Axis Focused Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Axis Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹65.83 as of 08 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹11,154 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 3.52%, 10.88% and 4.9% respectively. The scheme carries a High Risk label, so our view is that it suits investors who can tolerate volatility and are looking for an equity fund that has shown a mixed but not extreme long-term pattern.

The fund has been around since 01 Jan 2013, and its recent return profile looks stronger than its 5-year outcome but still trails a steady benchmark over the longer stretch. With a focused portfolio and a relatively small number of holdings, performance may depend more on a handful of stock calls than on broad diversification.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹65.83 as of 08 Sep 2026
AUM	₹11,154 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.83%
Launch Date	01 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Equity
Exit Load	Nil for 10% of investments and 1% for remaining investments on or before 12M, Nil after 12M
Fund Managers	Sachin Relekar, Krishnaa N

The fund is managed by Sachin Relekar and Krishnaa N.

Source data date: as of 08 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-0.81%	-3.86%
3M	11.46%	1.69%
1Y	3.52%	-5.72%
3Y	10.88%	6.3%
5Y	4.9%	6.05%

The recent stretch is uneven but not weak. Over 1 month the fund slipped 0.81%, yet that still held up better than the benchmark’s 3.86% decline. Over 3 months it rebounded sharply to 11.46%, which is far ahead of the benchmark’s 1.69% and shows that the portfolio can recover quickly when its stock calls work.

The 1-year return of 3.52% is positive, while the benchmark is negative over the same period. That suggests the fund has handled a tougher year better than the index, even if the absolute gain is modest. The 3-year figure of 10.88% is also ahead of the benchmark’s 6.3%, so the medium-term picture is healthier than the 5-year figure.

The 5-year return of 4.9% is below the benchmark’s 6.05%, which tells us the fund has not matched a simple index-led approach over the full cycle. The time pattern also looks choppy rather than smooth, with periods of recovery followed by setbacks. Our view is that this is a fund where stock selection matters a lot, and that can help in certain phases but may also create uneven compounding.

Source data date: as of 08 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Axis Focused?

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
Axis Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan	3.52%	10.88%	4.9%
Motilal Oswal Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan	30.05%	14.14%	10.79%
Old Bridge Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan	19.03%	Data not available	Data not available
ITI Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan	14.68%	19%	Data not available
SBI Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan	13.87%	16.03%	12.4%
Quant Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan	13.31%	13.26%	13.86%

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 strongest peer figures in this set, where several funds are comfortably ahead on the same measure. Its 3-year return is also behind the better-performing peers available here, while its 5-year return trails the stronger long-term names in this comparison.

The contrast is important: the fund’s shorter-term profile has improved relative to its own benchmark, but the peer set shows that other focused strategies have delivered materially stronger compounding over both medium and long horizons. That means the fund can look more competitive when compared with the benchmark than when compared with the better-performing peers. For investors, the key question is whether they want a focused equity approach that has recovered recently, even if its longer-run peer comparison remains softer.

Source data date: as of 08 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Limited	Bank	8.18%
Eternal Limited	Retailing	6.95%
Clearing Corporation of India Ltd	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	6.32%
Bajaj Finance Limited	Finance	5.88%
Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd	Finance	5.43%
Divi'S Laboratories Limited	Healthcare	5.3%
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited	Healthcare	5.29%
TVS Motor Company Limited	Automobile & Ancillaries	4.41%
State Bank of India	Bank	4.18%
Apar Industries Limited	Capital Goods	3.74%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 55.68% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Axis Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Limited, carries an 8.18% weight, which means one position is likely to have greater influence than any other single stock in the portfolio. The tenth holding still stands at 3.74%, so the drop from the top position to the tenth is present but not extreme.

What stands out more is the combined weight of the top 10 holdings at 55.68% across 28 disclosed holdings. That tells us the fund is meaningfully concentrated in its largest positions, even though the disclosed list is not limited to just a few names. In practice, that structure may amplify both gains and setbacks from the highest-conviction ideas.

We would describe the portfolio as focused rather than tightly packed into only two or three stocks. The upper end of the book still matters most, but the remainder of the disclosed holdings suggests a longer tail that can add balance. Investors should expect the largest positions to matter materially, while also recognising that the smaller holdings may still shape the return path over time.

Source data date: as of 08 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund is better suited to investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can stay invested through uneven periods. The 1-year and 3-year results are more encouraging than the 5-year figure, which means the recent recovery has not fully translated into sustained long-run outperformance versus the benchmark.

It can fit a medium- to long-term horizon where an investor is willing to accept a focused portfolio and the possibility of sharp swings. The main trade-off is that a concentrated stock-selection approach may outperform in some stretches, but it can also lag a broad market index over longer periods.

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 for 10% of investments and 1% for the remaining investments if units are sold within 12 months; no exit load after 12 months.

Source data date: as of 08 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Axis Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan?
Its NAV is ₹65.83 as of 08 Sep 2026.

What are the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s returns are 3.52% for 1 year, 10.88% for 3 years and 4.9% for 5 years.

How does it compare with the benchmark?
It is ahead of the Nifty 50 over 1 year and 3 years, but behind over 5 years. The recent pattern is better than the longer stretch.

How does it compare with peer funds on available return data?
Several peers in the focused-fund set have shown much stronger 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns where those figures are available. This fund has been more modest by comparison.

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

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Sachin Relekar and Krishnaa N. The exit load is nil for 10% of investments and 1% for the remaining investments if units are sold within 12 months, with no exit load after 12 months.

Bottom line

Axis Focused Fund Direct Growth Plan shows a clear split between its shorter-term recovery and its weaker 5-year result. It has also held up better than the benchmark in the recent periods, even though several peer funds have delivered much stronger returns on the same comparison set. The fund is High Risk and its top holdings take a meaningful share of the portfolio, so the return path may stay uneven. That makes it more suitable for investors who can accept concentration and a longer holding period.

Published on 9 September 2026 at 1:24 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.