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

Kotak Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹22.689 as of 15 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹17,373 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 3.05%, 9.40% and 9.08%, and the scheme sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that this is a hybrid fund for investors who can stay patient through uneven stretches and who want a balance-oriented strategy rather than a smooth, low-volatility path.

The recent return pattern is softer than its longer-term record, while the portfolio still carries meaningful equity exposure alongside government securities and cash. That mix can help the fund navigate changing market conditions, but it also means performance may move around more than plain-vanilla debt-oriented options.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹22.689 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹17,373 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.56%
Launch Date	03 Aug 2018
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Hybrid
Exit Load	Nil upto 8% of investment and 1% for remaining investment on or before 1Y, Nil after 1Y
Fund Managers	Rohit Tandon, Hiten Shah, Abhishek Bisen

The fund is managed by Rohit Tandon, Hiten Shah and Abhishek Bisen.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-3.25%	-4.81%
3M	-0.17%	-3.63%
1Y	3.05%	-8.27%
3Y	9.40%	5.59%
5Y	9.08%	5.58%

The short-term picture has been weak, but the fund still held up better than the benchmark over the last month, three months and one year. That matters because the benchmark itself has been under pressure over those shorter windows, and the fund has still absorbed the drawdown more effectively.

Over three and five years, the picture improves. The fund’s 3-year return of 9.40% and 5-year return of 9.08% are ahead of the benchmark’s 5.59% and 5.58%, which tells us the strategy has added value over a longer holding period. The more recent softness does not erase that longer record, but it does show that the path has not been linear.

The time pattern also suggests a fund that can move through phases of strength and correction rather than one that compounds in a straight line. For investors, that usually means the holding period matters. A one-year snapshot is clearly less flattering than the three- and five-year view, so the fund fits better into a patient allocation than a short-horizon parking option.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Kotak 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 Kotak Balanced Advantage? Thinking of investing now?

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Kotak Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	3.05%	9.40%	9.08%
Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.60%	Data not available	Data not available
Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	7.04%	11.75%	11.16%
Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.70%	11.45%	10.36%
360 ONE Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.55%	Data not available	Data not available
Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.46%	10.37%	9.51%

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

On the recent one-year number, the fund trails several peers that have posted stronger gains. Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan and Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan both show noticeably higher 1-year returns, while Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan and 360 ONE Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan also sit above it on that measure.

The longer-term view is more balanced. On 3-year and 5-year numbers, the fund is behind Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan and Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan, but it stays ahead of Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan on both horizons. That creates a split story: the recent stretch looks softer, while the longer record is respectable rather than weak.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Triparty Repo	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	7.17%
7.34% Central Government – 2064(^)	Government Securities	5.79%
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	5.18%
State Bank of India.	Bank	3.85%
Reliance Industries Ltd.	Crude Oil	3.42%
HDFC Bank Ltd.	Bank	2.94%
Bharti Airtel Ltd.	Telecom	2.39%
Larsen and Toubro Ltd.	Infrastructure	2.05%
Bajaj Finance Ltd.	Finance	1.85%
Infosys Ltd.	IT	1.67%

The largest holding is Triparty Repo at 7.17%, which tells us the portfolio keeps a meaningful allocation in cash-like instruments. That can reduce day-to-day portfolio pressure, but it also means a part of the scheme may be deliberately held back from pure market participation.

From the first holding to the tenth, the weights step down from 7.17% to 1.67%. That is a fairly quick decline, and it suggests the portfolio is not dominated by one oversized equity bet. Instead, influence is spread across a set of large names, with banks, government securities, telecom, infrastructure, finance and IT all present among the top holdings.

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 36.31% of the portfolio, and the scheme discloses 60 holdings in total. That points to a longer tail beyond the largest positions, so the disclosed portfolio is not narrowly concentrated in just a handful of names. Even so, the top holdings still have enough weight to matter, especially because a cash-equivalent position and government securities sit near the top of the list.

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

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who can accept a High Risk profile and stay invested long enough for the hybrid strategy to work through its cycles. The one-year result is modest, but the three- and five-year figures are much closer to the benchmark-beating pattern that makes the scheme interesting over time.

The trade-off is clear: you get a diversified hybrid structure with a meaningful mix of cash, government securities and large equity holdings, but you also need patience when recent returns soften. It is better aligned with an investment horizon measured in years rather than months, especially for investors who can tolerate uneven short-term performance in exchange for a steadier long-term profile.

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 upto 8% of investment and 1% for remaining investment on or before 1Y, Nil after 1Y.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

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

The current NAV is ₹22.689 as of 15 Sep 2026.

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

The 1-year return is 3.05%, the 3-year return is 9.40% and the 5-year return is 9.08%.

How does it compare with the benchmark?

It has outperformed the Nifty 50 over 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The benchmark return was -8.27% over 1 year, 5.59% over 3 years and 5.58% over 5 years.

How does it compare with peer funds on available return data?

On the available peer figures, it trails some peers on the 1-year measure and also sits below Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan and Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan on 3-year and 5-year returns. It is ahead of Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan on both longer horizons.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Rohit Tandon, Hiten Shah and Abhishek Bisen. The exit load is nil up to 8% of investment and 1% for the remaining investment on or before 1 year, and nil after 1 year.

Bottom line

Kotak Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan looks stronger over 3 and 5 years than it does over the latest 1-year stretch, so the recent softness should be viewed in the context of a better longer record. Against the benchmark, the fund has stayed ahead over all the key horizons, while the peer comparison is more mixed: some rivals have done better recently, but the longer-term picture remains respectable. The portfolio’s blend of cash, government securities and large equity positions may help the scheme stay flexible, which suits patient investors who can handle a High Risk hybrid allocation.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 8:05 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.