Aditya Birla SL ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Aditya Birla SL ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹70.19 as of 28 August 2026 and an AUM of ₹14,659 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 4.7612%, 12.9605% and 9.7046% respectively, and the scheme is tagged as High Risk. In our view, it suits investors who can stay with equity volatility and want an ELSS structure with a large, bank-heavy portfolio.

Its longer-term return profile is steadier than the latest 1-year reading, while the portfolio mix suggests a concentrated style rather than a broad market spread. That makes it more relevant for investors who can hold through uneven periods and value the tax-saving ELSS format alongside equity exposure.

Quick facts

Metric	Value
NAV	₹70.19
AUM	₹14,659 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.97%
Launch Date	01 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Equity – ELSS – Growth
Exit Load	No exit load after holding period
Fund Managers	Dhaval Shah

The fund is managed by Dhaval Shah.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.29%	-0.85%
3M	5.47%	3.39%
1Y	4.76%	-2.29%
3Y	12.96%	6.40%
5Y	9.70%	7.13%

The latest 1-year reading is modest, but it still stands above the benchmark’s negative 1-year return. That tells us the fund handled a difficult year better than the index, even if the absolute return is not especially strong.

The 3-year and 5-year numbers are more constructive. Over both periods, the fund has stayed ahead of NIFTY 50, and the gap is wide enough to matter for an investor tracking long-run compounding rather than only the most recent year.

The shorter windows show a firmer tone than the 1-year figure alone suggests. The 1-month and 3-month returns are positive, and the multi-period pattern points to a recovery phase after a weaker stretch inside the past year. Even so, the fund’s path has not been smooth, so the better longer-term picture still comes with equity-style ups and downs.

Overall, our view is that this is a fund with better long-run behaviour than its latest 1-year reading might imply. It has remained ahead of the benchmark across all the headline periods provided, but the steadiness is not uniform, which is consistent with a High Risk equity ELSS fund.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL ELSS Tax Saver?

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 ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	4.7612%	12.9605%	9.7046%
Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	18.879%	17.2952%	17.0946%
Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	18.642%	23.697%	18.7718%
JM ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	12.8993%	17.9915%	16.0443%
Sundaram LT Micro Cap Tax Adv Fund-Sr IV- Direct Growth Plan	12.0621%	13.657%	17.3385%
Edelweiss ELSS Tax saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	12.0315%	15.6945%	13.7405%

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639. The fund’s 1-year return is well below the strongest peer readings in this set, while its 3-year and 5-year returns are also lower than the better peer figures available. The short-term comparison looks weaker than the longer-term one, but both views point in the same direction: the fund has been steadier than the benchmark at times, yet its return profile trails the stronger peer numbers on the same horizons.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Market-cap mix: Large cap 65.51%, mid cap 12.21%, small cap 20.52%, other 1.76%.

Sector	Weight	Key holdings
BANK	48.28%	KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LIMITED (23.84%), ICICI BANK LIMITED (4.36%)
FINANCE	6.18%	TVS HOLDINGS LIMTED (1.37%), BAJAJ FINANCE LIMITED (0.97%)
AUTOMOBILE & ANCILLARIES	5.31%	ZF COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEMS INDIA LIMITED (1.98%), MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LIMITED (1.56%)
HEALTHCARE	5.24%	FORTIS HEALTHCARE LIMITED (1.56%), SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED (1.24%)
RETAILING	5.08%	TRENT LTD. (1.84%), ETERNAL LIMITED (1.37%)

The portfolio is clearly tilted toward large caps, which account for 65.51%, but it still keeps a meaningful 20.52% in small caps. That mix can support upside potential, yet it can also add swings because the smaller-company sleeve is not minor.

Bank exposure is the most important feature here. At 48.28%, the BANK sector is materially larger than every other sector and is likely to have greater influence on portfolio behaviour than finance, automobile, healthcare or retailing. Within that bucket, Kotak Mahindra Bank alone carries a large weight, so moves in that stock may matter more than the smaller sector holdings.

Our view is that this is not a broad sector-spread portfolio. The large-cap base may provide some stability, but the concentrated bank exposure means the fund’s results can still depend heavily on one theme. That concentration does not automatically weaken the fund, but it does make sector outcomes more visible in the return pattern.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can hold through uneven returns. The 3-year and 5-year numbers are better than the 1-year reading, so the fund looks more suitable for someone who is judging it over a full market cycle rather than a short review window.

The main trade-off is clear: the portfolio offers ELSS tax-saving structure and a long-term equity orientation, but the recent 1-year result is modest and the sector mix is concentrated in banks. Investors who want a smoother path or a broad sector balance may find that trade-off less attractive.

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: No exit load after holding period.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹70.19 as of 28 August 2026.

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

Its 1-year return is 4.7612%, its 3-year return is 12.9605%, and its 5-year return is 9.7046%.

How has the fund done versus NIFTY 50?

It has stayed ahead of NIFTY 50 across the 1-month, 3-month, 1-year, 3-year and 5-year periods shown here. The gap is especially clear over 3 years and 5 years.

How does it compare with peer ELSS funds on returns?

Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns trail the stronger peer figures in this set. The peer comparison shows that some other ELSS funds have compounded at a faster pace over the same horizons.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

What is the risk level and who manages the fund?

The fund is tagged as High Risk, and it is managed by Dhaval Shah. Its portfolio is led by large-cap stocks, with a very heavy bank allocation.

Bottom line

This fund’s recent 1-year return is modest, but its 3-year and 5-year numbers show a better long-term pattern than the latest year alone suggests. It has remained ahead of the benchmark over the headline periods, yet the peer comparison shows that several other ELSS funds have delivered stronger returns on the same horizons. The portfolio is dominated by large caps, but the very high bank exposure makes the fund more concentrated than a broad market mix. That combination suits investors who can tolerate High Risk equity swings and want an ELSS with a clear sector tilt.

Published on 31 August 2026 at 2:49 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.