Aditya Birla SL Retirement Fund-50 Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Aditya Birla SL Retirement Fund-50 Direct Growth Plan is at a ₹16.6852 NAV as of 15 Sep 2026, with scheme AUM of ₹27 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 4.3%, 7.89% and 6.96%, and the scheme sits in the Medium Risk bucket.

Our view is that this is a retirement-oriented allocation that has been steadier over the longer run than in the most recent month, while still lagging the benchmark in the short term. The portfolio leans heavily into TREPS and government securities, so the equity-style upside is limited, but the structure may suit investors who want a more measured path over a long holding period.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹16.6852 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹27 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.61%
Launch Date	11 Mar 2019
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	Medium Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Solution Oriented
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Harshil Suvarnkar, Mohit Sharma

The fund is managed by Harshil Suvarnkar and Mohit Sharma.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-1.51%	-4.81%
3M	0.65%	-3.63%
1Y	4.3%	-8.27%
3Y	7.89%	5.59%
5Y	6.96%	5.58%

The recent pattern is mixed, but it is not weak across every horizon. Over 1 month, the fund fell 1.51%, yet that was still better than the benchmark’s 4.81% decline. Over 3 months, the fund turned slightly positive while the benchmark remained negative, which suggests the portfolio has held up better than the index in a choppy stretch.

The 1-year figure is more important for context. At 4.3%, the fund has stayed positive while the benchmark is still below zero over the same period. That tells us the scheme has been more defensive than Nifty 50 recently, even though it is not posting high absolute gains.

The longer record is steadier. The 3-year return of 7.89% and 5-year return of 6.96% both sit above the benchmark’s 5.59% and 5.58% respectively. Our reading is that the fund has compounded at a moderate pace, with less stress than the benchmark in the last year and a more settled long-run profile than its near-term month-to-month moves suggest.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL Retirement Fund-50?

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 Retirement Fund-50 Direct Growth Plan	4.3%	7.89%	6.96%
Aditya Birla SL Retirement Fund-30 Direct Growth Plan	11.24%	14.92%	11.8%
Tata Retirement Sav Fund – Prog Plan Direct Growth Plan	7.73%	12.85%	11%
Tata Retirement Sav Fund – Mod Plan Direct Growth Plan	7.39%	12.13%	10.87%
ICICI Pru Retirement Fund-Hybrid Aggressive Plan Direct Growth Plan	5.77%	16.4%	14.68%
SBI Retirement Benefit Fund-Aggressive Hybrid Plan Direct Growth Plan	5.21%	9.02%	11.33%

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639. On the recent one-year number, the fund trails every peer listed here, while its own 1-year reading still remains positive. That makes the short-term picture less compelling than the peer set, especially where the better-returning retirement funds have shown stronger momentum.

The 3-year and 5-year figures tell a different story. The fund’s 7.89% and 6.96% are below several peers on both horizons, but they are still ahead of the benchmark and more consistent with a conservative retirement allocation than with a growth-heavy outcome. In our view, the comparison suggests a scheme that has preserved steadier compounding than the benchmark, but with a return profile that is more muted than the stronger peers over medium and longer horizons.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
TREPS	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	28.34%
Government of India (06/10/2035)	Government Securities	19.58%
Government of India (06/02/2033)	Government Securities	8.48%
8.55% HDFC Bank Ltd. (27/03/2029) **	Corporate Debt	7.45%
Government of India (05/12/2033)	Government Securities	3.63%
State Government Securities (28/08/2035)	Government Securities	2.91%
Government of India (17/04/2030)	Government Securities	2.81%
Net Receivable / Payable	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	2%
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	1.87%
TD Power Systems Ltd.	Capital Goods	1.72%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 78.79% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Aditya Birla SL Retirement Fund-50 Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding, TREPS at 28.34%, is big enough to shape short-term liquidity and may help temper day-to-day movement. The next holding, Government of India (06/10/2035) at 19.58%, is also substantial, so the portfolio begins with a strong cash-and-sovereign base before stepping down to 8.48% and 7.45% in the next two positions.

The fall from the first holding to the tenth is quite sharp, from 28.34% to 1.72%, which suggests the portfolio is led by a few dominant positions and then opens into smaller satellite exposures. With 78.79% of assets in the displayed top 10 and 28 disclosed holdings overall, the visible slice looks fairly concentrated at the top even though it is not a one-asset portfolio.

That mix may make the fund’s behaviour more dependent on interest-rate and liquidity conditions than on equity market swings alone. It could suit investors who are comfortable with a portfolio where a small number of government and cash positions are likely to have greater influence on outcomes than a broad spread of equally weighted holdings.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors who can accept Medium Risk and want a retirement-oriented scheme with a long enough horizon to absorb uneven short-term patches. The 1-year return is positive but modest, while the 3-year and 5-year returns are steadier and ahead of the benchmark, which points to a profile better suited to patience than to quick performance chasing.

The main trade-off is between stability and upside. The portfolio’s heavy exposure to TREPS and government securities can help moderate swings, but it also keeps return potential more restrained than the stronger peer funds that have delivered higher medium-term outcomes. In our view, it is better aligned with investors who value smoother compounding and can stay invested for several years.

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.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL Retirement Fund-50 Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹16.6852 as of 15 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The 1-year return is 4.3%, the 3-year return is 7.89% and the 5-year return is 6.96%.

How does the fund compare with the benchmark?
It has outperformed the Nifty 50 over 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The benchmark’s returns over those periods are -8.27%, 5.59% and 5.58%.

How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?
Its recent 1-year return is lower than the peer funds shown here, while its 3-year and 5-year returns are also below several of them. Even so, it has stayed ahead of the benchmark over the longer periods.

What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

What are the fund managers and the exit load?
The fund is managed by Harshil Suvarnkar and Mohit Sharma. There is no exit load.

Bottom line

Aditya Birla SL Retirement Fund-50 Direct Growth Plan looks steadier over the longer horizon than in the most recent month, with a positive 1-year return and stronger 3-year and 5-year numbers than the benchmark. Compared with the peer set shown here, its return profile is more restrained, especially on the 1-year measure. The portfolio is led by TREPS and government securities, so the scheme may appeal more to investors seeking a measured retirement allocation than to those looking for faster growth.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 12:35 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.