HDFC Children's Fund(Lock in)-Direct Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

HDFC Children's Fund(Lock in)-Direct Plan has a NAV of ₹322.886 as of 10 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹10,657 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are -0.43%, 8.4% and 10.4%, and the scheme sits in the High Risk category.

Our view is that this fund suits investors who can stay patient through shorter periods of weakness and who want a solution-oriented equity allocation with meaningful exposure to large financials and select cyclical names. The 5-year lock-in makes the holding period especially important.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹322.886 as of 10 Sep 2026
AUM	₹10,657 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.9%
Launch Date	01 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Solution Oriented
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Chirag Setalvad, Anil Bamboli

The fund is managed by Chirag Setalvad and Anil Bamboli.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-1.75%	-4.06%
3M	3.79%	1.37%
1Y	-0.43%	-7.31%
3Y	8.4%	6.07%
5Y	10.4%	5.91%

The recent pattern has been mixed, but the fund has generally held up better than the benchmark in weaker stretches. The 1-month and 1-year numbers are negative, yet both are better than the benchmark, which tells us the decline has been less severe than the index over those horizons.

At the same time, the 3-month return is ahead of the benchmark, which suggests some recovery in the shorter run. That matters because the fund did not move in a straight line: the recent path has included both soft patches and improvement, rather than a smooth advance.

Over the longer horizon, the picture is more constructive. The 3-year and 5-year returns both stay above the benchmark, so the fund has created more value than the index across a full market cycle and beyond. Our read is that the fund has shown resilience, even if the near-term trend is not as steady as the longer-term compounding trend.

For an investor, that combination points to a fund that can participate in up-moves but may also experience uneven periods along the way. The benchmark comparison is useful here: the fund has not needed the market to be uniformly strong in order to stay ahead over 3 years and 5 years.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD HDFC Children's Fund(Lock in)-Direct Plan?

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 Children's Fund(Lock in)-Direct Plan	-0.43%	8.4%	10.4%
SBI Children's Fund Investment Plan Direct Growth Plan	15.74%	20.9%	21.22%
SBI Children's Fund Savings Plan Direct Growth Plan	10.08%	11.77%	10.88%
LIC MF Children’s Fund Direct Growth Plan	7.46%	9.3%	8.35%
Aditya Birla SL Bal Bhavishya Yojna Direct Growth Plan	6.55%	11.18%	9.97%
Baroda BNP Paribas Children's Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.09%	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 measure, this fund trails the listed peers that have available figures, while the 3-year and 5-year figures are also lower than the stronger peer outcomes shown here. The gap is especially visible against the better-performing children’s funds, which have delivered materially higher returns across all three horizons.

That said, the comparison also shows that the fund has held onto a positive multi-year return profile, while one peer has missing 3-year and 5-year figures in this view. So the story is not simply about short-term softness; it is also about a steadier but more moderate long-term outcome than the stronger peer numbers.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	7.07%
HDFC Bank Ltd.£	Bank	6.01%
Larsen and Toubro Ltd.	Infrastructure	3.74%
7.18% GOI Mat 140833	Government Securities	3.69%
State Bank of India	Bank	3.08%
Reliance Industries Ltd.	Crude Oil	2.98%
7.1% GOI Mat 080434	Government Securities	2.95%
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited	Bank	2.93%
Eclerx Services Limited	IT	2.69%
Aster DM Quality Care Limited	Healthcare	2.67%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 37.81% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the HDFC Children's Fund(Lock in)-Direct Plan page

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Ltd., stands at 7.07%, and the next few positions are not far behind, which suggests a measured spread rather than a single dominant bet. The drop from the first holding to the tenth is meaningful, but not abrupt, so the portfolio still appears to carry several individually relevant positions.

At the same time, the displayed top 10 holdings sum to 37.81%, while the full portfolio disclosure runs to 55 holdings. That combination suggests the fund may not be overly dependent on the very top names alone, although the leading positions are still large enough to matter for short-term movements.

Several of the biggest positions are in banks, along with infrastructure and government securities, so the fund may be balancing equity exposure with some lower-volatility holdings. The mix can help diversify the portfolio, but it also means the portfolio’s behaviour could still be influenced by financials and broader market swings.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund is better suited to investors who are comfortable with High Risk exposure and can stay invested through weaker periods. The 5-year lock-in makes it more appropriate for a long horizon, because the short-term numbers have been uneven even though the longer-term record is stronger.

The main trade-off is clear: you get a portfolio that has stayed ahead of the benchmark over 3 years and 5 years, but you must accept that shorter stretches can lag the longer-run trend. For investors who want a children-oriented solution and can tolerate volatility in exchange for a more constructive multi-year outcome, the fit looks more reasonable than for someone seeking steady near-term returns.

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 10 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of HDFC Children's Fund(Lock in)-Direct Plan?

The current NAV is ₹322.886 as of 10 Sep 2026.

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

The 1-year return is -0.43%, the 3-year return is 8.4%, and the 5-year return is 10.4%.

How does the fund compare with the benchmark?

It has done better than Nifty 50 over 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The gap is especially clear over the longer horizons, where the fund’s returns stay ahead of the benchmark by a wider margin.

How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?

The fund trails the stronger peer numbers on 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns, while still showing a positive multi-year return pattern. One peer in the list has missing 3-year and 5-year figures in this view.

What is the fund’s risk profile and lock-in?

The scheme is in the High Risk category and carries a 5-year lock-in. That combination makes it more suitable for investors who can remain patient over a longer holding period.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Chirag Setalvad and Anil Bamboli. There is no exit load.

Bottom line

HDFC Children's Fund(Lock in)-Direct Plan has a weaker near-term patch than its longer-run record, but the 3-year and 5-year numbers still sit ahead of the benchmark. Peer comparisons show a less aggressive return profile than the stronger children’s funds in the list, so the appeal is more about steadier multi-year compounding than standout recent momentum. The portfolio is still led by a handful of large holdings, especially banks, which keeps the fund firmly in High Risk territory. It looks more relevant for long-horizon investors who can live with uneven shorter-term performance.

Published on 11 September 2026 at 6:14 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.