SBI Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

SBI Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹17.0143 as of 15 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹22,133 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 5.33%, 7.32% and 6.29% respectively, with a Medium Risk label. Our view is that the fund fits investors who want a debt fund with steady long-term compounding, moderate portfolio concentration and a return pattern that has been better than its benchmark over the periods shown.

The portfolio is anchored by corporate debt and government securities, which supports a more measured profile than a credit-heavy or equity-oriented allocation. The recent return path has been softer than the 3-year trend, so the fund looks more suitable for a patient investor than for someone chasing short-term momentum.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹17.0143 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹22,133 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.36%
Launch Date	01 Feb 2019
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	Medium Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Debt
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Rajeev Radhakrishnan, Ardhendu Bhattacharya

The fund is managed by Rajeev Radhakrishnan and Ardhendu Bhattacharya.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-0.22%	-4.81%
3M	1.23%	-3.63%
1Y	5.33%	-8.27%
3Y	7.32%	5.59%
5Y	6.29%	5.58%

The recent pattern has been choppy rather than linear, but the fund has still held up better than the benchmark across every period shown. The 1-month figure is slightly negative, yet the benchmark was weaker, so the fund preserved value more effectively even in a soft patch. That is useful for investors who care more about drawdowns being controlled than about sharp short-term gains.

Over 3 months and 1 year, the fund has stayed ahead of the benchmark by a wider margin. The 1-year return of 5.33% is meaningfully better than the benchmark’s negative reading, which tells us the fund has handled the latest year more constructively than the broad market index used here. That does not make the path smooth, but it does show resilience.

The longer view is steadier. The 3-year and 5-year returns remain above the benchmark, and the spread is not dependent on one very strong window. In our view, that points to a fund whose compounding profile has been more dependable than the benchmark over time, even if the most recent month has been soft.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD SBI Corp Bond?

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
SBI Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.33%	7.32%	6.29%
Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A Direct Growth Plan	6.3%	8.02%	6.72%
DSP Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.14%	7.41%	6.03%
Baroda BNP Paribas Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.03%	7.73%	6.22%
ICICI Pru Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.82%	7.36%	6.72%
Bandhan Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.78%	7.28%	6.07%

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

On the latest 1-year figure, the fund trails the strongest peer in this set, but it remains close to the middle of the group rather than drifting away from it. The 3-year reading is solid and sits below the strongest peer figure here, yet it is still in the same broad range as the rest of the comparison set.

Over 5 years, the fund is also behind the higher readings in this peer group, but the gap is not dramatic. The important distinction is that the short-term and longer-term comparisons tell a slightly different story: the recent year looks less compelling than the longer record, while the longer record still shows a reasonably consistent return profile.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Bajaj Finance Ltd.	Corporate Debt	5.08%
6.94% CGL 2036	Government Securities	5.06%
Bharti Telecom Ltd.	Corporate Debt	4.84%
LIC Housing Finance Ltd.	Corporate Debt	4.74%
Net Receivable / Payable	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	4.24%
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development	Corporate Debt	4.18%
TVS Motor Company Ltd.	Corporate Debt	4.05%
7.74% State Government of Tamil Nadu 2036	Government Securities	3.92%
Pipeline Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.	Corporate Debt	3.78%
Mindspace Business Parks Reit	Corporate Debt	3.35%

The largest holding, Bajaj Finance Ltd., is 5.08%, which is large enough to matter but not so large that it dominates the fund on its own. The tenth holding still carries 3.35%, so the drop from the first to the tenth position is fairly measured rather than steep.

The top 10 holdings together account for approximately 43.24% of the portfolio, which suggests a noticeable but not extreme concentration in the visible part of the book. Because the fund discloses 43 holdings in total, the remaining positions likely form a meaningful tail that could soften the influence of any single security while still leaving the top names important.

In our view, this shape may suit investors who want the fund manager to express credit and duration views through a diversified bond book rather than through a handful of oversized positions. The mix of corporate debt, government securities and cash-like exposure also suggests that allocation choices may have a meaningful effect on the fund’s outcome, especially when credit spreads move.

To see all holdings, visit the SBI Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund is better suited to investors who are comfortable with Medium Risk and want a debt allocation that has shown steadier longer-term behaviour than the benchmark used here. The 3-year and 5-year return profile points to a fund that can compound reasonably well over time, even though the most recent month was slightly negative.

An investor with a medium- to long-term horizon is a better fit than someone looking for a short holding period. The main trade-off is that the fund may not deliver smooth month-to-month progress, but the longer record and portfolio mix suggest a more balanced path than a purely return-chasing approach.

Because the portfolio includes both corporate debt and government securities, it may appeal to investors who want a debt fund with some diversification across issuers and instruments. It is still important to accept that debt returns can vary and that a single weak period can interrupt the trend, even when the longer record remains constructive.

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 15 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of SBI Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan?
Its NAV is ₹17.0143 as of 15 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The 1-year return is 5.33%, the 3-year return is 7.32% and the 5-year return is 6.29%.

How does this fund compare with the benchmark?
It has outperformed the benchmark across 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The strongest gap appears in the 1-year period, where the fund stayed positive while the benchmark was negative.

How does it compare with the peer funds shown here?
Its recent returns are generally a little below the strongest peer figures in this set, but they remain in the same broad band. The longer-term record is still constructive, even if some peers have slightly higher 3-year and 5-year numbers.

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

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Rajeev Radhakrishnan and Ardhendu Bhattacharya. There is no exit load.

Bottom line

The fund’s recent behaviour is a little softer than its longer-term record, but the broader trend still looks constructive. It has stayed ahead of the benchmark across all shown periods, while peer comparisons suggest that its returns are respectable even if not the strongest in every window. The Medium Risk label, the mix of corporate debt and government securities, and the 43 disclosed holdings together point to a diversified bond fund that may suit patient investors more than short-term return chasers.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 11:50 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.