UTI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 18, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
UTI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a current NAV of ₹12.8608 as of 17 Sep 2026, with scheme AUM of ₹3,022 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are -2.25%, 7.67% and 0% respectively, and the scheme sits in the High Risk bucket.
Our view is that this fund may suit investors who can tolerate a high degree of volatility and want a hybrid allocation that has still delivered mid-single-digit to high-single-digit medium-term growth, even though the recent 1-year period has been weak. The portfolio is built around large banks, select debt instruments and a meaningful equity sleeve, so the outcome can move with both market direction and allocation shifts.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹12.8608 as of 17 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹3,022 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.51% |
| Launch Date | 10 Aug 2023 |
| Min SIP | ₹500 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Hybrid |
| Exit Load | 1% on or before 90D, Nil after 90D |
| Fund Managers | Sachin Trivedi, Anurag Mittal |
The fund is managed by Sachin Trivedi and Anurag Mittal.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -2.33% | -3.66% |
| 3M | -0.43% | -3.71% |
| 1Y | -2.25% | -7.13% |
| 3Y | 7.67% | 5.82% |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent picture is softer than the medium-term one. Over 1 month, 3 months and 1 year, the fund stayed negative, but each of those periods was still better than the benchmark, which fell more sharply. That tells us the scheme has defended somewhat better than the benchmark during a difficult stretch, even though the absolute outcome was still weak.
The 3-year return is more constructive at 7.67%, and that is above the benchmark’s 5.82%. The gap versus the benchmark matters because it shows the hybrid structure has added value over a fuller cycle, not just in a single short window. In our view, that makes the recent softness easier to read as a phase of pressure rather than a break in the longer pattern.
The time pattern also looks uneven rather than linear. The 3-year path had periods of advance and giveback, and the 1-year path shows a clear drawdown before recovery, followed by renewed weakness into the latest readings. That kind of movement is consistent with a hybrid fund whose allocation mix can cushion declines better than equity benchmarks, but not eliminate volatility.
For investors, the key point is that the fund has not been steady in the short run, yet it has handled the benchmark comparison better over the longer 3-year frame. The missing 5-year track for this specific review limits the long-horizon read-through, so we place more weight on the 1-year and 3-year behaviour when assessing current momentum.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD UTI 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 UTI Balanced Advantage? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan | -2.25% | 7.67% | 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 trails the stronger peer figures in the table, even though it has still beaten the benchmark over the same horizon. On 3-year returns, it is ahead of the benchmark but behind the peers with available 3-year history, which suggests the fund has been more resilient than the index but less forceful than several peer schemes over a fuller stretch.
The peer picture is not uniform across horizons. One peer shows a notably stronger 1-year outcome, while the peers with 3-year and 5-year data generally sit above this fund’s 3-year result. That means the short-term comparison is weaker than the longer-term comparison, and the fund’s defensive edge versus the benchmark does not fully translate into peer leadership across the available data.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
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Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Eq – ICICI Bank Ltd | Bank | 6.87% |
| Eq – HDFC Bank Limited | Bank | 6.82% |
| NCD Export Import Bank of India | Corporate Debt | 4.45% |
| Eq – Reliance Industries Ltd. | Crude Oil | 4.36% |
| MF Units Uti – Floater Fund | Domestic Mutual Funds Units | 3.55% |
| 7.06% GS Mat – 10/04/2028 | Government Securities | 3.53% |
| Eq – Bharti Airtel Ltd. | Telecom | 3.41% |
| NCD Small Industries Development Bank of India | Corporate Debt | 3.3% |
| Eq – Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. | Bank | 3.13% |
| Eq – Infosys Ltd. | IT | 3.06% |
The largest holding, ICICI Bank Ltd, is 6.87%, which is meaningful but not overwhelming on its own. The next few positions remain close together, with HDFC Bank at 6.82% and the rest of the top ten stepping down in fairly small increments rather than dropping sharply after the first position.
The top ten holdings together account for approximately 42.48% of the portfolio, and the fund discloses 53 holdings in total. That combination suggests the portfolio is not narrowly defined around a single idea, but it is still shaped by a limited set of larger positions that may have greater influence on returns than the longer tail.
There is also a clear mix of equity, debt and fund-of-funds exposure among the largest names, which may help spread the portfolio across different return drivers. At the same time, the bank holdings are prominent, so the path of the fund could remain sensitive to financial-sector behaviour even with the hybrid structure.
To see all holdings, visit the UTI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund is better suited to investors who can tolerate High Risk and do not expect a smooth ride from one period to the next. The 1-year result is negative, but the 3-year return is positive and above the benchmark, so the fund appears more appropriate for those who can look through short-term weakness and judge it over a longer horizon.
The main trade-off is between volatility and diversification. The portfolio mixes equities, debt and liquid-style exposure, yet the recent return pattern shows that the mix has not removed drawdowns. Investors who want a balanced fund with some resilience versus the benchmark, but who can accept patchy short-run behaviour, may find the setup more relevant than those looking for consistency every quarter.
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: 1% 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 UTI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹12.8608 as of 17 Sep 2026.
What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The 1-year return is -2.25%, the 3-year return is 7.67%, and the 5-year return is Data not available.
How has the fund performed versus the benchmark?
It has beaten the benchmark over 1 month, 3 months, 1 year and 3 years on the figures shown, but the short-term returns remain negative. That means it has been less weak than the benchmark in the recent stretch, while still lacking positive short-term momentum.
How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?
Its 1-year return is below the stronger peer figures shown, while its 3-year return is also below the peers with available 3-year history. The fund has still held up better than the benchmark, but the peer comparison is less favourable on the available return data.
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 Sachin Trivedi and Anurag Mittal. The exit load is 1% on or before 90 days and nil after 90 days.
Bottom line
UTI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a mixed profile: the recent 1-year return is weak, but the 3-year return is positive and better than the benchmark. Against peers with available longer history, the fund is less compelling on returns, yet it still shows some defensive value versus the benchmark. The portfolio’s large bank positions and its hybrid mix make it more of a balanced-but-active outcome than a steady income substitute. It may suit investors who can handle High Risk and a choppy path in exchange for some diversification.
Published on 18 September 2026 at 1:27 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.