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

Axis Value Fund Direct Growth Plan is at ₹21.10 as of 16 Sep 2026, with scheme AUM of ₹1,879 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.14%, 17.07% and 0%, respectively, and it sits in the High Risk bucket. Our view is that it has shown a stronger medium-term track record than its recent one-year outcome suggests, but the path has been uneven and the portfolio mix still demands patience.

The fund looks more suited to investors who can tolerate volatility and want exposure to a diversified equity portfolio rather than a smooth, benchmark-like journey. With a direct growth structure, a 0.78% expense ratio and a portfolio led by large financials and other cyclical names, the fund can behave differently from the Nifty 50 across market phases.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹21.1 as of 16 Sep 2026
AUM	₹1,879 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.78%
Launch Date	22 Sep 2021
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Equity
Exit Load	Nil upto 10% of investment and 1% for remaining investment on or before 12M, Nil after 12M
Fund Managers	Nitin Arora, Krishnaa N

The fund is managed by Nitin Arora and Krishnaa N.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-2.99%	-4.41%
3M	2.88%	-3.6%
1Y	6.14%	-7.76%
3Y	17.07%	5.74%
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

The recent pattern has been mixed rather than linear. The fund was weaker over the latest month than over the quarter, but it still held up better than the benchmark in both the 1-month and 3-month windows. That matters because the benchmark’s own short-term numbers were negative, so the fund’s relative behaviour was more resilient even though absolute returns were not uniformly strong.

Over the 1-year period, the fund delivered a positive outcome while the benchmark remained negative. That gap shows a clear advantage over the Nifty 50 over the latest full year. The 3-year figure is also meaningfully stronger, which suggests the longer compounding trend has been healthier than the short-term volatility might imply.

The 5-year return is not available because the scheme has not yet completed a five-year public track record from its 2021 launch. So our reading of the fund rests more on the 1-year and 3-year evidence. Those numbers indicate a fund that has recovered through choppy stretches and has not simply tracked the benchmark in a straight line.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Axis Value?

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 Value Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.14%	17.07%	Data not available
LIC MF Value Fund Direct Growth Plan	17.5%	15.81%	13.33%
Quant Value Fund Direct Growth Plan	14.59%	19.39%	Data not available
Aditya Birla SL Value Fund Direct Growth Plan	10.2%	13.21%	13.75%
Mahindra Manulife Value Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.65%	Data not available	Data not available

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639. On the latest one-year numbers, the fund trails LIC MF Value Fund Direct Growth Plan, Quant Value Fund Direct Growth Plan, Aditya Birla SL Value Fund Direct Growth Plan and Mahindra Manulife Value Fund Direct Growth Plan. Its 3-year return is ahead of Aditya Birla SL Value Fund Direct Growth Plan and LIC MF Value Fund Direct Growth Plan, but behind Quant Value Fund Direct Growth Plan.

The short-term and longer-term picture do not fully match. One-year performance is modest, yet the 3-year figure is more competitive, which points to a fund that has been better in multi-year compounding than in the most recent year. That split is useful for investors who care more about cycle-spanning outcomes than about a single-year comparison.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Limited	Bank	5.14%
HDFC Bank Limited	Bank	4.44%
Clearing Corporation of India Ltd	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	3.64%
Reliance Industries Limited	Crude Oil	3.38%
Shriram Finance Limited	Finance	2.86%
Bharti Airtel Limited	Telecom	2.43%
State Bank of India	Bank	2.37%
Sona BLW Precision Forgings Limited	Automobile & Ancillaries	2.19%
NTPC Limited	Power	2.18%
Welspun Corp Limited	Iron & Steel	2.17%

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Limited, is 5.14%, which is large enough to matter but not so large that the portfolio appears dominated by a single position. The tenth holding, Welspun Corp Limited, is 2.17%, so the gap from the first to the tenth is fairly contained. That suggests the visible core is built with several mid-sized bets rather than one overwhelmingly large anchor.

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 30.8% of the portfolio, while 69 holdings are disclosed in total. That tells us the fund may have a broader tail beyond the names shown here, so the displayed positions are important but not the whole story. The mix of banks, financials, telecom, energy, power and industrials also suggests the portfolio could respond to a wider range of market conditions.

Because the largest names are not excessively concentrated, the fund may allow multiple holdings to influence returns rather than leaning too heavily on one stock. At the same time, the 30.8% combined weight in the disclosed top 10 means these positions are likely to have greater influence than the rest of the visible basket, especially in shorter periods.

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

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund is best understood as a high-volatility equity option for investors with a long enough horizon to absorb uneven stretches. The 1-year return is positive but not especially strong, while the 3-year return is more compelling, which suggests the fund may suit people who can wait through short-term swings for better multi-year outcomes.

Its benchmark comparison also matters: the fund has handled the latest year better than the Nifty 50, and its 3-year figure is ahead of the benchmark as well. The trade-off is that the portfolio is built from equity positions that can move sharply in different market phases, so this is not the kind of fund that is likely to feel smooth over short holding periods.

In our view, it may fit investors who can accept return variability and who want an actively managed equity portfolio with a broader stock mix than a simple index-like approach. The key requirement is patience: the stronger medium-term record is more relevant here than the latest month alone.

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 up to 10% of investment and 1% for the remaining investment if units are sold on or before 12 months; no exit load after the holding period.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Axis Value Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹21.10 as of 16 Sep 2026.

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

Its 1-year return is 6.14% and its 3-year return is 17.07%. The 5-year return is Data not available.

How does the fund compare with the Nifty 50?

It has done better than the Nifty 50 over the latest 1-year and 3-year periods. The benchmark’s 1-year and 3-year returns are lower than the fund’s corresponding figures.

How does it compare with the other value funds listed here?

On the latest 1-year figures, LIC MF Value Fund Direct Growth Plan and Quant Value Fund Direct Growth Plan are ahead of it, while Aditya Birla SL Value Fund Direct Growth Plan and Mahindra Manulife Value Fund Direct Growth Plan also show higher one-year returns. On 3 years, it is ahead of LIC MF Value Fund Direct Growth Plan and Aditya Birla SL Value Fund Direct Growth Plan, but behind Quant Value Fund Direct Growth Plan.

Does the fund have a minimum SIP?

Yes, the minimum SIP is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Nitin Arora and Krishnaa N. The exit load is nil up to 10% of investment and 1% for the remaining investment if units are sold on or before 12 months, and there is no exit load after the holding period.

Bottom line

Axis Value Fund Direct Growth Plan has a choppy recent pattern, but the 3-year record is much more encouraging than the latest 1-year result alone. It has also held up better than the Nifty 50 over the periods shown, although some peer funds have stronger one-year and three-year numbers. The risk profile is clearly High Risk, and the portfolio’s top holdings are spread across several large positions rather than one dominant bet. That makes it more suitable for investors who can stay invested through volatility and judge it over multi-year windows.

Published on 17 September 2026 at 11:34 AM 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.