Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹8.5686 as of 10 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹826 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.24%, 0% and 0%, and the scheme sits in the High Risk category.

Our view is that this is a momentum-led index fund best suited to investors who can tolerate sharp swings and want a rules-based equity allocation rather than a steady, benchmark-like path. The recent return profile is positive over 1 year, but the longer window is still too short to show a mature compounding record.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹8.5686 as of 10 Sep 2026
AUM	₹826 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.41%
Launch Date	24 Sep 2024
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Index Funds
Exit Load	1% on or before 15D, Nil after 15D
Fund Managers	Swapnil P Mayekar, Dishant Mehta, Rakesh Shetty

The fund is managed by Swapnil P Mayekar, Dishant Mehta and Rakesh Shetty.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.74%	-4.06%
3M	7.74%	1.37%
1Y	6.24%	-7.31%
3Y	Data not available	Data not available
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

Recent performance has been noticeably better than the benchmark. The fund is positive over 1 month, 3 months and 1 year, while the benchmark is negative over 1 month and 1 year, which tells us the index strategy has held up better through the recent patch of weakness.

The 3-month pattern was stronger than the 1-month reading and suggests that the fund recovered reasonably well after a softer start to the shorter window. That matters because momentum strategies can behave unevenly in the near term, and this one has shown that characteristic without losing its positive 1-year result.

The longer-term picture is still limited because the scheme launched in September 2024, so a full 3-year or 5-year track record is not yet available. For now, we read the available history as a short but constructive start rather than a complete proof of how the strategy behaves across full market cycles.

Relative to the benchmark, the fund has outpaced the reference index in every available period. That makes the present comparison straightforward, but it also means the more important question is whether the momentum tilt can keep delivering once the base becomes harder and the comparison window lengthens.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index?

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 Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index? Thinking of investing now?

Get your portfolio analysed for FREE by SEBI-registered Investment Adviser (RIA) through Univest MF Premium

Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.24%	Data not available	Data not available
ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	33.08%	30.07%	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty India Defence Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	26.95%	Data not available	Data not available
Aditya Birla SL Nifty India Defence Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	26.94%	Data not available	Data not available
Tata Nifty Capital Markets Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	24.33%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty Capital Market Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	23.74%	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 available numbers, the fund’s 1-year return is far below the stronger peer readings, while its 3-year and 5-year columns cannot yet be compared meaningfully because the scheme is too young. That creates a split story: the recent return is positive, but the peer set shows much stronger one-year outcomes elsewhere. For now, the fund looks more like an early-stage momentum strategy that has started in the right direction than one with a deep, comparable long-run record.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Laurus Labs Limited	Healthcare	5.6%
Shriram Finance Limited	Finance	5.14%
Hindalco Industries Limited	Non – Ferrous Metals	4.99%
Cummins India Limited	Automobile & Ancillaries	4.97%
Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited	Finance	4.74%
BSE Limited	Finance	4.69%
Adani Power Limited	Power	4.6%
Ge Vernova T&D India Limited	Capital Goods	4.28%
The Federal Bank Limited	Bank	3.97%
Bharat Forge Limited	Automobile & Ancillaries	3.41%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 46.39% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding, Laurus Labs Limited, stands at 5.6%, so no single stock dominates the portfolio by itself. The tenth holding is 3.41%, which means the drop from the first to the tenth position is moderate rather than steep, and the top positions remain fairly close in weight.

At the same time, the displayed holdings still account for 46.39% across 42 disclosed holdings, so the portfolio is not concentrated in just one or two names. Our view is that the structure may still allow a few larger positions to influence short-term outcomes, but the longer list of holdings should also spread exposure beyond the very top names.

The sector spread across healthcare, finance, metals, capital goods, power, banking and industrials suggests the fund is not tied to one narrow pocket of the market. That said, because this is a momentum index strategy, the weights can still shift in ways that make returns more uneven than a plain broad-market index.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors who are comfortable with a High Risk equity allocation and who can stay invested long enough to let a momentum strategy work through uneven stretches. The available 1-year result is positive, but the 3-year and 5-year records are not yet available, so the long-horizon story is still developing.

It is more suitable for investors who want a rules-based, factor-driven equity exposure and can accept that outcomes may move differently from the benchmark over time. The main trade-off is between the possibility of stronger momentum-led gains and the chance of sharper swings when the strategy falls out of favour.

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 applies as 1% on or before 15D, and nil after 15D.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹8.5686 as of 10 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
Its 1-year return is 6.24%, while the 3-year and 5-year returns are not yet available as the scheme is still too young.

How does the fund compare with its benchmark?
It has outperformed the benchmark in every available period. The 1-month, 3-month and 1-year readings are all ahead of the benchmark’s corresponding returns.

How does it compare with the listed peer funds on 1-year return?
Its 1-year return is below the stronger peer readings shown, including 33.08%, 26.95%, 26.94%, 24.33% and 23.74% for the listed peers.

What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

What are the risk level, portfolio style and exit load?
The fund is in the High Risk category and its top holdings are spread across sectors such as healthcare, finance, metals, power, banking and industrials. Exit load is 1% on or before 15D and nil after 15D.

Bottom line

This fund has started with a positive 1-year return, and that is stronger than the benchmark’s recent path, but it still lacks a 3-year or 5-year record. Peer comparison also shows that its available 1-year return is well below several listed peers, so the short-term picture is mixed rather than uniformly strong.

The portfolio is spread across 42 disclosed holdings, with the top 10 accounting for 46.39%, so the strategy is not concentrated in just a handful of stocks. For investors who can handle High Risk equity exposure and are comfortable with a momentum approach, the fund is worth reading as an early-stage, factor-led allocation rather than a mature long-term track record.

Published on 11 September 2026 at 6:04 PM IST

Explore mutual funds with Univest

Review mutual fund data, compare performance and explore fund insights on Univest.

Explore Univest

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.