Helios Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 18, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Helios Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹11.82 as of 17 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹288 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 1.64%, 0% and 0%, and the fund sits in the High Risk category.
Our view is that the fund has shown a modest 1-year gain, but the longer return record is still too short to judge the strategy with confidence. The portfolio has a meaningful cash cushion through TREPS and a fairly diversified set of holdings, which may suit investors who are comfortable with a higher-risk hybrid structure and want a fund that can shift across market conditions.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹11.82 as of 17 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹288 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.89% |
| Launch Date | 27 Mar 2024 |
| Min SIP | ₹1,000 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Hybrid |
| Exit Load | Nil upto 10% of units and 1% for remaining units on or before 3M, Nil after 3M |
| Fund Managers | Alok Bahl, Pratik Singh, Devesh Kumar Bhatt |
The fund is managed by Alok Bahl, Pratik Singh and Devesh Kumar Bhatt.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -1.66% | -3.66% |
| 3M | -0.08% | -3.71% |
| 1Y | 1.64% | -7.13% |
| 3Y | Data not available | Data not available |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent picture is softer than the 1-year number suggests. Over the 1-month period the fund slipped, and the 3-month period stayed close to flat, so the short-term path has been choppy rather than steadily upward.
That said, the fund has still held up better than the benchmark in every visible period. The 1-year return is positive while the benchmark is negative, and the same pattern holds over 1 month and 3 months, where the fund has lost less than the Nifty 50.
The time pattern also suggests a fund that has recovered unevenly. There were stretches of improvement through the year, followed by visible pullbacks, which is consistent with a hybrid allocation that can still absorb market stress but may not move in a straight line.
Our view is that the fund’s short-term resilience versus the benchmark is the clearest strength in the record so far. At the same time, the absence of a longer public track record means the 1-year result should be read as an early signal rather than a full proof of consistency.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Helios Balanced Advantage?
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 Helios Balanced Advantage? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helios Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan | 1.64% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan | 8.6% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan | 5.17% | 10.96% | 9.97% |
| Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan | 4.23% | 11.11% | 10.62% |
| 360 ONE Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan | 3.64% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan | 3.62% | 8.24% | 10.21% |
This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.
The fund’s 1-year return is below every peer shown here, while two peers with longer records have also produced stronger 3-year and 5-year outcomes. That places the fund’s recent result at the softer end of the group on the figures available.
The longer record is harder to compare because the fund does not yet have visible 3-year or 5-year history. Where peers do have those figures, they show double-digit mid-term and long-term returns, so the current fund still has to build evidence beyond its first year.
Short-term and longer-term comparisons therefore tell different stories. The recent benchmark-relative resilience is useful, but the peer table suggests investors still have more complete return histories to compare if they want a longer performance lens.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| TREPS | Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets | 6.32% |
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | Bank | 5.44% |
| One 97 Communications Ltd. | IT | 4.57% |
| Shriram Finance Ltd. | Finance | 4.11% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. | Bank | 3.87% |
| Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. | Logistics | 3.71% |
| Eternal Ltd. | Retailing | 3.5% |
| Bajaj Finance Ltd. | Finance | 2.99% |
| Divi’S Laboratories Ltd. | Healthcare | 2.76% |
| State Bank of India | Bank | 2.6% |
The largest disclosed holding is TREPS at 6.32%, which indicates a noticeable liquidity cushion at the top of the book. After that, the individual weights step down gradually rather than dropping sharply, with several positions clustered between roughly 2.6% and 5.44%.
The fall from the first holding to the tenth is moderate, not extreme, which points to a portfolio that is not dominated by a single equity position. At the same time, no holding in the table is large enough to suggest a very concentrated bet on one name.
The top 10 holdings account for approximately 39.87% of the portfolio, and the fund discloses 52 holdings in total. That mix suggests the visible book is spread across a reasonably long tail, so the disclosed positions may have balanced influence rather than being driven by just a few names.
To see all holdings, visit the Helios Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund may suit investors who can accept High Risk exposure and are comfortable with a hybrid strategy that can still move around with market conditions. The 1-year return is positive, but the short-term path has been uneven, so a medium-to-long investment horizon is more sensible than a quick-entry, quick-exit approach.
It also fits investors who value some downside cushioning relative to the benchmark, since the fund has held up better than the Nifty 50 in the visible periods. The trade-off is that the history is still short, and the peer group includes several funds with longer records and stronger longer-term returns.
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: Nil up to 10% of units and 1% for remaining units if sold within 3 months; no exit load after 3 months.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Helios Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹11.82 as of 17 Sep 2026.
What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s 1-year return is 1.64%, while the 3-year and 5-year returns are Data not available.
How has the fund done versus the benchmark?
It has held up better than the Nifty 50 in the visible periods. For example, the fund’s 1-month, 3-month and 1-year returns are all better than the benchmark figures shown here.
How does it compare with the peer funds shown?
Its 1-year return is below every peer shown in the comparison table. Two peers with longer records also show stronger 3-year and 5-year returns.
What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹1,000.
Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Alok Bahl, Pratik Singh and Devesh Kumar Bhatt. The exit load is nil up to 10% of units and 1% for remaining units if sold within 3 months; there is no exit load after 3 months.
Bottom line
Helios Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a short track record, so the 1-year gain is useful but not enough on its own to define the fund. It has stayed ahead of the benchmark in the visible periods, yet several peers show stronger longer-term figures where history is available. The High Risk label and the mix of cash plus diversified equity holdings suggest a hybrid profile with some flexibility. It may appeal more to investors who want that structure and can accept an uneven early record.
Published on 18 September 2026 at 1:07 PM 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.