Canara Rob Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Canara Rob Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹44.94 as of 15 September 2026 and an AUM of ₹14,661 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 4.03%, 11.82% and 14.42%, and it is tagged as High Risk.

Our view is that this fund fits investors who can stay patient through small-cap volatility and who are comfortable with uneven short-term outcomes. The longer record is more constructive than the latest 1-year reading, but the portfolio still points to a return path that may move sharply with market sentiment.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹44.94 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹14,661 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.46%
Launch Date	15 Feb 2019
Min SIP	₹1,000
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty Small Cap
Fund Category	Equity
Exit Load	1% on or before 1Y, Nil after 1Y
Fund Managers	Pranav Gokhale, Shridatta Bhandwaldar

The fund is managed by Pranav Gokhale and Shridatta Bhandwaldar.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-3.19%	-2.29%
3M	2.77%	3.01%
1Y	4.03%	3.15%
3Y	11.82%	13.52%
5Y	14.42%	13.83%

The latest month was soft, and the fund fell a little more than the benchmark. That tells us the portfolio can remain sensitive when sentiment weakens, even if the move was not severe in absolute terms.

The three-month picture is steadier. The fund stayed close to the benchmark, but it still lagged slightly, which suggests the recent recovery has not been especially strong relative to the index.

The one-year return is more encouraging because the fund has edged ahead of the benchmark over that period. Even so, the gap is not wide enough to signal a clear break from the benchmark’s path.

The longer record is mixed. Over three years, the benchmark has done better, while over five years the fund has slightly outpaced it. Taken together, that pattern suggests a fund that can participate in longer compounding, but not in a straight line. The time pattern also shows a sharp reset at points over the past year, so our view is that short-term weakness should not be read as unusual for this style of portfolio.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Canara Rob Small Cap?

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 Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan	4.03%	11.82%	14.42%
TRUSTMF Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan	28.42%	Data not available	Data not available
Bank of India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan	27.67%	21.4%	20.49%
Motilal Oswal Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan	20.97%	Data not available	Data not available
Union Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan	19.13%	16.51%	16.73%
DSP Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan	18.51%	16.99%	18.84%

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 stronger peer readings by a wide margin, so the recent stretch looks muted next to several small-cap peers. That difference matters because the latest phase is where investors often look for confirmation that the strategy is back in favour.

The longer comparison is more balanced. The fund’s 3-year return is below the available peer figures for Bank of India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan, Union Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan and DSP Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan, while its 5-year return sits behind Bank of India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan and DSP Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan. The short-term and longer-term comparisons therefore tell different stories: the recent period looks much weaker than many peers, while the five-year record is more respectable and shows the fund has been able to compound over time.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
TREPS	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	3.82%
Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd	Finance	2.68%
Tbo Tek Ltd	Hospitality	2.52%
RBL Bank Ltd	Bank	2.4%
Eternal Ltd	Retailing	2.39%
Gland Pharma Ltd	Healthcare	2.39%
PNB Housing Finance Ltd	Finance	2.31%
Amber Enterprises India Ltd	Consumer Durables	2.25%
Karur Vysya Bank Ltd	Bank	2.22%
City Union Bank Ltd	Bank	2.07%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 25.05% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Canara Rob Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding is TREPS at 3.82%, which is modest in absolute terms and suggests no single stock dominates the visible basket. The gap from the first holding to the tenth is not dramatic, moving from 3.82% down to 2.07%, so the top slice is fairly even rather than heavily skewed to one position.

Because the displayed top 10 hold only 25.05% of the portfolio and the scheme discloses 75 holdings in total, the remaining weight sits across a fairly long tail. That structure may reduce dependence on any one name, although the fund can still behave like a small-cap portfolio where individual positions may matter more than in broader diversified equity funds.

In practical terms, this shape may make the fund less dependent on a single stock outcome, but it also means investors should expect the smaller, more volatile holdings further down the list to influence returns over time.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund is best understood as a High Risk small-cap equity option for investors with a long horizon and a tolerance for uneven returns. The 1-year performance has been soft relative to the benchmark and several peers, but the 5-year record is more stable and shows the fund can compound over a full cycle.

The main trade-off is between the possibility of longer-term growth and the likelihood of sharp drawdowns along the way. Investors who want smoother near-term outcomes may find the pattern uncomfortable, while those who can stay invested through cycles may value the fund’s ability to recover over time.

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% on or before 1Y, Nil after 1Y.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Canara Rob Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹44.94 as of 15 September 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
Its 1-year return is 4.03%, its 3-year return is 11.82%, and its 5-year return is 14.42%.

How does the fund compare with its benchmark?
The fund is ahead of the benchmark over 1 year and 5 years, but behind it over 3 years. The benchmark is Nifty Small Cap.

How does the fund compare with selected peer funds?
Its recent 1-year return is much lower than several peer funds, while the 5-year record is mixed: it trails some peers and stays ahead of others with available long-term numbers.

What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹1,000.

What is the risk profile, and who manages the fund?
The fund is tagged as High Risk. It is managed by Pranav Gokhale and Shridatta Bhandwaldar, and the exit load is 1% on or before 1 year and nil after 1 year.

Bottom line

Canara Rob Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan shows a clear split between recent softness and a more workable longer-term record. The latest 1-year phase trails many peers, but the 5-year return is still competitive enough to show meaningful compounding over time. The fund carries High Risk, and its portfolio is spread across many holdings rather than concentrated in a few large positions. That profile suits investors who can tolerate swings and want a small-cap allocation with a long holding period.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 10:27 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.