Edelweiss Nifty Smallcap 250 Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 18, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Edelweiss Nifty Smallcap 250 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹18.787 as of 17 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹284 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 3.09%, 13.52% and 0%, respectively, and the scheme sits in the High Risk bucket.
Our view is that this fund suits investors who want small-cap exposure and can accept sharp swings. The recent return pattern is uneven, and the portfolio is built around a long list of smaller positions rather than a handful of very large bets, so the ride can stay volatile even when the longer trend improves.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹18.787 as of 17 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹284 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.14% |
| Launch Date | 30 Nov 2022 |
| Min SIP | ₹100 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Index Funds |
| Exit Load | No exit load |
| Fund Managers | Bhavesh Jain, Bharat Lahoti, Manasi Jalgaonkar |
The fund is managed by Bhavesh Jain, Bharat Lahoti and Manasi Jalgaonkar.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -1.82% | -3.66% |
| 3M | 2.48% | -3.71% |
| 1Y | 3.09% | -7.13% |
| 3Y | 13.52% | 5.82% |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The latest 1-month and 3-month readings show a fund that has been choppy, but not directionless. The 1-month return is still negative, yet it has held up better than the benchmark over the same stretch, and the 3-month figure is comfortably ahead of the benchmark, which points to a cleaner rebound than the index.
The 1-year return also stays ahead of the benchmark, even though the absolute number is modest. That tells us the fund has been able to preserve some relative strength while the benchmark has been weaker over the same horizon. For investors, that relative gap matters because it shows the fund has not simply followed the broader small-cap mood without variation.
The longer picture is stronger. The 3-year return of 13.52% is well above the benchmark’s 5.82%, which indicates that the fund has compounded better across a full market cycle than the index measure used here. The 5-year line is not available in a meaningful way for either series, so we should read the longer-term case mainly through the 3-year record and the current path of returns.
Even so, the short-term pattern remains uneven, with a negative 1-month return after a stronger 3-month and 1-year stretch. That mix usually fits a small-cap strategy: better medium-term compounding, but enough volatility that month-to-month results can swing around.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Edelweiss Nifty Smallcap 250 Index?
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 Edelweiss Nifty Smallcap 250 Index? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edelweiss Nifty Smallcap 250 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan | 3.09% | 13.52% | Data not available |
| ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan | 29.31% | 30.01% | Data not available |
| Tata Nifty Capital Markets Index Fund Direct Growth Plan | 21.45% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Capital Market Index Fund Direct Growth Plan | 21.13% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty MidSmall Financial Services Index Fund Direct Growth Plan | 20.68% | Data not available | Data not available |
| ICICI Pru Nifty Pharma Index Fund Direct Growth Plan | 17.57% | 18.84% | Data not available |
This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.
The current fund’s 1-year return is far below the stronger 1-year figures shown by the peer set here, but its 3-year return still compares more favourably with the funds that have a usable 3-year number. That creates a mixed picture: the recent stretch looks weaker on a plain return basis, while the medium-term outcome is more respectable.
Where peers do offer longer-history figures, the current fund is still behind the best 3-year numbers in this group, but it does better than the one peer that shows a smaller 3-year result. The short-term and medium-term stories therefore do not fully match, which is common in specialised equity strategies where recent momentum can differ sharply from multi-year compounding.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
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Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd. | Automobile & Ancillaries | 1.65% |
| Ather Energy Ltd. | Domestic Equities | 1.49% |
| Karur Vysya Bank Ltd. | Bank | 1.49% |
| Navin Fluorine International Ltd. | Chemicals | 1.45% |
| Welspun Corp Ltd. | Iron & Steel | 1.42% |
| Piramal Finance Ltd. | Finance | 1.26% |
| Delhivery Ltd. | Logistics | 1.16% |
| HFCL Ltd. | Telecom | 1.16% |
| Central Depository Services (I) Ltd. | Business Services | 1.13% |
| RBL Bank Ltd. | Bank | 1.07% |
The largest holding, Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd., stands at 1.65%, which is a modest single-name weight for a small-cap index fund. The tenth holding is still 1.07%, so the drop from first to tenth is not steep in percentage terms, and that suggests the visible part of the portfolio is spread across many similarly sized positions rather than dominated by one or two outsized names.
The top 10 holdings together account for approximately 13.28% of the portfolio, while 62 holdings are disclosed in total. That combination points to a broad holding set with a long tail beyond the first ten positions, which may reduce dependence on any single stock but also means the fund’s movement can still reflect the broader volatility of small-cap names.
Because the top positions are all relatively close in size, the portfolio may not rely on one concentrated anchor to drive results. Instead, the pattern looks diversified across many small slices, and that can help smooth stock-specific surprises even though it does not remove the inherent price swings of the segment.
To see all holdings, visit the Edelweiss Nifty Smallcap 250 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund fits investors who are comfortable with High Risk exposure and want small-cap participation with a longer holding period. The 1-year result is modest, but the 3-year return is better than the benchmark used here, which suggests the fund can reward patience more than quick entry-and-exit decisions.
The trade-off is straightforward: the portfolio can experience short-term weakness even when the medium-term trend is healthier. That means the fund is more suitable for investors who can tolerate uneven month-to-month movement and who are looking for index-style small-cap exposure rather than a steadier large-cap profile.
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: No exit load.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Edelweiss Nifty Smallcap 250 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹18.787 as of 17 Sep 2026.
What are the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s 1-year return is 3.09%, the 3-year return is 13.52%, and the 5-year return is 0% in the available record.
How does it compare with the benchmark?
Its 1-month, 3-month, 1-year and 3-year returns are all ahead of the benchmark figures shown here. The gap is especially visible over 3 years, where the fund has compounded better than the benchmark measure used here.
Which peer has the strongest 1-year return in the comparison table?
ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan shows the strongest 1-year return in the peer table at 29.31%.
Is there a minimum SIP?
The minimum SIP is ₹100.
Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Bhavesh Jain, Bharat Lahoti and Manasi Jalgaonkar. There is no exit load.
Bottom line
This fund’s recent returns are uneven, but its 3-year result is noticeably better than the benchmark figure shown here, which gives the longer-term picture more weight than the latest month. In the peer table, its recent return trail is weaker than several of the stronger comparables, yet its medium-term number remains usable. The portfolio is broadly spread across 62 disclosed holdings, with no single position dominating the visible top end. For investors who can live with High Risk swings and want small-cap index exposure, the fund looks more like a patience story than a quick-momentum play.
Published on 18 September 2026 at 8:34 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.