Nippon India Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 16, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Nippon India Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹12.7565 as of 15 September 2026 and an AUM of ₹565 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 8.09%, 0%, and 0%, respectively, and the scheme is tagged as High Risk.
Our view is that this is a momentum-led equity fund that has posted a positive 1-year outcome, but the longer look-back figures are not yet established. With a concentrated but not narrow portfolio and a benchmark-beating short-term pattern, it may suit investors who can stay patient through sharp swings and want an active equity strategy rather than a steady defensive profile.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹12.7565 as of 15 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹565 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.69% |
| Launch Date | 28 Feb 2025 |
| Min SIP | ₹100 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Equity |
| Exit Load | 1% on or before 1Y, Nil after 1Y |
| Fund Managers | Shirish Guthe |
The fund is managed by Shirish Guthe.
Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | -4.87% | -4.81% |
| 3M | 1.82% | -3.63% |
| 1Y | 8.09% | -8.27% |
| 3Y | Data not available | Data not available |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent pattern is mixed, but it is not weak across every horizon. Over one month, the fund was down 4.87%, which was only slightly worse than the benchmark’s 4.81% fall, so the short window did not deliver a clean advantage. Over three months, however, the fund turned positive at 1.82% while the benchmark remained negative at -3.63%, which tells us the strategy has been able to recover better in the recent quarter.
The more meaningful point is the one-year gap. The fund’s 8.09% return stands well above the benchmark’s -8.27%, so the active approach has clearly held up better over the past year than the index reference. That said, the time profile is uneven rather than smooth, and the daily path in the shorter windows shows that drawdowns and rebounds have both been part of the journey.
We would treat this as a fund with improving recent momentum rather than a long, settled record. The 3-year and 5-year rows are not available, so the evidence base is still short. For an investor, that means the fund’s current strength versus the benchmark is real, but it should be read as a recent trend rather than a full-cycle proof point.
Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Nippon India Active Momentum?
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 Nippon India Active Momentum? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nippon India Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan | 8.09% | Data not available | Data not available |
| ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan | 69.16% | 37.12% | Data not available |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 27.47% | Data not available | Data not available |
| SBI Automotive Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan | 27.05% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 26.51% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan | 25.46% | 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 materially below the strongest peer figures in this set, but the comparison also shows that the scheme has delivered a positive one-year outcome while the benchmark has not. On longer horizons, the available peer data is thin for most names, so the cleaner comparison is that this fund has a shorter track record than some peers with established 3-year figures. That makes the recent recovery more relevant than a long-history comparison.
Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026
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Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| ICICI Bank Limited | Bank | 7.03% |
| HDFC Bank Limited | Bank | 5.58% |
| Bajaj Finance Limited | Finance | 3.73% |
| Triparty Repo | Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets | 3.37% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra Limited | Automobile & Ancillaries | 3.18% |
| Eternal Limited | Retailing | 3.14% |
| Prestige Estates Projects Limited | Realty | 2.96% |
| PB Fintech Limited | IT | 2.88% |
| Coforge Limited | IT | 2.8% |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited | Healthcare | 2.8% |
The largest disclosed holding is ICICI Bank Limited at 7.03%, which is a meaningful but not extreme single-stock weight. The next positions step down fairly gradually, from 5.58% in HDFC Bank Limited to 2.8% in the ninth and tenth names, so the portfolio does not appear to rely on one dominant bet alone. That kind of spread may help soften the impact of any single stock, though the top positions can still matter a lot in a momentum strategy.
The top 10 holdings account for approximately 37.47% of the portfolio, and there are 41 disclosed holding rows in total. That tells us the fund is spread across a reasonably long tail beyond the leading positions, rather than sitting only in a few very large bets. At the same time, the listed weights are still concentrated enough that the top names could have greater influence on short-term movement than a broadly diversified index fund.
For investors, the key takeaway is balance: there is enough spread to avoid a one-position story, but the portfolio still leaves room for notable single-stock and sector-driven swings. In a momentum-oriented equity fund, that can be part of the design, but it also means returns may be choppier than many plain-vanilla diversified equity schemes.
To see all holdings, visit the Nippon India Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan page
Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund fits investors who can handle High Risk equity exposure and are comfortable with a strategy that may swing around the benchmark in the short run. The one-year result is positive, but the shorter windows have been uneven, so a patient horizon matters more here than a quick outcome.
It is better suited to someone with a multi-year outlook who can accept that momentum-led positioning may lag in some periods and then recover in others. The trade-off is straightforward: you get exposure to active equity ideas and a portfolio that may respond well when those ideas work, but you also accept more volatility than a steadier index-style outcome.
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 1Y, Nil after 1Y.
Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Nippon India Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan?
Its NAV is ₹12.7565 as of 15 September 2026.
How has the fund performed over 1 year?
It has returned 8.09% over 1 year. That is positive, while the benchmark return over the same period is -8.27%.
What are the 3-year and 5-year returns?
The 3-year return is Data not available and the 5-year return is Data not available. The scheme is still too new to show full longer-term figures.
How does it compare with the benchmark?
It has done better than the benchmark over 3 months and 1 year. Over 1 month, the fund and benchmark were both negative and broadly close.
What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP is ₹100.
What is the risk level and who manages the fund?
It is classified as High Risk and is managed by Shirish Guthe. The portfolio is led by bank and financial names, with ICICI Bank Limited and HDFC Bank Limited among the largest holdings.
Bottom line
Nippon India Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan has a mixed short-window pattern but a clearly better 1-year outcome than its benchmark. The lack of 3-year and 5-year figures means the longer story is still developing, so the recent improvement matters more than any full-cycle claim. The portfolio is led by large financial and market-sensitive names, which can support upside but also keep volatility elevated. It looks more appropriate for investors who can stay invested through uneven stretches and accept a high-risk equity profile.
Published on 16 September 2026 at 2:00 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.