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

ITI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹16.2145 as of 15 Sep 2026 and manages ₹348 Cr of scheme assets. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are -0.62%, 8.92% and 8.08% respectively, and it sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that this is a hybrid fund with a meaningfully uneven short-term record but a steadier longer-term pattern, so it may suit investors who can accept volatility in exchange for a balanced-advantage style of return smoothing over time.

The fund’s recent movement has been weaker than its medium-term track, and the benchmark behaviour confirms that the path has not been smooth. The portfolio also mixes government securities, bank exposure and cash-like positions with equity holdings, which can shape returns differently across market phases.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹16.2145 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹348 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.63%
Launch Date	31 Dec 2019
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Hybrid
Exit Load	NIL upto 10% of units and 0.50% for remaining units on or before 3M, NIL after 3M
Fund Managers	Nilay Dalal, Laukik Bagwe, Animesh Singh

The fund is managed by Nilay Dalal, Laukik Bagwe and Animesh Singh.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-1.52%	-4.81%
3M	0.83%	-3.63%
1Y	-0.62%	-8.27%
3Y	8.92%	5.59%
5Y	8.08%	5.58%

The recent picture is mixed, but not weak relative to the benchmark. Over 1 month and 3 months, the fund stayed close to flat to slightly negative while the Nifty 50 was more volatile and finished lower over both periods. That tells us the fund did not protect every short-term swing, but it did hold up better than the benchmark over those windows.

The 1-year number is still soft at -0.62%, and that matters because it shows the fund has not yet rebuilt a clean one-year run. Even so, the benchmark was more challenged at -8.27%, so the fund’s recent stretch is better than the index on a relative basis. The time pattern behind the numbers also points to a choppy year rather than a straight trend, which is typical of a balanced-advantage approach when equity and debt moves do not line up neatly.

Longer term, the story improves. The 3-year return of 8.92% is ahead of the benchmark’s 5.59%, and the 5-year return of 8.08% is also above the benchmark’s 5.58%. Our view is that this suggests the fund has been better at compounding over full cycles than at delivering a smooth one-year outcome. That split between short-term strain and medium-term resilience is important for investors who want a hybrid fund to do more than just track equity market direction.

In other words, the fund has not been a consistent short-term winner, but its longer-period return pattern is more constructive than the benchmark’s. For investors, that makes the fund more relevant as a patient holding than as a near-term performance play.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD ITI 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.

Already holding ITI Balanced Advantage? Thinking of investing now?

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
ITI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	-0.62%	8.92%	8.08%
Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.55%	Data not available	Data not available
Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.46%	10.37%	9.51%
Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.17%	10.96%	9.97%
Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	4.92%	8.7%	10.45%
Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	4.39%	10.99%	10.59%

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

The short-term comparison is uneven for the fund because one peer has a much stronger 1-year figure, while the fund itself is negative over the same period. Even so, the fund still compares reasonably on the longer horizon, where its 3-year return is ahead of two peers in the list but behind others with stronger compounding records.

The 5-year figure is also mid-pack versus the available peer set, sitting below the strongest 5-year numbers and above the weakest among those with disclosed data. Our view is that the short-term and longer-term comparisons tell different stories: the fund has lagged some peers recently, but its fuller-cycle pattern remains competitive enough to warrant attention from investors who care more about multi-year consistency than one-year momentum.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
7.06% Government of India (10/04/2028)	Government Securities	4.37%
ICICI Bank Limited	Bank	4.21%
HDFC Bank Limited	Bank	3.52%
Net Receivables / (Payables)	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	3.29%
Reliance Industries Limited	Crude Oil	3.24%
8.13% Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (25/04/2028)	Corporate Debt	2.90%
TREPS 01-Sep-2026	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	2.72%
7.48% National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (15/09/2028)	Corporate Debt	2.58%
Bajaj Finance Limited	Finance	2.44%
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited	Automobile & Ancillaries	2.37%

The largest disclosed holding is 7.06% Government of India (10/04/2028) at 4.37%, which is meaningful but not dominant by itself. The next few positions are also fairly close in size, so the top of the portfolio does not look like a single-position story.

Weight then tapers gradually, with the tenth holding still at 2.37%. That drop from the largest to the tenth is moderate rather than steep, which suggests the portfolio may spread its influence across several core positions instead of leaning too heavily on one line item.

At the same time, the top 10 holdings account for approximately 31.64% of the portfolio, and there are 65 disclosed holdings in total. That combination points to a diversified tail beneath the visible top layer, although the first few positions may still have greater influence on near-term movement than the long list of smaller holdings.

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

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors who can tolerate High Risk exposure and are comfortable with a hybrid portfolio that can behave differently across market phases. The one-year return has been negative, so short holding periods may not give the strategy enough time to work through volatility.

A longer horizon looks more appropriate because the 3-year and 5-year returns are both positive and ahead of the benchmark. The trade-off is clear: investors may accept uneven short-term movement in exchange for a fund that has shown better multi-year compounding than the index.

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

The exit-load rule is NIL up to 10% of units and 0.50% for the remaining units if sold on or before 3 months, and NIL after 3 months.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of ITI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹16.2145 as of 15 Sep 2026.

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

The fund’s 1-year return is -0.62%, its 3-year return is 8.92% and its 5-year return is 8.08%.

How has the fund performed versus Nifty 50?

The fund has done better than Nifty 50 over 3 years and 5 years, while its 1-year result is much less negative than the benchmark’s. Over the last month and 3 months, it also held up better than the benchmark.

How does the fund compare with the listed peer funds?

Its 1-year return is weaker than several peers, but its 3-year and 5-year returns remain competitive within the peer set. The shorter-term and longer-term comparisons do not tell the same story.

Is there a minimum SIP amount?

Yes, the minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Nilay Dalal, Laukik Bagwe and Animesh Singh. The exit load is NIL up to 10% of units and 0.50% for the remaining units if sold on or before 3 months, and NIL after 3 months.

Bottom line

ITI Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a mixed recent record but a firmer multi-year pattern, which is what matters most for a hybrid strategy like this. Its return profile has been better than the benchmark over 3 years and 5 years, while the latest 1-year result has remained soft. The portfolio blends government securities, banks and cash-like exposures with equity positions, so investors may expect a measured but still volatile ride rather than a simple equity-style path.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 2:12 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.