Samco Special Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?
- September 11, 2026
- Posted by: Chaitanya Auti
- Category: Mutual Funds
Samco Special Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹9.56 as of 10 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹127 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 5.75%, 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 uneven short-term movement and want exposure to a concentrated special-opportunities style portfolio rather than a broad market tracker.
The fund has outpaced its benchmark over the latest 1-year period, but the longer history is still limited and the 3-year and 5-year return fields do not yet provide a fuller compounding record. That makes the portfolio mix and recent behaviour more important than long-run numbers alone when judging fit.
Quick facts
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| NAV | ₹9.56 as of 10 Sep 2026 |
| AUM | ₹127 Cr |
| Expense Ratio | 0.86% |
| Launch Date | 06 Jun 2024 |
| Min SIP | ₹250 |
| Risk Category | High Risk |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 |
| Fund Category | Equity |
| Exit Load | 1% on or before 365D, Nil after 365D |
| Fund Managers | Umeshkumar Mehta, Nirali Bhansali, Dhawal Ghanshyam Dhanani, Vishal Shinde |
The fund is managed by Umeshkumar Mehta, Nirali Bhansali, Dhawal Ghanshyam Dhanani and Vishal Shinde.
Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026
Performance
| Period | Fund return | Benchmark return |
|---|---|---|
| 1M | 5.75% | -4.06% |
| 3M | 12.6% | 1.37% |
| 1Y | 5.75% | -7.31% |
| 3Y | Data not available | Data not available |
| 5Y | Data not available | Data not available |
The recent pattern is stronger than the one-year headline alone suggests. The fund has advanced in both the 1-month and 3-month windows, and that tells us the strategy has had a constructive short-term run even though it is still young. The 3-month figure is especially useful here because it shows the fund moving well ahead of the benchmark in the near term.
Against the benchmark, the fund has clearly held up better in the latest periods. The benchmark was negative over 1 month and 1 year, while the fund stayed positive across those windows. That gap supports the idea that the portfolio is doing something different from a plain market exposure, which is consistent with a special-opportunities mandate.
The longer-term view is still incomplete. Since the scheme launched in June 2024, the return record does not yet offer a full 3-year or 5-year compounding story, so we would treat the current performance run as encouraging but not yet conclusive. The time pattern also suggests that results may swing around more than a diversified index fund, which matters for investors who need smoother behaviour.
Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026
Should you BUY or HOLD Samco Special Opportunities?
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 Samco Special Opportunities? Thinking of investing now?
Peer comparison
| Fund | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samco Special Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan | 5.75% | Data not available | Data not available |
| ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan | 73.94% | 37.12% | Data not available |
| Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan | 29.94% | Data not available | Data not available |
| Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 29.26% | Data not available | Data not available |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan | 28.3% | Data not available | Data not available |
| SBI Automotive Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan | 27.13% | 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 latest 1-year return is well below the strongest peer numbers in the table, but the comparison is not one-dimensional because many of the peers have different return profiles and longer track records. On the limited 3-year field that is available, the current fund cannot be directly compared because its own 3-year figure is not available, while one peer shows a material 3-year record. The short-term story and the longer-term peer history therefore point in different directions.
What stands out is that the fund has recently been positive while several peers also show much stronger 1-year gains. That suggests the strategy has contributed gains, but not at the pace seen in the most powerful peer examples. For an investor, the key question is whether the fund’s differentiated approach and short holding history are acceptable in exchange for that uneven relative picture.
Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026
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Portfolio: where your money goes
| Holding | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Religare Enterprises Limited | Finance | 6.65% |
| Sterlite Technologies Limited | Electricals | 5.09% |
| Mtar Technologies Limited | Capital Goods | 3.4% |
| Shilpa Medicare Limited | Healthcare | 3.15% |
| Laurus Labs Limited | Healthcare | 3.12% |
| Aether Industries Limited | Chemicals | 2.89% |
| Welspun Corp Limited | Iron & Steel | 2.78% |
| Sansera Engineering Limited | Automobile & Ancillaries | 2.56% |
| Diamond Power Infra Limited | Electricals | 2.52% |
| Ather Energy Limited | Domestic Equities | 2.48% |
The top 10 holdings account for approximately 34.64% of the portfolio.
To see all holdings, visit the Samco Special Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan page
The largest holding, Religare Enterprises Limited, carries a 6.65% weight, which is meaningful but not overwhelming for a focused equity strategy. The spread from the first holding to the tenth is not extreme, falling to 2.48%, so the visible part of the portfolio does not show a single position dominating the list.
At the same time, the top 10 holdings together make up 34.64% of the portfolio, so the remaining positions still matter a great deal. With 51 holdings disclosed overall, the fund appears to use a fairly extended tail rather than relying only on a small cluster of names. That structure may reduce dependence on any one stock, but it could also mean the portfolio’s outcome depends on several smaller positions working as intended.
Overall, the mix suggests a fund that is spread across many names while still keeping a noticeable tilt to a handful of higher-conviction positions. For investors, that balance may be appealing if they want active selection without a fully top-heavy portfolio, but it also means individual stock behaviour can still have a visible impact.
Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026
Who should invest
This fund suits investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can stay invested through uneven short-term moves. The recent 1-year pattern is positive, but the return history is still short, so a longer holding horizon matters if you want the strategy to have time to play out.
It may appeal to investors who want something different from a plain benchmark-style allocation and who can tolerate periods when the fund’s path diverges from the broader market. The main trade-off is that the strategy may deliver stronger bursts of performance, but it may also be less predictable than a diversified index-style holding.
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% if units are sold within 365 days; nil after 365 days.
Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the current NAV of Samco Special Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹9.56 as of 10 Sep 2026.
What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
Its 1-year return is 5.75%, while the 3-year and 5-year return figures are not available.
How has it performed against the benchmark?
It has done better than the benchmark over 1 month, 3 months and 1 year. The benchmark return was negative over 1 month and 1 year, while the fund stayed positive in those windows.
How does it compare with the peer funds on recent returns?
The fund’s 1-year return is lower than the strongest peer figures shown, but the peer set also includes funds with different themes and longer available histories.
What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP is ₹250.
What is the risk level and who manages the fund?
The fund is classified as High Risk. It is managed by Umeshkumar Mehta, Nirali Bhansali, Dhawal Ghanshyam Dhanani and Vishal Shinde.
Bottom line
Samco Special Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan has started with a positive short-term run, and that is more encouraging than the longer history can yet confirm. It has also stayed ahead of the benchmark in the latest periods, but several peer funds show much stronger 1-year figures. The portfolio is spread across 51 holdings, with the top 10 accounting for 34.64%, so it is not overly dependent on one stock. Our view is that this fund fits investors who can accept High Risk exposure and want an actively selected equity portfolio with a short but improving track record.
Published on 11 September 2026 at 1:11 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.