Axis Value Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Axis Value Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹21.92 as of 28 Aug 2026 and scheme AUM of ₹1,754 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 14.88%, 20.00% and Data not available, and the fund sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that this is a diversified value-oriented equity fund that has kept long-term compounding reasonable, but recent returns still trail the benchmark and the category leaders we can see on available data.

The fund can suit investors who are comfortable with meaningful equity volatility and want a portfolio that is not limited to one style or one market-cap bucket. The mix of large-cap, mid-cap and small-cap holdings makes it more balanced than a pure small-cap or concentrated thematic strategy, but the High Risk label still matters.

Quick facts

The fund is managed by Nitin Arora and Krishnaa N.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Performance

Recent performance has been comfortably positive, with the 1-month and 3-month numbers both ahead of the benchmark. That is a useful sign because it shows the fund recovered well through the latest stretch, while the benchmark itself stayed softer over the same windows. The 1-year figure is also clearly better than the benchmark, which was negative over that period.

The longer-term picture is still constructive. The 3-year return of 20.00% is strong in absolute terms and well above the benchmark’s 6.40%, which tells us the strategy has rewarded patient investors despite some uneven stretches along the way. The path has not been linear, but the 3-year trend suggests that the fund has been able to compound through changing market conditions.

What stands out is that the recent pattern is stronger than the benchmark even though the 5-year figure is not available here. That makes the current phase look healthier than the index over every visible time frame, but it does not remove the need to judge the fund as an equity strategy that can move around quite a bit from period to period.

For investors, the main takeaway is simple: the fund has shown better near-term and medium-term momentum than the benchmark, and the overall trajectory has been positive enough to justify attention, but only for those who are comfortable with equity-style variability.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Peer comparison

The current fund’s 1-year return is below the strongest visible peer figures, especially LIC MF Value Fund Direct Growth Plan and Quant Value Fund Direct Growth Plan, both of which have materially higher 1-year numbers. That means the fund has not matched the sharpest recent peer momentum, even though it has still outpaced the benchmark over the same horizon.

On the 3-year view, the fund is closer to the stronger end of the available set. Its 19.9964% sits above LIC MF Value Fund Direct Growth Plan and Aditya Birla SL Value Fund Direct Growth Plan, while Quant Value Fund Direct Growth Plan is higher. That gives the fund a middle-to-strong long-term showing among the visible comparables, rather than a purely short-term story.

These return patterns are not identical across time frames. The shorter-term comparison looks softer than the most assertive peers, but the longer-term picture is much more competitive. This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

The fund’s market-cap mix is 58.86% large-cap, 18.00% mid-cap, 19.74% small-cap and 3.39% other. That tells us the portfolio is not narrowly tilted to one market-cap band; it combines a large-cap core with meaningful exposure to mid- and small-cap names.

The BANK allocation is clearly the largest sector at 23.47%, and it is materially bigger than the next cluster of sectors around 7% to 9%. That gives banking a greater chance of shaping portfolio behaviour than any single other sector here. HDFC BANK LIMITED and ICICI BANK LIMITED also stand out within that sleeve, so bank-specific moves may matter more than the weight of most individual stocks in the portfolio.

The rest of the book is spread across healthcare, automobiles, finance and IT, which helps reduce reliance on one theme. Because no other sector comes close to banking in size, the portfolio still has a visible concentration point, but it is not an extreme one-sector portfolio. The presence of both large-cap and smaller companies may support diversification, while also keeping the fund sensitive to how selected mid- and small-cap names behave.

Overall, the structure suggests that large-cap holdings may help anchor the portfolio, while small- and mid-cap positions can add movement and return potential. In our view, BANK is likely to have the greatest influence on short-term behaviour, but the market-cap mix should also keep the fund responsive to broader equity sentiment.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Who should invest

This fund is better suited to investors who can tolerate High Risk equity swings and stay invested for a longer horizon. The 1-year result is positive and the 3-year return is stronger, but the path has been uneven enough that short-term patience matters.

It can appeal to investors who want a value-oriented equity fund with a mix of large-cap stability and mid- to small-cap participation. The trade-off is that the portfolio may move more sharply than a plain large-cap strategy, even though it has held up better than the benchmark across the visible periods.

For an investor comparing it with peers, the key question is whether they want the stronger recent momentum seen in some alternatives or the more balanced longer-term profile this fund has shown. That makes it more suitable for investors who are comfortable accepting variation in exchange for a diversified equity exposure.

Tax and exit load

Exit load: Nil upto 10% of investment and 1% for remaining investment on or before 12M, Nil after 12M.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Axis Value Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹21.92 as of 28 Aug 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?

Its 1-year return is 14.88% and its 3-year return is 20.00%. The 5-year return is Data not available.

How does it compare with Nifty 50?

It has outpaced Nifty 50 across the visible 1-month, 3-month, 1-year and 3-year periods. The benchmark figures are lower over each of those horizons, including a negative 1-year return.

How does it compare with the visible peer funds?

Its 1-year return is below the strongest visible peer figures, while its 3-year return is more competitive and sits above some peers with available data. The short-term and longer-term comparisons do not tell the same story.

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 Nitin Arora and Krishnaa N. The exit load is nil upto 10% of investment and 1% for remaining investment on or before 12M, and nil after 12M.

Bottom line

Axis Value Fund Direct Growth Plan has shown a better long-term shape than its recent 1-year comparison suggests, and it has stayed ahead of the benchmark across the visible periods. The peer view is mixed: the fund is behind the strongest recent performers on 1-year numbers, but its 3-year return is more competitive. With a High Risk profile and a portfolio led by banking, it looks most appropriate for investors who want diversified equity exposure and can stay patient through uneven stretches.

Published on 31 August 2026 at 1:05 PM IST