Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 3, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹30.53 as of 18 Sep 2026 and scheme AUM of ₹1,279 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 10.9%, 18.09% and 13.89% respectively, and the scheme sits in the High Risk bucket. Our view is that it looks better suited to investors who can accept sharp swings in return for a higher-growth equity approach, especially because its longer-run numbers are still stronger than the benchmark even though near-term movement has softened.
The fund’s recent return profile is mixed, but the 3-year and 5-year numbers still point to meaningful compounding over a full market cycle. That makes it more relevant for investors with patience and a willingness to stay invested through periods when the trend can look uneven.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹30.53 as of 18 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹1,279 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 1.31% |
| Launch Date | 23 Oct 2020 |
| Min SIP | ₹100 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Equity |
| Exit Load | 1% on or before 30D, Nil after 30D |
| Fund Managers | Dhaval Gala |
The fund is managed by Dhaval Gala.
Source data date: as of 18 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -2.27% | -3.73% |
| 3M | 0.76% | -3.14% |
| 1Y | 10.9% | -5.31% |
| 3Y | 18.09% | 6.3% |
| 5Y | 13.89% | 5.79% |
The short-term picture is softer than the medium-term trend, but it is still better than the benchmark over the same windows. The 1-month return was negative, while the 3-month return was only modestly positive, which tells us the fund has not been moving in a straight line recently.
Even so, the 1-year return remains solid and the 3-year return is notably stronger than the benchmark. That matters because it shows the scheme has delivered better compounding through a longer holding period even after accounting for recent volatility.
The 5-year return is also ahead of the benchmark, which supports the view that this is not just a short-lived rally story. At the same time, the recent slowdown means the fund’s near-term behaviour is not as strong as its longer-term track record.
Overall, the pattern is one of stronger multi-year compounding with uneven short-term follow-through. For investors, that usually means performance may depend more on staying invested through cycles than on timing entry around a short burst of momentum.
Source data date: as of 18 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL Special Opp?
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 Aditya Birla SL Special Opp? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan | 10.9% | 18.09% | 13.89% |
| ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan | 65.43% | 35.11% | Data not available |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 27.29% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 27.27% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan | 25.8% | Data not available | Data not available |
| PGIM India Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 24.4% | Data not available | Data not available |
This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.
The fund’s 1-year return is well below the strongest peer number in this set, but its 3-year and 5-year returns remain meaningful. That creates a split picture: the recent one-year outcome is modest relative to the peers shown here, while the longer horizon still compares more comfortably.
Against peers with available 3-year data, the scheme trails the strongest peer in that shorter long-term window, yet it does maintain a stronger 5-year record than the benchmark and stands apart from many peers where longer-period data is not available. So the peer set does not tell one single story; it shows a fund that has not kept pace in the latest year, but still has a durable multi-year base.
Source data date: as of 18 Sep 2026
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Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Aditya Infotech Ltd. | Domestic Equities | 6.55% |
| Bharti Airtel Ltd. | Telecom | 4.04% |
| Shriram Finance Ltd. | Finance | 3.53% |
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | Bank | 3.41% |
| Meesho Ltd. | Retailing | 2.92% |
| TREPS | Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets | 2.91% |
| SPR Auto Technologies Ltd. | Automobile & Ancillaries | 2.7% |
| Union Bank of India | Bank | 2.49% |
| Billionbrains Garage Ventures Ltd. | Domestic Equities | 2.26% |
| Axis Bank Ltd. | Bank | 2.24% |
The largest holding, Aditya Infotech Ltd., carries a 6.55% weight, which is large enough to matter but not so large that one position dominates the portfolio by itself. The next few holdings are meaningfully smaller, so influence starts to taper after the first name rather than staying clustered at the top.
By the tenth holding, the weight has fallen to 2.24%, which shows a clear spread between the biggest ideas and the rest of the visible list. That pattern suggests the scheme may rely on a handful of stronger convictions, while still avoiding an extreme single-stock concentration in the disclosed top positions.
The top 10 holdings account for approximately 33.05% of the portfolio, and the table is only part of a 66-holding book. That combination points to a portfolio that may have both a focused core and a long tail of additional positions, so the full fund can still be broader than the top names alone suggest.
To see all holdings, visit the Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 18 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund fits investors who are comfortable with High Risk and can hold through uneven periods. The 1-year number is positive, but the real strength appears in the 3-year and 5-year outcomes, which makes a longer horizon more suitable than a short one.
Its benchmark comparison is encouraging over 3 years and 5 years, while the recent one-month and three-month moves show that the ride can still be choppy. That trade-off matters: investors may get a better long-term equity outcome, but only if they can tolerate periods when short-term returns lag or fluctuate.
It is more suitable as a growth-oriented allocation than as a stability anchor, and it is better aligned with investors who accept stock-specific and market-cycle risk in exchange for the chance of stronger compounding over time.
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 |
The exit load is 1% on or before 30D, and nil after 30D.
Source data date: as of 18 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹30.53 as of 18 Sep 2026.
What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s returns are 10.9% for 1 year, 18.09% for 3 years and 13.89% for 5 years.
How does the fund compare with Nifty 50?
It is ahead of Nifty 50 over 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The benchmark returns are -5.31%, 6.3% and 5.79% for those periods.
How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?
Its 1-year return is lower than several of the peer funds shown, but its 3-year and 5-year numbers still hold up better than the benchmark and remain meaningful over a full cycle. The comparison set also has limited longer-period data for some peers.
What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.
Who manages the fund and what is the risk profile?
Dhaval Gala manages the fund. The scheme is in the High Risk category, so it is better suited to investors who can handle higher volatility.
Bottom line
This fund’s near-term performance is softer than its longer-term record, but the 3-year and 5-year numbers still show meaningful compounding above the benchmark. That gives it a mixed profile: recent returns have been uneven, yet the longer track record remains constructive.
Compared with the peer set shown here, the latest year is not as strong, while the longer horizon still looks more resilient. The portfolio is also fairly spread across 66 holdings, with the top 10 accounting for about one-third of assets, which may help limit overdependence on a single name while still keeping some conviction at the top.
Published on 21 September 2026 at 9:30 AM 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.