund’s risk and exit-load features?
It is tagged High Risk. The exit load is 0.50% if units are sold on or before 30 days, and nil after 30 days.
Bottom line
Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan has a stronger recent picture than its benchmark, with positive short-term and 1-year returns while the benchmark has been negative. The longer record is still not built out, so the current read is mainly about recent momentum rather than a proven multi-year pattern. The portfolio is meaningfully concentrated, led by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and several other healthcare names, so the fund can suit investors who accept sector-driven swings and want a focused healthcare exposure.
Published on 18 September 2026 at 10:45 AM IST
Explore mutual funds with Univest
Review mutual fund data, compare performance and explore fund insights on Univest.
RIA disclosure
Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing. This review is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. (earlier known as Uniapps Global Research Pvt. Ltd.) under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639 for general informational purposes and is not personalized investment advice.