ICICI Pru Exports & Services Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

ICICI Pru Exports & Services Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹183.47 as of 17 Sep 2026 and scheme AUM of ₹1,549 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 0.91%, 13.42% and 13.36%, and it carries a High Risk tag.

Our view is that this is a sector-thematic equity fund with enough long-term compounding to merit attention, but its short-term move has been uneven. The return pattern and the portfolio mix suggest it is better suited to investors who can tolerate sharp swings and who want a focused equity exposure rather than a broad market-style holding.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹183.47 as of 17 Sep 2026
AUM	₹1,549 Cr
Expense Ratio	1.69%
Launch Date	07 Jan 2013
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Equity
Exit Load	1% on or before 15D, Nil after 15D
Fund Managers	Sri Sharma

The fund is managed by Sri Sharma.

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-3.21%	-3.66%
3M	-0.07%	-3.71%
1Y	0.91%	-7.13%
3Y	13.42%	5.82%
5Y	13.36%	5.72%

The recent picture is softer than the longer record, especially over 1 year, where the fund has barely stayed positive. Even so, it has held up better than the benchmark over 1M, 3M and 1Y, which tells us the strategy has cushioned downturns better than the broad market in the recent cycle.

The longer view is stronger. The 3-year and 5-year returns are both in the low-teens, and they are well ahead of the benchmark over the same periods. That gap matters because it shows the fund has not just defended better recently; it has also compounded better over a full market cycle than the index.

The time pattern suggests a fund that has seen marked swings, including a difficult stretch in the middle of the one-year window, followed by recovery later on. That kind of path is consistent with a focused equity theme: returns can recover, but the journey is not smooth. For investors, the key question is whether they are comfortable with that uneven short-term experience in exchange for stronger multi-year compounding.

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

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD ICICI Pru Exports & Services?

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
ICICI Pru Exports & Services Fund Direct Growth Plan	0.91%	13.42%	13.36%
ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan	69.8%	36.32%	Data not available
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	25.31%	Data not available	Data not available
Kotak Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	25.27%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan	24.51%	Data not available	Data not available
PGIM India Healthcare Fund Direct Growth Plan	22.75%	Data not available	Data not available

The current fund’s 1-year return is far lower than the strongest recent peer figures in this set, which makes the recent run look modest by comparison. But the longer record is more balanced: the fund’s 3-year return is ahead of every peer in this table with a disclosed 3-year figure, while the 5-year return is also meaningful even though one peer does not provide a 5-year number.

That split matters. In the near term, the comparison is driven by peers that have had a much stronger one-year stretch. Over longer periods, however, this fund shows steadier compounding than the peer set available here, which supports a view that it has been more durable over time than its recent numbers alone might suggest.

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Infosys Ltd.	IT	6.33%
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	5.86%
HDFC Bank Ltd.	Bank	4.89%
TREPS	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	3.29%
Reliance Industries Ltd.	Crude Oil	2.82%
Angel One Ltd.	Finance	2.67%
Prudent Corporate Advisory Services Ltd	Finance	2.52%
Netweb Technologies India	Consumer Durables	2.4%
State Bank of India	Bank	2.34%
Shadowfax Technologies Ltd	Logistics	2.27%

The largest holding, Infosys Ltd., carries a 6.33% weight, so no single position dominates the portfolio by itself. The drop from the first holding to the tenth is fairly gradual, with weights moving from the mid-6% area down to 2.27%, which points to a portfolio built around several meaningful positions rather than one concentrated bet.

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 35.39% of the portfolio, and the scheme has 60 disclosed holdings in total. That combination suggests the fund spreads risk across a reasonably long tail, even though the leading names still matter. With banks, IT and finance featuring prominently among the largest positions, the portfolio may react differently from a plain index fund when those areas lead or lag.

To see all holdings, visit the ICICI Pru Exports & Services Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who are comfortable with High Risk equity exposure and can hold through uneven periods. The 1-year return has been weak relative to the 3-year and 5-year record, so the holding period matters: the fund has looked better over several years than over the most recent year.

The trade-off is clear. Investors may get stronger multi-year compounding than the benchmark, but they also need to accept a more uneven path and a portfolio that is more focused than a broad market fund. That makes it more appropriate for a patient investor who can tolerate volatility and does not need the money soon.

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 15D, Nil after 15D.

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of ICICI Pru Exports & Services Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹183.47 as of 17 Sep 2026.

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

The fund’s returns are 0.91% over 1 year, 13.42% over 3 years and 13.36% over 5 years.

How does it compare with the benchmark?

It has outpaced the benchmark over 3 years and 5 years, and it has also held up better over 1 month, 3 months and 1 year.

Which peer fund has the strongest 1-year return in the comparison set?

ICICI Pru Strategic Metal and Energy Equity FoF Direct Growth Plan has the highest 1-year return in the peer table at 69.8%.

Does the fund have a minimum SIP?

Yes, the minimum SIP is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Sri Sharma. The exit load is 1% on or before 15D, and nil after 15D.

Bottom line

The fund’s recent 1-year result is much softer than its 3-year and 5-year record, so the short-term and longer-term pictures do not match. Even so, it has stayed ahead of the benchmark over the longer periods and has also compared well on multi-year performance against the peer set shown here. The risk profile is High Risk, and the portfolio leans on several large but not overwhelming positions, which keeps the fund focused without making any one holding dominant.

Published on 18 September 2026 at 3:56 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.