Canara Rob ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Canara Rob ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan has a current NAV of ₹202.11 as of 03 Sep 2026 and scheme assets of ₹8,758 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 3.58%, 12.63% and 10.5%, and the fund sits in the High Risk bucket.

Our view is that this is a fund for investors who can stay patient through uneven shorter-term periods and still think in a three- to five-year horizon. The portfolio is spread across 68 holdings, but the largest positions still carry meaningful weight, so returns can move with a handful of stock choices.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹202.11 as of 03 Sep 2026
AUM	₹8,758 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.55%
Launch Date	01 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Equity
Exit Load	No exit load after holding period
Fund Managers	Vishal Mishra, Shridatta Bhandwaldar

The fund is managed by Vishal Mishra and Shridatta Bhandwaldar.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-1.83%	-3.01%
3M	4.68%	1.95%
1Y	3.58%	-4.4%
3Y	12.63%	5.74%
5Y	10.5%	6.27%

The recent picture is mixed but not weak. Over 1 month, the fund fell less than the benchmark, while over 3 months it moved ahead of the benchmark by a wider margin. That suggests the strategy has been able to recover better than the index after short bursts of volatility.

The 1-year return also stayed comfortably above the benchmark, and the gap is especially clear because the index was negative over that period. That makes the fund’s recent year look more resilient than the benchmark rather than merely slightly stronger.

The longer view is better still. The 3-year return of 12.63% is clearly ahead of the benchmark’s 5.74%, and the 5-year return of 10.5% also exceeds the benchmark’s 6.27%. That tells us the fund has compounded better than the benchmark over both medium and longer horizons, even though the shorter-term path has not been smooth.

In our view, the pattern points to a fund that can participate in up-moves but may also experience sharper swings along the way. The time pattern across the past year and three years suggests periods of drawdown and recovery rather than a straight line of gains, which is typical of an equity ELSS strategy with stock-specific exposure.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Canara Rob ELSS-Tax Saver?

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
Canara Rob ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	3.58%	12.63%	10.5%
Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	15.65%	15.72%	15.89%
Motilal Oswal ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	13.9%	22.94%	17.44%
JM ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	9.7%	17%	14.76%
ITI ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	9.49%	18.19%	13.9%
Edelweiss ELSS Tax saver Fund Direct Growth Plan	9.32%	14.94%	12.74%

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.

The current fund’s 1-year return trails every peer listed here, while the 3-year and 5-year numbers also sit below the stronger peer figures available. The contrast is more noticeable over longer horizons because the peer set shows several funds with materially higher 3-year and 5-year compounding.

That said, the comparison does not point to a short-term-only story. The fund has also lagged peers on 1-year performance, so the gap is visible across both recent and longer windows. For an investor, that means the fund’s appeal rests more on its own style and portfolio construction than on a standout return record relative to the peer figures shown here.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Ltd	Bank	7.11%
HDFC Bank Ltd	Bank	6.13%
Reliance Industries Ltd	Crude Oil	4.16%
State Bank of India	Bank	3.58%
Bharti Airtel Ltd	Telecom	3.5%
Larsen & Toubro Ltd	Infrastructure	3.34%
Infosys Ltd	IT	3.13%
Bajaj Finance Ltd	Finance	3.04%
Axis Bank Ltd	Bank	2.64%
TREPS	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	2.26%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 38.89% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Canara Rob ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Ltd at 7.11%, is meaningfully higher than the next few positions, but the gap from the first to the tenth holding is not extreme. The tenth position still stands at 2.26%, so the displayed holdings taper down in a fairly orderly way rather than dropping off sharply after one or two stocks.

At 38.89% of the portfolio, the top 10 holdings may have a noticeable influence on returns, yet the 68 disclosed holdings suggest the rest of the book is still broad enough to reduce reliance on only a few names. That balance can help soften single-stock impact while still leaving the portfolio with active stock-selection risk.

Overall, the portfolio looks moderately concentrated at the top and more diversified beyond it. The bank-heavy exposure among the largest names may also make the fund more sensitive to financial-sector moves, although the presence of telecom, infrastructure, IT and finance names adds some spread across sectors.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can hold through uneven shorter-term performance. Its 1-year return is modest, but the 3-year and 5-year numbers are stronger and both beat the benchmark, which makes it more suitable for a longer tax-saving horizon than for a short holding period.

The main trade-off is that you are accepting return swings in exchange for the chance of better medium-term compounding. Investors who prefer smoother outcomes or who want a low-variation path may find the stock-specific portfolio and benchmark-relative volatility less comfortable. Those with a three-year lock-in mindset and a higher tolerance for market movement are the clearest fit.

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 after holding period.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Canara Rob ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹202.11 as of 03 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
Its 1-year return is 3.58%, 3-year return is 12.63% and 5-year return is 10.5%.

How has the fund performed against the benchmark?
It has beaten the Nifty 50 over 3 years and 5 years, with 12.63% versus 5.74% over 3 years and 10.5% versus 6.27% over 5 years. Over 1 year, it has also stayed ahead at 3.58% versus -4.4%.

How does the fund compare with its peer funds on available return data?
Its 1-year return of 3.58% trails the peer funds listed here, while its 3-year and 5-year returns also sit below the stronger peer figures shown.

What is the minimum SIP for this fund?
The minimum SIP is ₹500.

What are the fund’s risk and portfolio characteristics?
It is tagged High Risk and holds 68 securities, with the top 10 holdings accounting for 38.89% of the portfolio. The largest holding is ICICI Bank Ltd at 7.11%.

Bottom line

Canara Rob ELSS-Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Plan has a weaker short-term showing than its longer-term history suggests, with 1-year returns well below several peer funds but a better 3-year and 5-year record versus the benchmark. That mix points to a fund whose recent stretch has lagged stronger peer compounding, even though the longer track remains constructive. The portfolio is moderately concentrated at the top, with banks carrying notable weight, so investors need comfort with stock-specific moves and High Risk equity exposure.

Published on 4 September 2026 at 2:24 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.