Motilal Oswal Business Cycle Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 18, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Motilal Oswal Business Cycle Fund Direct Growth Plan is available at a NAV of ₹13.0181 as of 17 September 2026, with scheme AUM of ₹1,547 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are -2.85%, 0% and 0%, and the scheme sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that this is a fund for investors who can accept a sharp swing in outcomes and who want a strategy that has not yet built a long enough return record to support a calm, steady compounding story.
The portfolio shows active stock selection across sectors, with meaningful weights in industrial gases, retailing, IT, healthcare and banks. That mix can help the fund participate in different parts of the market cycle, but the short operating history and weak 1-year performance mean expectations need to stay measured.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹13.0181 as of 17 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹1,547 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.62% |
| Launch Date | 27 Aug 2024 |
| Min SIP | ₹500 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Equity |
| Exit Load | 1% on or before 365D, Nil after 365D |
| Fund Managers | Atul Mehra, Ankit Agarwal, Varun Sharma, Rakesh Shetty |
The fund is managed by Atul Mehra, Ankit Agarwal, Varun Sharma and Rakesh Shetty.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | 0.82% | -3.66% |
| 3M | 10.83% | -3.71% |
| 1Y | -2.85% | -7.13% |
| 3Y | Data not available | Data not available |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent picture is better than the 1-year figure first suggests. Over 1 month and 3 months, the fund has moved ahead of the benchmark by a wide margin, which points to a stronger short-term rebound than the index has shown. That matters because it suggests the portfolio has been able to recover even while the benchmark stayed under pressure.
The 1-year return is still negative, so the fund has not yet delivered a clean full-year gain. Still, it has held up better than the benchmark over the same stretch, which tells us the drawdown has been less severe than the broad market proxy used here. For a newer equity strategy, that relative resilience is important, but it is not the same as a proven long-term record.
We do not yet have 3-year or 5-year return history to judge compounding through a full cycle. That keeps the analysis anchored to shorter windows, where the pattern is more volatile but also more encouraging than the benchmark’s. Our view is that the fund is still in the phase where investors should watch consistency more than headline upside.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Motilal Oswal Business Cycle?
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 Motilal Oswal Business Cycle? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motilal Oswal Business Cycle Fund Direct Growth Plan | -2.85% | Data not available | 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 result is weaker than each of the five comparison funds shown here, while the current fund’s 3-year and 5-year figures are not yet available. That makes the short-term peer picture clearly softer for this fund, even though the same weakness in longer-horizon data also limits direct comparison on a full-cycle basis.
The more useful takeaway is that the gap versus peers is visible in the only horizon where every fund can be compared on the same footing. The current fund has not matched the stronger short-term numbers shown by the comparison set, while the longer-horizon figures are simply unavailable for an age-constrained scheme. So the peer story is mixed: weaker on the available 1-year number, but still too early for a meaningful long-term verdict.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
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Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Ellenbarrie Industrial Gases Limited | Inds. Gases & Fuels | 6.37% |
| Eternal Limited | Retailing | 5.43% |
| Coforge Limited | IT | 4.94% |
| Healthcare Global Enterprises Limited | Healthcare | 4.29% |
| Kalyan Jewellers India Limited | Diamond & Jewellery | 4.17% |
| Triparty Repo | Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets | 4.15% |
| RBL Bank Limited | Bank | 3.86% |
| Indusind Bank Limited | Bank | 3.48% |
| Max Healthcare Institute Limited | Healthcare | 3.37% |
| Urban Company Ltd | Domestic Equities | 3.33% |
The top 10 holdings account for approximately 43.39% of the portfolio. To see all holdings, visit the Motilal Oswal Business Cycle Fund Direct Growth Plan page
The largest disclosed holding is Ellenbarrie Industrial Gases Limited at 6.37%, which is meaningful but not dominant on its own. The gap between the first and tenth holding is not extreme, since the tenth holding still carries 3.33%, so the core portfolio looks fairly even across its leading positions rather than concentrated in a single very large bet.
At the same time, the top 10 holdings together make up 43.39% of the portfolio, which means a significant share still sits in the remaining 23 disclosed holdings. That suggests a portfolio that may be spread across a reasonably long tail rather than locked into only a few names, even though the leading holdings are still likely to have greater influence on near-term fund movement than the smaller positions.
Sector exposure across the largest names is also varied, with industrial gases, retailing, IT, healthcare, jewellery, banking and domestic equities all appearing among the leading positions. That kind of spread can help the fund participate in different market themes, but it also means the portfolio’s outcome may depend on several separate stock-specific calls working together.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund fits investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can stay invested through uneven stretches. The current return pattern is better than the benchmark in recent short windows, but the 1-year figure remains negative, so patience matters more than quick outcome-seeking.
It is more suitable for a longer horizon than for a short-term goal, especially because the scheme is still too young to show a full 3-year or 5-year record. The main trade-off is that investors may get access to active, cycle-aware stock selection, but they must accept that the evidence so far is limited and the path can remain choppy.
The portfolio’s spread across sectors may appeal to investors who want active diversification within equities, but the fund still needs time before longer-term behaviour can be judged with confidence.
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 365 days; nil after 365 days.
Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Motilal Oswal Business Cycle Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹13.0181 as of 17 September 2026.
What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The 1-year return is -2.85%, while the 3-year and 5-year returns are not available yet.
How has the fund performed versus Nifty 50?
It has done better than Nifty 50 in the recent 1-month and 3-month periods, and it has also held up better over 1 year. The benchmark remains weaker across those same windows.
How does the fund compare with the peer funds shown here?
The fund’s 1-year return is weaker than the five comparison funds shown here. The longer-horizon figures are not available yet for the current fund, so the comparison is mostly a short-term one.
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 Atul Mehra, Ankit Agarwal, Varun Sharma and Rakesh Shetty. The exit load is 1% on or before 365 days and nil after 365 days.
Bottom line
The fund’s recent short-term performance is stronger than its 1-year figure suggests, but the longer-term case is still unproven because the scheme is young. It has lagged the peer set on the available 1-year comparison, while the High Risk tag and active sector spread point to a fund that may move sharply as its stock picks play out. Investors who want equity exposure with a cycle-aware approach and can wait for a longer record may find it worth watching rather than judging too early.
Published on 18 September 2026 at 3:22 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.