Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹116.2943 as of 03 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹1,344 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.59%, 8.08% and 6.74%, and it carries a Balanced Risk profile.

Our view is that this fund suits investors who want a debt allocation with steady longer-horizon compounding and are comfortable with some interest-rate and credit mix variation. The portfolio is anchored by corporate debt and select sovereign and floating-rate exposures, which supports a measured return profile rather than a very low-volatility cash substitute.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹116.2943 as of 03 Sep 2026
AUM	₹1,344 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.25%
Launch Date	01 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	Balanced Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Debt
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Anuj Tagra, Chandni Gupta, Rahul Goswami

The fund is managed by Anuj Tagra, Chandni Gupta and Rahul Goswami.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.45%	-3.01%
3M	2.18%	1.95%
1Y	6.59%	-4.4%
3Y	8.08%	5.74%
5Y	6.74%	6.27%

The recent profile is constructive. The fund stayed positive over 1 month and 3 months, and the 1-year return is clearly better than the benchmark’s negative reading over the same period. That tells us the fund has handled the recent environment better than the benchmark line represented here.

Over 3 years, the fund has continued to compound at a healthy pace, and the 5-year return remains steady rather than flashy. The longer-term pattern shows a fund that has built returns with moderate consistency, even if the path has not been perfectly smooth. For debt investors, that is often more relevant than a single strong month.

Against the benchmark, the fund is ahead across all the stated horizons except that the 5-year gap is narrower. The 3-year spread is the most noticeable advantage, while the 5-year period suggests the benchmark has also delivered a respectable outcome. In our view, that mix points to a fund that has added value through medium-term cycles rather than only in brief bursts.

The shorter-term pattern differs from the longer-term picture in one important way: recent momentum looks stronger than the benchmark, while the 5-year return is closer to the benchmark’s own pace. That combination suggests the fund has recently been handling the market backdrop well without overstating its long-run edge.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A?

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
Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A Direct Growth Plan	6.59%	8.08%	6.74%
Baroda BNP Paribas Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.56%	7.82%	6.25%
ICICI Pru Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.34%	7.54%	6.82%
DSP Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.23%	7.41%	6.03%
Bandhan Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.16%	7.36%	6.09%

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

On the available 1-year figure, this fund is fractionally ahead of Baroda BNP Paribas Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan and clearly ahead of the other listed peers. The 3-year number also stands above the peer set shown here, which reinforces the idea that the fund has been delivering stronger medium-term compounding than these comparison schemes.

The 5-year picture is more mixed. It remains competitive and ahead of most listed peers, but ICICI Pru Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan is slightly stronger on that horizon. So the short-term and medium-term story favours this fund, while the longest visible horizon shows a tighter contest.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
7.90% Jamnagar Utilities & Power Pvt Ltd (10-Aug-2028) **	Corporate Debt	6.04%
7.79% Small Industries Development Bank of India (19-Apr-2027) **	Corporate Debt	5.93%
7.80% National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (15-Mar-2027) **	Corporate Debt	5.75%
7.55% Poonawalla Fincorp Ltd (25-Mar-2027)	Corporate Debt	4.53%
7.66% Maharashtra SDL (04-Mar-2047)	Government Securities	4.23%
7.25% RJ Corp Ltd (08-Dec-2028) **	Corporate Debt	4.21%
7.9265% LIC Housing Finance (14-Jul-2027) **	Corporate Debt	4.12%
7.87% Summit Digitel Infrastructure Ltd (15-Mar-2030) **	Corporate Debt	3.78%
Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd (18-May-2029) ** $	Floating Rate Instruments	3.78%
7.21% Embassy Office Parks Reit (17-Mar-2028) **	Corporate Debt	3.72%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 46.09% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding is 6.04%, so no single position dominates the fund on its own. The tenth holding is 3.72%, which shows a moderate drop from the top slot rather than a very sharp fall-off. That suggests the visible book is spread across several meaningful positions instead of being driven by only one or two exposures.

The top 10 disclosed holdings together make up 46.09% of the portfolio, and the fund discloses 38 holdings in total. In our view, that points to a reasonably broad tail beneath the largest positions, even though the first few holdings still matter more than the rest. The mix of corporate debt, government securities and floating-rate instruments may help balance credit and rate sensitivity.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors who can handle a debt scheme that is not designed to be ultra-conservative. The Balanced Risk label, along with the corporate debt-heavy portfolio and a smaller allocation to government securities and floating-rate instruments, suggests a middle ground between stability and return seeking.

The return pattern supports a medium- to long-term horizon. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year numbers show steady compounding, and the fund has stayed ahead of the benchmark across the visible periods. The main trade-off is that the portfolio may be more sensitive to credit and duration movements than a very simple short-term debt option.

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.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹116.2943 as of 03 Sep 2026.

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

The fund’s returns are 6.59% for 1 year, 8.08% for 3 years and 6.74% for 5 years.

How has it compared with the benchmark?

It has stayed ahead of the benchmark across 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The strongest gap is over 1 year, where the benchmark has a negative return while the fund is positive.

How does it compare with the listed peer funds?

Its 1-year and 3-year returns are stronger than the listed peers shown here, and its 5-year return is also competitive. One peer is slightly ahead on the 5-year horizon, so the long-term comparison is closer than the shorter-term one.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Anuj Tagra, Chandni Gupta and Rahul Goswami. There is no exit load.

Bottom line

This fund has shown better recent and medium-term momentum than its benchmark, while the 5-year result remains steady rather than extreme. It also compares well with the listed peers on 1-year and 3-year returns, though the 5-year horizon is more balanced. The portfolio is anchored by corporate debt, with additional support from government securities and floating-rate instruments, which may appeal to investors who want debt exposure with a measured return focus and can accept some credit and rate movement.

Published on 4 September 2026 at 4:43 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.