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

Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan has a current NAV of ₹30.84 as of 02 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹1,262 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 17.79%, 19.68% and 14.93%, respectively, and the fund sits in the High Risk category.

Our view is that the fund has combined a strong medium-term record with a more uneven recent stretch, while still staying ahead of the benchmark over every stated horizon. The portfolio tilts toward a mix of equity names and cash-equivalent positions, so the return pattern reflects active positioning rather than a simple index-like profile.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹30.84 as of 02 Sep 2026
AUM	₹1,262 Cr
Expense Ratio	1.31%
Launch Date	23 Oct 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	Dhaval Gala

The fund is managed by Dhaval Gala.

Source data date: as of 02 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-0.87%	-3.47%
3M	7.12%	2.17%
1Y	17.79%	-3.84%
3Y	19.68%	5.8%
5Y	14.93%	6.3%

The shorter-term pattern is more mixed than the headline longer-term numbers. Over 1 month, the fund was slightly negative, but it still held up better than the benchmark, which fell more sharply. Over 3 months, the fund recovered meaningfully and moved ahead of the benchmark by a clear margin, showing that the recent path has been constructive even if it has not been perfectly smooth.

The 1-year return is the strongest contrast with the benchmark because the fund stayed comfortably positive while Nifty 50 was negative over the same horizon. That tells us the fund has delivered active upside in a period when the index was weak. The 3-year figure remains solid and also well ahead of the benchmark, which supports the view that the strategy has worked beyond a single short rally.

The 5-year number is still ahead of the benchmark, but the gap is narrower than in the 1-year and 3-year windows. That suggests the fund’s compounding advantage has been real, though not linear. The pattern in the return path also points to bouts of fluctuation along the way, which fits a High Risk equity fund that is not trying to mirror the market closely.

Overall, we read the performance profile as stronger than the benchmark across all stated periods, with the latest month reminding investors that the journey can be volatile even when the longer trend is favourable.

Source data date: as of 02 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL Special Opp?

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 Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan	17.79%	19.68%	14.93%
ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan	69.33%	35.82%	Data not available
SBI Automotive Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan	31.67%	Data not available	Data not available
Aditya Birla SL Mfg. Equity Fund Direct Growth Plan	29.18%	22.59%	16.39%
Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	29.04%	Data not available	Data not available
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	28.66%	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 the strongest peer readings in this set, and several peers have delivered noticeably higher short-term gains. Even so, the fund’s 3-year return is competitive and its 5-year return remains respectable, which matters because some peers with high recent numbers do not yet have a longer history available. Our reading is that the fund looks steadier over the medium term than the short-term peer table alone would suggest, but the peer set also shows that there are faster-moving alternatives in the same broad equity space.

Source data date: as of 02 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Aditya Infotech Ltd.	Domestic Equities	6.31%
Bharti Airtel Ltd.	Telecom	4.45%
TREPS	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	3.42%
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	3.41%
Shriram Finance Ltd.	Finance	3.37%
Reverse Repo	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	2.67%
Billionbrains Garage Ventures Ltd.	Domestic Equities	2.32%
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Ltd.	Bank	2.29%
Bank of Maharashtra	Bank	2.16%
Axis Bank Ltd.	Bank	2.14%

The largest disclosed holding is Aditya Infotech Ltd. at 6.31%, which is meaningful but not dominant on its own. The weight then steps down fairly gradually into the mid-4% and low-3% range, so the visible book does not look dependent on one outsized position. That shape may reduce the chance that a single stock drives the whole portfolio outcome, even though the fund remains equity-heavy and therefore still exposed to market moves.

The top 10 holdings together account for approximately 32.54% of the portfolio, and the full set disclosed here covers 66 holding rows. That combination suggests a fairly long tail beyond the names shown at the top. In practical terms, the fund may be spreading influence across many positions rather than concentrating everything in a few very large bets, while still letting the larger holdings have a noticeable impact on returns.

To see all holdings, visit the Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 02 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can stay invested through periods of uneven returns. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year pattern shows that the fund has generally outpaced the benchmark, but the path has not been smooth, so short holding periods may not capture the stronger compounding profile.

Our view is that a medium-to-long horizon is more suitable here, especially for investors who can tolerate swings in the journey in exchange for benchmark-beating potential. The key trade-off is between stronger return potential and higher volatility, with the portfolio’s active stock selection and cash-equivalent holdings adding to the fund’s distinct character rather than making it index-like.

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 02 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹30.84 as of 02 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
Its 1-year return is 17.79%, its 3-year return is 19.68% and its 5-year return is 14.93%.

How does it compare with the Nifty 50 benchmark?
It has outperformed the benchmark across the 1-month, 3-month, 1-year, 3-year and 5-year periods shown here. The margin is especially clear over 1 year and 3 years.

Which peer funds stand out on recent returns?
ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan has the strongest 1-year return in the peer set shown, followed by SBI Automotive Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Plan, Aditya Birla SL Mfg. Equity Fund Direct Growth Plan, Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan. The current fund’s 1-year return is lower than those figures, but its longer-history returns are still competitive.

Who manages the fund?
The fund is managed by Dhaval Gala.

What are the tax and exit-load rules?
Units held for less than 1 year face 20% short-term capital gains tax, while units held for more than 1 year face 12.5% long-term capital gains tax. The exit load is 1% if units are sold on or before 30 days, and nil after 30 days.

Bottom line

Aditya Birla SL Special Opp Fund Direct Growth Plan has a more uneven recent patch than its longer record, but the fund still stays ahead of the benchmark across the reported horizons. Relative to the peer set, its short-term return is more modest, while its 3-year and 5-year figures remain broadly competitive. The fund carries High Risk, and the portfolio’s mix of individual equities plus cash-equivalent positions suggests an active, not purely index-like, approach. That makes it more suitable for investors who can accept volatility in pursuit of differentiated equity returns.

Published on 3 September 2026 at 3:42 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.