Kotak Quant Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 18, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Kotak Quant Fund Direct Growth Plan had a NAV of ₹15.034 as of 17 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹496 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are -1.58%, 12.98% and 0%, respectively, and the scheme sits in the High Risk bucket.
Our view is that the fund is better suited to investors who can live with sharp swings in the short run and who want an equity fund that has been stronger over longer stretches than over the most recent year. The portfolio leans toward well-known large companies, which may help keep the structure understandable even though the return path has been uneven.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹15.034 as of 17 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹496 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 1.16% |
| Launch Date | 02 Aug 2023 |
| Min SIP | ₹500 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Equity |
| Exit Load | 0.50% on or before 90D, Nil after 90D |
| Fund Managers | Harsha Upadhyaya, Rohit Tandon, Abhishek Bisen |
The fund is managed by Harsha Upadhyaya, Rohit Tandon and Abhishek Bisen.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -3.75% | -3.66% |
| 3M | -1.31% | -3.71% |
| 1Y | -1.58% | -7.13% |
| 3Y | 12.98% | 5.82% |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent picture is mixed. Over 1 month, the fund fell slightly more than the benchmark, but over 3 months it held up better than the index and limited the drawdown more effectively. That tells us the short-term path has not been linear, yet the fund has sometimes cushioned market weakness better than the benchmark.
The 1-year number is still below zero, but it is meaningfully better than the benchmark’s deeper decline. That matters because it shows the fund did not avoid weakness entirely, yet it did preserve more value than the index over the same period. For investors, this is a reminder that the fund has not delivered smooth one-year compounding.
The longer view is stronger. The 3-year return is comfortably above the benchmark, and that gap suggests the fund’s earlier compounding has been better than the index over a full market cycle. The 5-year figure is not available because the scheme has not been running that long, so our view should rest more on the 3-year path and the recent pattern than on any longer-history assumption.
Overall, the return pattern points to a fund that can behave differently from the benchmark across time windows. That can be useful for diversification, but it also means the holding needs patience because shorter windows have been choppy.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Kotak Quant?
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 Quant? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kotak Quant Fund Direct Growth Plan | -1.58% | 12.98% | Data not available |
| 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 view, the fund trails the stronger peer return figures by a wide margin, but that does not automatically make the longer story weak. Its 3-year return is better than the peers in this set that have no available 3-year figure, and it is well ahead of the benchmark over the same period.
The contrast is that the peer table is dominated by funds with much stronger one-year numbers, while this fund’s short-term return is negative. So the short-term comparison is clearly less favorable than the longer-term comparison, which again points to a fund that has looked better over time than over the latest year.
For investors comparing only available return data, the main takeaway is that this fund has not matched the strongest 1-year peer figures, but its 3-year record still shows a healthier long-term pattern than its latest year suggests.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
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Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | Healthcare | 3.44% |
| Nestle India Ltd. | FMCG | 3.16% |
| Marico Ltd. | FMCG | 3.14% |
| Grasim Industries Ltd. | Diversified | 3.12% |
| Titan Company Ltd. | Diamond & Jewellery | 3.1% |
| JSW Steel Ltd. | Iron & Steel | 2.89% |
| Lupin Ltd. | Healthcare | 2.87% |
| Laurus Labs Ltd | Healthcare | 2.83% |
| Federal Bank Ltd. | Bank | 2.75% |
| Eicher Motors Ltd. | Automobile & Ancillaries | 2.65% |
The largest holding, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., is 3.44% of the portfolio, so no single position dominates the fund on its own. The tenth holding, Eicher Motors Ltd. at 2.65%, is only modestly below the leader, which tells us the top slice is fairly tightly grouped rather than heavily stretched.
The top 10 holdings account for approximately 29.95% of the portfolio, and the fund discloses 55 holdings in total. That combination suggests the disclosed book is spread across a broad tail of smaller positions rather than concentrated entirely in the largest names.
Our view is that this shape may reduce dependence on any one stock, while still leaving the leading positions with some influence on returns. The portfolio is therefore not an extreme concentration story; instead, it looks like a spread-out equity basket where the top names matter, but they are only part of a larger set of holdings.
To see all holdings, visit the Kotak Quant Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund may suit investors with high risk tolerance and a medium-to-long investment horizon who can stay invested through uneven stretches. The 1-year return is negative, but the 3-year return is comfortably positive and ahead of the benchmark, so the holding case depends more on patience than on near-term stability.
The main trade-off is simple: you accept a choppy short-term experience in exchange for the possibility of better longer-term compounding than the benchmark. The portfolio’s mix of large, familiar businesses may make the fund easier to follow, but the High Risk label means the ride can still be volatile.
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 90 days; nil after 90 days.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Kotak Quant Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹15.034 as of 17 Sep 2026.
What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The 1-year return is -1.58%, the 3-year return is 12.98%, and the 5-year return is Data not available.
How has the fund performed versus the benchmark?
It has lagged the benchmark over 1 month and 1 year, but it has been ahead over 3 months and 3 years. That makes the pattern mixed rather than one-directional.
How does it compare with peer funds on available return data?
Its 1-year return is below the stronger peer figures shown, while its 3-year return is stronger than the peers in this set that do not show a 3-year figure. The short-term and longer-term comparisons tell different stories.
What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.
Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Harsha Upadhyaya, Rohit Tandon and Abhishek Bisen. The exit load is 0.50% if units are sold on or before 90 days, and nil after 90 days.
Bottom line
Kotak Quant Fund Direct Growth Plan looks stronger on the 3-year view than on the latest 1-year number, so the short-term and longer-term stories do not match. It also compares unevenly with peers: the latest year is weaker than several peer figures, but the 3-year record is still healthy. The High Risk profile and the broad spread across 55 disclosed holdings make it a fund for investors who can tolerate volatility and stay focused on a longer horizon.
Published on 18 September 2026 at 1:22 PM IST
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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.