Axis Business Cycles Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- August 31, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Axis Business Cycles Fund Direct Growth Plan is at ₹17.73 as of 17 September 2026, with scheme assets of ₹2,168 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 1.73%, 12.37% and 0% respectively, and the fund sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that the fund has shown some recovery over a 3-year lens, but the recent 1-year outcome is modest and still trails a plain benchmark path, so it fits investors who can tolerate uneven periods and want an actively tilted equity allocation rather than a smoother ride.
The fund’s current structure also matters: it holds a broad basket of 76 disclosed positions, but the top 10 already account for 28.93% of the portfolio. That suggests a mix of diversification and meaningful stock-specific influence. In our view, the strategy can suit longer-horizon investors who are comfortable with cyclical swings and do not need the steadiness of a low-volatility equity option.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹17.73 as of 17 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹2,168 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.74% |
| Launch Date | 22 Feb 2023 |
| Min SIP | ₹100 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Equity |
| Exit Load | Nil for 10% of investment and 1% for remaining investment on or before 12M, Nil after 12M |
| Fund Managers | Ashish Naik |
The fund is managed by Ashish Naik.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -2.8% | -3.66% |
| 3M | 2.43% | -3.71% |
| 1Y | 1.73% | -7.13% |
| 3Y | 12.37% | 5.82% |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent picture is mixed but not weak in relative terms. Over 1 month, the fund declined, but it still fell less than the benchmark. Over 3 months and 1 year, it stayed ahead of the benchmark, which tells us the strategy has recently protected and added value versus the benchmark even though absolute returns have been restrained.
The longer view is more constructive. The 3-year return is clearly better than the benchmark’s 3-year result, which supports the idea that the portfolio has had a workable compounding phase despite some choppiness. At the same time, the 1-year return is much lower than the 3-year pace, so the recent stretch has not matched the medium-term trend.
That gap between the 1-year result and the 3-year result matters for investors. It suggests the fund is not delivering in a straight line, and the path has included short periods of pressure. For an equity fund in the High Risk bucket, this kind of unevenness is not unusual, but it does mean the fund is better judged over multi-year stretches than over short windows.
Our reading is that the benchmark comparison is favourable, but only in a relative sense. The fund has outpaced the benchmark across the available short and medium horizons, yet the actual level of return is still modest enough that investors may want to look beyond headline outperformance and focus on whether the style fits their patience and risk tolerance.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Axis Business Cycles?
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 Axis Business Cycles? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axis Business Cycles Fund Direct Growth Plan | 1.73% | 12.37% | 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.
The fund’s 1-year return is far below the strongest peer figures shown here, so the short-term comparison is not especially compelling. Even so, its 3-year return is available and sits well above the benchmark’s 3-year figure, which gives it a more credible medium-term case than the 1-year number alone suggests.
The key distinction is that the peer set is heavily skewed toward sector- and theme-led funds with much higher 1-year outcomes, while this fund’s own profile is more balanced and less extreme. That means the short-term comparison and the longer-term comparison tell different stories: near-term peers look much stronger, but the fund’s multi-year result is steadier relative to its benchmark.
For investors comparing only recent numbers, the fund may look subdued. For those comparing the 3-year pattern against a plain benchmark, it still shows a reasonable edge.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Larsen & Toubro Limited | Infrastructure | 3.84% |
| ICICI Bank Limited | Bank | 3.72% |
| Axis Bank Limited | Bank | 3.59% |
| HDFC Bank Limited | Bank | 2.95% |
| Grasim Industries Limited | Diversified | 2.76% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited | Bank | 2.48% |
| Clearing Corporation of India Ltd | Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets | 2.44% |
| Aether Industries Limited | Chemicals | 2.42% |
| Bharti Airtel Limited | Telecom | 2.39% |
| Indusind Bank Limited | Bank | 2.34% |
The largest disclosed holding, Larsen & Toubro Limited, is 3.84%, which is a meaningful single-stock weight but not an outsized one on its own. The fall from the first holding to the tenth is fairly gradual, moving from 3.84% to 2.34%, so the top slice is not dominated by one very large position.
That pattern suggests the portfolio may spread influence across several positions rather than relying on a single anchor stock. Banks appear repeatedly among the disclosed holdings, so the fund could still be sensitive to moves in that part of the market, even though the weights are individually moderate.
Because the top 10 holdings account for 28.93% of the portfolio and the fund has 76 disclosed holdings in total, the visible book looks reasonably diversified with a meaningful tail of smaller positions. In our view, that structure may reduce dependence on any one name while still allowing the larger holdings to shape outcomes.
To see all holdings, visit the Axis Business Cycles Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund is better suited to investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can hold through uneven short-term performance. The 1-year return is modest, but the 3-year result is stronger and more supportive of a multi-year holding period. That makes the fund more relevant for investors who can accept periodic swings in exchange for the possibility of a better medium-term outcome than the benchmark.
The main trade-off is straightforward: you get a portfolio with a reasonably broad holding base and a history of beating the benchmark on the available time frames, but you also accept a choppy return path and a recent stretch that has not been especially strong in absolute terms. Investors who need consistency or low volatility may prefer to stay away, while those with patience and a higher tolerance for equity cycles may find the setup workable.
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 for 10% of investment and 1% for the remaining investment on or before 12 months; no exit load after the holding period.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Axis Business Cycles Fund Direct Growth Plan?
Its current NAV is ₹17.73 as of 17 September 2026.
How has the fund performed over 1 year, 3 years and 5 years?
The fund has returned 1.73% over 1 year and 12.37% over 3 years. The 5-year return is not available in the table because the scheme has not yet completed that track record in the displayed performance view.
How does the fund compare with the Nifty 50?
It has been ahead of the benchmark on the available 1-month, 3-month, 1-year and 3-year periods. The gap is especially visible over 3 years, where the fund’s return is higher than the benchmark’s.
How does it compare with the peer funds shown here?
Its 1-year return is well below the strongest peer figures shown, while its 3-year return is more defensible relative to the benchmark than the short-term peer comparison might suggest. The shorter-horizon peers in this set have much stronger recent numbers.
What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.
Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Ashish Naik. The exit load is nil for 10% of the investment and 1% for the remaining investment on or before 12 months, with no exit load after the holding period.
Bottom line
Axis Business Cycles Fund Direct Growth Plan has a more uneven short-term record than its medium-term result, and that is the main thing investors need to notice. It has stayed ahead of the benchmark on the available periods, but the peer set looks much stronger on recent 1-year returns. The portfolio is spread across 76 disclosed holdings, with the top 10 making up 28.93%, so it is neither extremely concentrated nor fully diffuse. In our view, the fund is most relevant for higher-risk investors who can wait through volatility and judge the strategy over several years.
Published on 18 September 2026 at 11:39 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.