Aditya Birla SL Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Aditya Birla SL Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹28.0722 as of 28 August 2026 and scheme AUM of ₹1,532 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 13.00%, 13.15% and 10.89% respectively, and the scheme sits in the Medium Risk bucket. Our view is that this is a credit-risk debt fund best suited to investors who can stay invested through uneven stretches and who want a portfolio that has historically compounded better than the benchmark over longer periods.

The fund’s pattern is mixed in the near term but steadier over longer horizons, with the 3-year and 5-year numbers holding up while the benchmark has been weaker across those same periods. The portfolio is heavily tilted toward corporate debt, so the return path may depend more on credit selection than on broad market moves.

Quick facts

Item	Details
NAV	₹28.0722 as of 28 August 2026
AUM	₹1,532 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.8%
Launch Date	17 April 2015
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	Medium Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Debt
Exit Load	Nil upto 15% of units. For remaining units, 3% on or before 1 year, 2% after 1 year but on or before 2 years, 1% after 2 years but on or before 3 years, and nil after 3 years.
Fund Managers	Sunaina da Cunha; Mohit Sharma

The fund is managed by Sunaina da Cunha and Mohit Sharma.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.49%	-0.85%
3M	2.94%	3.39%
1Y	13.00%	-2.29%
3Y	13.15%	6.40%
5Y	10.89%	7.13%

The most recent month was modestly positive for the fund, while the benchmark stayed negative. That tells us the scheme has still been able to defend returns in a softer market environment, even though the gap was not large in the shortest window.

Over three months, the benchmark moved a little ahead, which suggests the fund did not capture every short swing in the same way. That is not unusual for a credit-risk strategy, where portfolio positioning can matter as much as broad rate movement.

The bigger picture is stronger. The 1-year return is clearly above the benchmark, and the 3-year and 5-year figures also stay ahead of the Nifty 50. Our reading is that the fund has produced a more consistent compounding profile over medium and longer horizons than the benchmark, even if shorter periods can be uneven.

At the same time, the 3-year and 5-year numbers are not dramatically different from the 1-year outcome, which suggests performance has not depended on one isolated rally. That kind of pattern is useful for investors who want a debt fund with a steadier long-run return profile rather than a quick tactical move.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL Credit Risk?

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
Bank of India Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan	17.7343%	10.0614%	27.743%
Aditya Birla SL Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan	13.0043%	13.1473%	10.893%
DSP Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan	11.212%	16.7656%	13.3038%
ICICI Pru Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.8843%	9.1731%	8.0506%
Axis Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.6707%	8.8492%	7.6962%

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.

The fund’s 1-year return sits behind Bank of India Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan but ahead of DSP Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan, ICICI Pru Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan and Axis Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan. That places the recent stretch in the middle of the peer set rather than at either extreme.

Its 3-year return is stronger than every peer listed here, which is an important sign that the medium-term compounding profile has held up well. The 5-year return is lower than Bank of India Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan and DSP Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan, so the long-run picture is more mixed than the 3-year number alone suggests.

Put differently, the short-term and longer-term peer comparisons tell different stories. The recent return is competitive, but the fund’s longer history is more evenly matched against peers than the 3-year result might first imply.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Market-cap bucket	Exposure
Large cap	0%
Mid cap	0%
Small cap	0%
Other	100%

Sector	Weight	Top holdings
CORPORATE DEBT	72.16%	5.00% GMR AIRPORT LTD (13/02/2027) ** — 2.99%; 7.48% NATIONAL BANK FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (15/09/2028) — 2.83%
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES	11.37%	GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (07/10/2034) — 2.83%; GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (08/04/2034) — 1.85%
CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS AND NET ASSETS	7.54%	CLEARING CORPORATION OF INDIA LIMITED — 4.96%; NET RECEIVABLES / (PAYABLES) — 2.1%
FINANCE	7.44%	INDUS INFRA TRUST — 1.95%; NEXUS SELECT TRUST — 1.56%
FLOATING RATE INSTRUMENTS	0.99%	—

The portfolio is fully parked outside the listed market-cap buckets, so the more useful lens here is the credit and issuer mix. Corporate debt dominates at 72.16%, which means the fund’s behaviour is likely to be shaped more by credit quality and spread movement than by equity-style market swings.

Government securities at 11.37% add a meaningful stabilising layer, while cash and cash equivalents at 7.54% give some flexibility. Finance exposure at 7.44% is smaller but still relevant, especially because the holdings sit alongside the larger corporate-debt allocation rather than outweighing it.

In our view, corporate debt is materially larger than every other sector shown and is likely to have the greatest influence on portfolio behaviour. The mix suggests the fund can generate return from credit selection, but it also means investors need to be comfortable with the way credit-risk debt funds can move differently from traditional high-quality debt products.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Who should invest

This fund can suit investors who understand medium-risk debt exposure and want a longer holding period rather than a short parking option. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year numbers show that returns have stayed positive across time, and the benchmark comparison also points to better medium- and long-term compounding than the Nifty 50.

The main trade-off is that the portfolio is concentrated in corporate debt, so the return path may be steadier than equity funds but can still move unevenly when credit conditions change. Investors who are comfortable with that and who want a debt fund with a history of competitive long-run returns may find the profile relevant.

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

• Nil up to 15% of units sold on or before 1 year. For the remaining units, the exit load is 3% on or before 1 year, 2% after 1 year but on or before 2 years, 1% after 2 years but on or before 3 years, and nil after 3 years.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹28.0722 as of 28 August 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?

The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 13.00%, 13.15% and 10.89% respectively.

How has the fund done against its benchmark?

It has beaten the benchmark over 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The benchmark returns are -2.29% for 1 year, 6.40% for 3 years and 7.13% for 5 years.

How does it compare with peer funds on available return data?

Its 1-year return is behind Bank of India Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan but ahead of DSP Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan, ICICI Pru Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan and Axis Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan. Its 3-year return is the strongest among the peer funds listed here, while its 5-year return sits below Bank of India Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan and DSP Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.

What are the risk level, portfolio tilt and exit-load terms?

The scheme is in the Medium Risk category and is managed by Sunaina da Cunha and Mohit Sharma. The portfolio is dominated by corporate debt, and the exit load is nil up to 15% of units sold on or before 1 year, with a graded charge on the remaining units until 3 years and nil thereafter.

Bottom line

Aditya Birla SL Credit Risk Fund Direct Growth Plan has a mixed short-term profile but a more convincing medium- and long-term record, especially against the benchmark. Its peer comparisons tell a similar story: recent return is competitive, the 3-year result is stronger than the listed peers, and the 5-year figure is less dominant than the 3-year number. The Medium Risk tag and the corporate-debt-heavy portfolio mean this is better suited to investors who can tolerate credit-linked swings and prefer a debt fund with long-horizon compounding potential.

Published on 31 August 2026 at 2:36 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.