Aditya Birla SL Banking & Financial Services Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Aditya Birla SL Banking & Financial Services Fund Direct Growth Plan had a NAV of ₹72.08 as of 28 Aug 2026 and an AUM of ₹3,648 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 9.83%, 11.85% and 12.08%, respectively, and the fund sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that it suits investors who can accept meaningful ups and downs in a sector-focused equity fund while still looking for a track record that has been steadier over longer periods than in the recent quarter-to-year window.

The fund’s return profile is stronger over 3 years and 5 years than over 1 year, while the benchmark has been more uneven. That mix, along with a portfolio dominated by banks, suggests this is best understood as a focused financials allocation rather than a broad market substitute.

Quick facts

Metric	Value
NAV	₹72.08
AUM	₹3,648 Cr
Expense Ratio	1.06%
Launch Date	14 Dec 2013
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Equity
Exit Load	1% if units are sold on or before 30 days; nil after 30 days
Fund Managers	Dhaval Gala

The fund is managed by Dhaval Gala.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.68%	-0.85%
3M	7.79%	3.39%
1Y	9.83%	-2.29%
3Y	11.85%	6.40%
5Y	12.08%	7.13%

Short-term performance has been constructive. The 1-month and 3-month figures show that the fund has held up better than the benchmark, and the 1-year return is also clearly ahead of the index. That tells us the strategy has recently done more than simply track the market; it has added value in the latest period, even though the journey has not been perfectly smooth.

The longer record is also positive. The 3-year and 5-year returns remain above the benchmark, which suggests the fund has compounded better than the index over a fuller cycle. The gap is not extreme, but it is consistent, and that matters more than one good quarter in a focused equity fund.

The monthly and quarterly pattern suggests periods of mild softness followed by recovery rather than a straight-line climb. For investors, that is a useful reminder that the fund is not designed to be calm. Even so, the longer-term pattern indicates resilience and a habit of recovering after drawdowns, which supports the case for a patient holding period.

Compared with the benchmark, the fund’s recent and medium-term results point in the same direction: ahead on returns, but with sector-linked volatility still present. The 5-year trend is the clearest evidence that the strategy has compounded better than the index over time.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL Banking & Financial Services?

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.

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Aditya Birla SL Banking & Financial Services Fund Direct Growth Plan	9.83%	11.85%	12.08%
ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan	74.63%	37.41%	Data not available
SBI Automotive Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan	36.18%	Data not available	Data not available
Aditya Birla SL Mfg. Equity Fund Direct Growth Plan	31.21%	23.54%	17.08%
Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan	30.79%	Data not available	Data not available
Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	29.80%	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 trails several of the peer funds shown here, which is not surprising because many of those peers are very different thematic strategies with sharper short-term moves. Its 3-year and 5-year figures are more moderate, but they are supported by a steadier compounding pattern than the most aggressive short-term performers. That makes the comparison less about chasing a leader and more about understanding the trade-off between a focused banking-and-financials strategy and higher-octane thematic funds.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

The market-cap mix is 61.59% large cap, 15.26% mid cap, 19.56% small cap and 3.59% other. That gives the fund a large-cap anchor, but the mid-cap and small-cap exposure is still meaningful enough to add movement to returns.

Sector	Weight	Key holdings
BANK	64.23%	KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LIMITED (25.56%), ICICI BANK LIMITED (8.56%)
FINANCE	15.45%	BAJAJ FINANCE LIMITED (3.29%), SHRIRAM FINANCE LTD (2.30%)
BUSINESS SERVICES	7.47%	COMPUTER AGE MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED (7.14%)
DOMESTIC EQUITIES	5.25%	TATA CAPITAL LIMITED (1.12%), BILLIONBRAINS GARAGE VENTURES LTD (1.11%)
INSURANCE	4.84%	ICICI LOMBARD GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED (1.61%), SBI LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED (1.45%)

The banking exposure is far larger than any other sector, and that concentration is the clearest feature of the portfolio. Finance is a distant second, while the remaining sectors are much smaller and mainly act as supporting exposures. In practice, this means the fund’s behaviour may be driven most strongly by how banks and broader financials move.

The portfolio is still not a pure single-stock bet inside the sector. The large-cap share suggests a stable core, while the small-cap and mid-cap slices can add return variation. That combination may create a balance between quality balance-sheet exposure and faster-moving market segments.

Because BANK is more than four times the size of FINANCE, it is likely to have greater influence on the fund than any other sector. Business Services and Insurance are both visible, but they are too small to change the overall pattern on their own. For investors, the main implication is that the fund is best viewed as a concentrated financials allocation with some diversification around the edges.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors with a high risk tolerance who are comfortable with a focused sector exposure and are willing to stay invested through uneven stretches. The 1-year return is positive, but the stronger 3-year and 5-year numbers tell us that a longer holding period has been more important for the strategy than chasing recent momentum.

Its benchmark-beating record across the reported periods is encouraging, yet the comparison with other thematic funds shows that it is not built to deliver the most dramatic short-term spikes. The trade-off is clear: investors get a financials-led equity fund with a sizeable large-cap base, but they must accept concentration risk and performance that can vary with the banking cycle.

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 on or before 30 days; nil after 30 days.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL Banking & Financial Services Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹72.08 as of 28 Aug 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s returns are 9.83% over 1 year, 11.85% over 3 years and 12.08% over 5 years.

How has it performed versus the benchmark?
It has outperformed the benchmark across 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The benchmark figures for the same periods are -0.85%, 3.39%, -2.29%, 6.40% and 7.13%.

What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.

Who manages the fund?
Dhaval Gala manages the fund.

What is the portfolio style and exit load?
The portfolio is dominated by banks at 64.23%, with 15.45% in finance and smaller allocations to business services, domestic equities and insurance. The exit load is 1% if units are sold on or before 30 days, and nil after 30 days.

Bottom line

Aditya Birla SL Banking & Financial Services Fund Direct Growth Plan has shown a steadier longer-term pattern than its short-term numbers alone might suggest. Its 1-year return is respectable, while its 3-year and 5-year results remain ahead of the benchmark. Against the peer set shown here, it is less explosive than several thematic funds, but that also reflects a more measured return path. The large banking allocation is the key portfolio feature, and it is the main reason the fund behaves as a focused financials bet rather than a broad equity holding.

Published on 31 August 2026 at 3:17 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.