Aditya Birla SL ESG Integration Strategy Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Aditya Birla SL ESG Integration Strategy Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹18.78 as of 15 Sep 2026, and its scheme AUM is ₹579 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are -1.47%, 9.42% and 6.84%, respectively, and the fund is in the High Risk category.

Our view is that this is a fund for investors who can tolerate uneven performance and who are comfortable holding through periods when returns trail the benchmark. The longer-term numbers are more stable than the near-term reading, but the portfolio still needs a patient horizon because the fund has not delivered a smooth climb.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹18.78 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹579 Cr
Expense Ratio	1.44%
Launch Date	24 Dec 2020
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Equity
Exit Load	1% on or before 30D, Nil after 30D
Fund Managers	Jonas Bhutta

The fund is managed by Jonas Bhutta.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-4.96%	-4.81%
3M	-0.53%	-3.63%
1Y	-1.47%	-8.27%
3Y	9.42%	5.59%
5Y	6.84%	5.58%

Recent behaviour has been mixed. The fund was weak over the last month and slightly negative over three months, but both periods still look less strained than the benchmark on 3M and 1Y, which suggests the strategy has held up better than NIFTY 50 during the recent drawdown.

The 1-year return is still negative, so the near-term picture is not comfortable for a new investor. That said, the 3-year return of 9.42% is ahead of the benchmark’s 5.59%, and the 5-year return of 6.84% also stays ahead of the benchmark’s 5.58%, which points to a better long-run compounding profile than the index.

The time pattern is not a straight line upward. The fund has gone through clear periods of weakness and recovery, so our reading is that its outcome depends heavily on whether an investor can stay invested through the down phases. The longer window is more constructive than the shorter one, but the recent wobble tells us that consistency is still limited.

Overall, the fund looks better on medium-term and long-term comparison than on recent momentum. That mix matters because it means the headline negative 1-year number does not fully describe the fund, yet it also warns that the path to the 3-year and 5-year outcomes can be uneven.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL ESG Integration Strategy?

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 ESG Integration Strategy Fund Direct Growth Plan	-1.47%	9.42%	6.84%
ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan	69.8%	36.32%	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
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	25.31%	Data not available	Data not available
PGIM India Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	23.52%	Data not available	Data not available

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

The current fund’s 1-year return is well below the peer set shown here, while the 3-year and 5-year numbers are more balanced and compare more favourably with the longer-horizon figures available for the current fund itself. Several peers have strong 1-year readings, so the short-term comparison is clearly less supportive for this fund than the longer-term one.

What matters more for our view is the split between time horizons. The current fund’s 3-year and 5-year returns are ahead of the benchmark, but the peer set includes at least one fund with much stronger recent and 3-year momentum. That means the peer comparison tells a different story from the fund-versus-benchmark comparison: the fund looks steadier against the index over longer periods, yet weaker on the latest year versus the more momentum-driven peer names.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	9.28%
HDFC Bank Ltd.	Bank	4.12%
Bharti Airtel Ltd.	Telecom	3.89%
Axis Bank Ltd.	Bank	3.69%
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.	Bank	3.43%
TVS Motor Company Ltd.	Automobile & Ancillaries	3.38%
State Bank of India	Bank	3.13%
Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd.	Automobile & Ancillaries	3.11%
Infosys Ltd.	IT	2.83%
Bajaj Finance Ltd.	Finance	2.67%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 39.53% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Aditya Birla SL ESG Integration Strategy Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Ltd., carries a 9.28% weight, which is large enough to matter but not so large that one position dominates the visible book. The drop from the first holding to the tenth holding is gradual rather than abrupt, moving from 9.28% to 2.67%, so the top slice is still led by a few meaningful positions rather than a single outsized bet.

This shape suggests the portfolio may be moderately concentrated in its leading names while still leaving room for diversification across the rest of the holdings. With 52 disclosed holdings and the top 10 accounting for 39.53%, the fund appears to spread the remainder across a longer tail. That could reduce reliance on any one stock, but it also means the biggest positions are still likely to have greater influence on short-term outcomes.

Because several of the largest holdings sit in banks, the portfolio may carry a noticeable tilt toward financials, with additional exposure to telecom, auto ancillaries, IT and finance. Our reading is that this mix can support upside when those areas cooperate, but it may also keep returns uneven if leadership shifts away from those segments.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who can accept High Risk and who have a medium-to-long investment horizon. The 1-year return is negative, so anyone needing a stable near-term outcome may find the ride uncomfortable.

The main attraction is that the 3-year and 5-year returns are ahead of the benchmark, which suggests the strategy can reward patience better than the short-term numbers imply. The trade-off is that the path has not been smooth, and the fund’s visible concentration in a handful of large holdings may keep performance uneven.

In our view, it is more appropriate for investors who want an equity allocation with a clear stock-picking style and who can tolerate periods of underperformance versus faster-moving peers. The fund looks better suited to those who can stay invested through volatility than to those who prioritise consistency in every one-year window.

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 30D, Nil after 30D.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL ESG Integration Strategy Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹18.78 as of 15 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s returns are -1.47% for 1 year, 9.42% for 3 years and 6.84% for 5 years.

How does this fund compare with Nifty 50?
It has lagged the benchmark over 1 year, but it has stayed ahead over 3 years and 5 years.

How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?
Its 1-year return is weaker than the peer names shown here, while its longer-horizon numbers are more balanced than the short-term peer performance comparison.

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

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
Jonas Bhutta manages the fund. The exit load is 1% on or before 30 days and nil after 30 days.

Bottom line

The fund’s recent performance is weaker than its 3-year and 5-year history, so the short-term picture does not fully match the longer-term one. Against NIFTY 50, the fund has been ahead over 3 years and 5 years, but the latest year remains negative. The portfolio is led by a few large positions, especially in banks, which may keep returns uneven. Our view is that it fits investors who can accept High Risk and hold with patience through volatility.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 5:06 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.