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

HDFC Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹568.783 as of 03 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹107,765 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 2.44%, 12.55% and 15.04% respectively, and the fund is classified as High Risk. Our view is that the fund has stayed more consistent over longer horizons than in the most recent year, so it may suit investors who want a hybrid allocation with a substantial equity tilt and can tolerate uneven short-term outcomes.

The fund’s benchmark is NIFTY 50, and the recent return profile has been softer than the longer-term track record, especially over 1 year. The portfolio is led by large financials and other core businesses, with a meaningful tail beyond the biggest positions, so the fund may appeal to investors who want diversified exposure but are comfortable with equity-market swings.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹568.783 as of 03 Sep 2026
AUM	₹1,07,765 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.73%
Launch Date	01 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Hybrid
Exit Load	Nil upto 15% of Units, For excess Units 1% on or before 1Y and Nil after 1Y
Fund Managers	Gopal Agrawal, Srinivasan Ramamurthy, Arun Agarwal, Nandita Menezes

The fund is managed by Gopal Agrawal, Srinivasan Ramamurthy, Arun Agarwal, and Nandita Menezes.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-1.33%	-3.01%
3M	3.38%	1.95%
1Y	2.44%	-4.4%
3Y	12.55%	5.74%
5Y	15.04%	6.27%

The recent pattern has been uneven. Over 1 month and 1 year, the fund was soft, but it still held up better than the benchmark in both periods. That matters because the benchmark itself was weaker over 1 year, so the fund’s positive 1-year return stands out more clearly against the index’s decline.

The longer view is stronger. The 3-year and 5-year returns are both well above the benchmark, which suggests the fund has compounded more effectively over medium and long horizons than the NIFTY 50 reference point. Our read is that this is not a smooth return path, but the multi-year outcome is clearly more constructive than the latest 12-month stretch.

The time pattern also looks choppy rather than linear. There were periods of recovery followed by fresh pullbacks, which is consistent with a hybrid portfolio that can still move materially with equities. For investors, that means the fund’s longer-term profile is more important than any one weak month or quarter when judging it.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD HDFC 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
HDFC Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	2.44%	12.55%	15.04%
Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.95%	12.95%	11.6%
Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.67%	12.52%	10.69%
Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.62%	Data not available	Data not available
Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	7.18%	11.41%	9.78%
Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.86%	9.98%	10.72%

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639. On 1-year returns, the fund trails the stronger peer figures available in this set, although it still remains above its benchmark. The longer record is more mixed relative to peers: the 3-year return is competitive but not clearly ahead of the best available peer figures, while the 5-year return is the strongest among the named funds shown here. That creates a split picture, where recent performance is softer but the longer compounding record is more persuasive.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	5.23%
HDFC Bank Ltd.£	Bank	4.34%
Reliance Industries Ltd.	Crude Oil	3.81%
State Bank of India	Bank	3.34%
Bharti Airtel Ltd.	Telecom	3.17%
Axis Bank Ltd.	Bank	2.52%
Larsen and Toubro Ltd.	Infrastructure	2.51%
NTPC Limited	Power	2.05%
7.18% GOI Mat 140833	Government Securities	1.99%
Coal India Ltd.	Mining	1.64%

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Ltd., is 5.23% of the portfolio, so no single position dominates the disclosed list. The weight then steps down gradually through HDFC Bank Ltd., Reliance Industries Ltd. and State Bank of India, which suggests the portfolio is not built around one or two oversized bets.

By the tenth holding, the weight has eased to 1.64%, which is a noticeable drop but still shows meaningful positions across the list. The top 10 holdings together account for approximately 30.6% of the portfolio, so the disclosed slice is spread across many names rather than being tightly concentrated in the very largest positions. With 45 holdings disclosed in total, the fund likely relies on a broader tail beyond the names shown here, which can soften dependence on any one stock while still leaving equity-market risk in place.

To see all holdings, visit the HDFC Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors with a higher tolerance for volatility who want hybrid exposure but are still comfortable with equity-led swings. The High Risk label is consistent with the uneven recent path, even though the 3-year and 5-year results are much stronger than the latest 12 months and are also ahead of the benchmark.

An investor with a medium- to long-term horizon is better placed to judge it, because the longer compounding record matters more than the softer short-term patch. The main trade-off is that the fund offers the possibility of stronger long-run participation, but it can still go through phases where returns lag and drawdowns are visible.

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 15% of units; for excess units, 1% on or before 1 year and nil after 1 year.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of HDFC Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The NAV is ₹568.783 as of 03 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The returns are 2.44% for 1 year, 12.55% for 3 years and 15.04% for 5 years.

How has the fund performed against NIFTY 50?
It has beaten the benchmark across 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The gap is most visible over the longer periods.

How does it compare with the peer funds shown here?
The recent 1-year return is lower than several peer figures shown, but the 5-year return is the strongest among the funds listed in this comparison.

What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the risk profile?
The fund is managed by Gopal Agrawal, Srinivasan Ramamurthy, Arun Agarwal and Nandita Menezes. It carries a High Risk classification, so investors should be comfortable with equity-led fluctuations.

Bottom line

The fund’s recent return profile has been softer than its longer-term record, but the 3-year and 5-year numbers still compare well with the benchmark and with the peer set shown here. That makes the latest year look more like a setback than a break in the longer pattern. The portfolio is led by large financials and a spread of other names, so it may appeal to investors who want diversified hybrid exposure and can stay with a volatile path through time.

Published on 4 September 2026 at 10:48 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.