Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹28.286 as of 10 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹175 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 5.42%, 9.01% and 10.52%, and the scheme carries a High Risk label. Our view is that it has shown a steadier long-term pattern than its recent one-year patch, but it still fits best for investors who can handle equity-led swings inside a hybrid structure.

The fund has a small but meaningful size, a direct-growth structure and a portfolio that mixes cash, derivatives, equities and debt. That blend may help it participate in rallies while keeping some flexibility in harder markets, but the one-year result shows that short-term outcomes can still be uneven.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹28.286 as of 10 Sep 2026
AUM	₹175 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.96%
Launch Date	14 Mar 2014
Min SIP	₹1,000
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Hybrid
Exit Load	NIL for 10% of investments and 1% for remaining investments on or before 3M, NIL after 3M
Fund Managers	Alok Singh

The fund is managed by Alok Singh.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-2.34%	-4.06%
3M	2.44%	1.37%
1Y	5.42%	-7.31%
3Y	9.01%	6.07%
5Y	10.52%	5.91%

Recent performance is mixed, but it is not weak across every window. Over 1 month, the fund fell less than the benchmark, and over 3 months it moved ahead of the benchmark. That suggests the strategy has still been able to protect and recover better than the index in some short stretches, even though short-term returns can swing around.

The 1-year figure is more notable because the fund stayed positive while the benchmark was negative. That is a useful sign for investors who want a cushion relative to a plain equity index, although it does not remove volatility. The recent path also shows that the fund has not moved in a straight line, so holding-period discipline matters.

Longer term, the 3-year and 5-year returns are stronger than the benchmark, and that supports the case that the strategy has been able to compound better over fuller cycles. Our reading is that the fund’s longer-run behaviour is more consistent with a balanced-advantage approach than the choppier one-year pattern. For investors, the main takeaway is that this is a fund where medium-to-long holding periods are likely to make more sense than relying on a single year’s outcome.

The gap versus the benchmark is also meaningful in the 5-year window, which tells us the fund has added value over a full market cycle rather than only in a single rebound phase. Still, the short-term softness around the latest month means the path to those returns has not been smooth.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Bank of India Balanced Advantage?

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
Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.42%	9.01%	10.52%
Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.79%	Data not available	Data not available
Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	7.3%	12%	11.22%
Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.99%	11.7%	10.43%
Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.88%	10.64%	9.58%
360 ONE Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.64%	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 1-year view, the fund trails some peers that have stronger recent numbers, especially Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan and Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan. It is still ahead of Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan and 360 ONE Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan on the same window, so the short-term picture is mixed rather than one-sided.

The longer-term pattern is more constructive. Its 3-year and 5-year returns are below the strongest peer figures shown here, but they remain ahead of some peer returns and clearly better than the benchmark’s matching periods. That makes the fund look more balanced than dominant: short-term competition is tougher, while the longer-term record remains respectable.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
TREPS	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	16.34%
Nifty September 2026 Future	Derivatives-Futures	12.56%
Reliance Industries Limited	Crude Oil	3.82%
ICICI Bank Limited	Bank	3.81%
Irb Invit Fund	Finance	3.55%
7.68% National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (30/04/2029) **	Corporate Debt	2.84%
7.47% Small Industries Dev Bank of India (05/09/2029) **	Corporate Debt	2.83%
6.27% Power Finance Corporation Limited (15/07/2027)	Corporate Debt	2.82%
Small Industries Dev Bank of India (20/08/2027) ** #	Certificate of Deposit	2.65%
364 Days Tbill (MD 28/05/2027)	Treasury Bills	2.46%

The largest holding, TREPS, stands at 16.34%, which is large enough to matter but not so large that it dominates the whole portfolio on its own. The next position, Nifty September 2026 Future, is 12.56%, so the fund also uses derivative exposure in a meaningful way. After that, weights step down quickly into the 3% area, which tells us the portfolio is not built around one or two equity names alone.

The 10th holding is only 2.46%, so the gap from the largest holding to the tail of the top 10 is fairly wide. That pattern may help reduce reliance on any single security, while still leaving the portfolio sensitive to shifts in cash, futures and fixed-income positioning.

The top 10 disclosed holdings account for approximately 53.68% of the portfolio, and there are 51 holdings in total. That suggests the visible book is fairly spread out beyond the largest names, even though the top positions still carry clear weight. For investors, the main point is that the fund may be influenced by a small set of larger exposures, but it also leaves room for a broader tail of holdings to contribute.

To see all holdings, visit the Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors who can accept High Risk exposure and are comfortable with a hybrid strategy that can move differently from a plain equity index. The 1-year result is positive while the benchmark is negative, but the shorter windows still show fluctuation, so it is better suited to investors who can stay patient through uneven stretches.

The stronger 3-year and 5-year numbers point to a fund that has worked better over fuller holding periods than over very short periods. That makes it more suitable for a medium-to-long horizon rather than a quick-entry, quick-exit mindset. The trade-off is straightforward: you may get better long-run compounding than the benchmark, but you also need to accept period-to-period volatility and a portfolio that uses cash, derivatives, equity and debt together.

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 on or before 3 months; NIL after 3 months.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan?
Its NAV is ₹28.286 as of 10 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s returns are 5.42% for 1 year, 9.01% for 3 years and 10.52% for 5 years.

How has it performed against the benchmark?
It has beaten the benchmark in all the listed periods. The gap is widest over 1 year, where the fund is positive and the benchmark is negative.

How does it compare with peer funds on recent returns?
Its 1-year return is below some peers such as Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan and Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan, but above others like Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan and 360 ONE Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan.

Is there a minimum SIP amount?
Yes. The minimum SIP amount is ₹1,000.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Alok Singh. Exit load is NIL for 10% of investments and 1% for the remaining investments if units are sold on or before 3 months; NIL after 3 months.

Bottom line

Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan looks better on fuller holding periods than on the latest short window. Its returns have stayed ahead of the benchmark across the listed horizons, but peer comparison shows a more mixed picture in the near term. The portfolio is not narrowly dependent on a single equity idea; instead, it blends cash, futures, equity and debt exposures. That makes it suitable for investors who want hybrid participation with a higher-risk profile and enough patience to ride through uneven shorter-term performance.

Published on 11 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.