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

UTI Corporate Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan is a debt fund with a current NAV of ₹17.8656 as of 15 Sep 2026 and scheme AUM of ₹4,718 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 5.41%, 7.33% and 6.3%, and the risk category is Medium Risk. Our view is that it looks more suited to a conservative investor who wants debt-led stability with a measured return profile rather than sharp upside.

The fund has held up better over longer periods than in the very near term, while still staying within a moderate risk bucket. The portfolio is built mainly around corporate debt with some government securities and cash-like exposure, which supports a steadier profile but also limits the chance of very fast gains.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹17.8656 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹4,718 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.26%
Launch Date	08 Aug 2018
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	Medium Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Debt
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Anurag Mittal

The fund is managed by Anurag Mittal.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-0.14%	-4.81%
3M	1.13%	-3.63%
1Y	5.41%	-8.27%
3Y	7.33%	5.59%
5Y	6.3%	5.58%

The near-term pattern is fairly steady. Over 1 month and 3 months, the fund stayed close to flat-to-positive territory, which suggests limited short-term disturbance compared with the benchmark’s weaker moves in the same windows. That matters for debt investors because it points to a fund that has not been swinging sharply when markets are unsettled.

Over 1 year, the fund has done much better than the benchmark, and that gap is wide. The benchmark’s negative 1-year return shows that the fund’s debt-led structure has behaved very differently from an equity index, so the comparison is useful mainly as a directional reference rather than a like-for-like contest.

The longer picture is more balanced. The fund’s 3-year and 5-year returns are both above the benchmark, which tells us the fund has delivered a better compounded outcome across medium and longer holding periods. The 3-year trend also looks stronger than the 5-year outcome, so recent medium-term performance has been somewhat better than the full 5-year stretch. In our view, that combination points to a fund that has been resilient enough for conservative capital, while still showing some return improvement in the more recent period.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD UTI Corporate 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
UTI Corporate Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.41%	7.33%	6.3%
Franklin India Corporate Bond Fund-A Direct Growth Plan	6.43%	8.06%	6.74%
Baroda BNP Paribas Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.2%	7.82%	6.24%
DSP Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.14%	7.41%	6.03%
ICICI Pru Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.07%	7.5%	6.78%
Bandhan Corp Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.89%	7.33%	6.1%

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

On recent return data, the fund trails several peer corporate bond funds, especially the leader at 6.43% on 1 year and 8.06% on 3 years. Its own 1-year return of 5.41% is still positive, but it sits below the stronger peer readings in the table.

Over longer stretches, the gap is narrower. The fund’s 3-year return of 7.33% is close to some peers and below others, while the 5-year return of 6.3% sits in the middle of the set rather than clearly separating itself. That creates a mixed peer story: short-term momentum is softer, but the longer-term profile remains broadly competitive enough to stay in the same conversation as the peer group.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
NCD Export Import Bank of India	Corporate Debt	9.5%
NCD Small Industries Development Bank of India	Corporate Debt	7.87%
7.24% Gsec Mat- 18/08/2055	Government Securities	7.14%
Net Current Assets	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	7.14%
NCD Power Finance Corporation Ltd.	Corporate Debt	7.06%
NCD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development	Corporate Debt	6.85%
NCD Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited	Corporate Debt	6.44%
NCD Bajaj Finance Ltd.	Corporate Debt	6.31%
NCD Kotak Mahindra Prime Ltd.	Corporate Debt	3.69%
NCD Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Ltd	Corporate Debt	3.35%

The largest holding is NCD Export Import Bank of India at 9.5%, which is meaningful but not oversized by itself. The next several positions remain close enough in weight to suggest that the fund is not relying on a single very large bet to carry the portfolio.

The drop from the first holding to the tenth is moderate rather than steep, moving from 9.5% to 3.35%. That spread suggests the fund may be balancing a few larger credit exposures with a wider set of intermediate positions, instead of concentrating heavily in just one or two names.

With the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 65.35% of the portfolio and 32 holdings disclosed in total, the fund appears moderately concentrated in its leading positions while still leaving room for a longer tail. In our view, that structure may keep the portfolio anchored in its core credit ideas without making the disclosed book look narrowly dependent on a very small number of holdings.

To see all holdings, visit the UTI Corporate Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors who are comfortable with medium risk and want a debt-oriented allocation with a steadier return pattern than equities. Its 1-year result is positive, while the 3-year and 5-year numbers show that the fund has maintained a reasonably stable longer-term compounding path.

The main trade-off is that the portfolio is designed for steadier participation rather than rapid growth. Investors with a medium- to long-term horizon who want corporate debt exposure, some government securities, and limited short-term volatility may find the profile easier to understand than a more aggressive hybrid or equity fund.

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 UTI Corporate Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹17.8656 as of 15 Sep 2026.

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

The fund’s returns are 5.41% for 1 year, 7.33% for 3 years and 6.3% for 5 years.

How does this fund compare with its benchmark?

The fund has outperformed the benchmark across 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The benchmark return is -8.27% for 1 year, 5.59% for 3 years and 5.58% for 5 years.

How does it compare with peer corporate bond funds on returns?

Its recent return is lower than several peer funds in the table, while the longer-term numbers are more mixed. The 3-year and 5-year readings keep it broadly in the same range as peers, though not at the strongest end of the group.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

Anurag Mittal manages the fund. There is no exit load.

Bottom line

UTI Corporate Bond Fund Direct Growth Plan has delivered a steadier longer-term profile than its near-term return alone might suggest. It has stayed ahead of the benchmark on the available periods, but it sits below some peer corporate bond funds in the latest 1-year comparison. The portfolio leans heavily toward corporate debt with some government securities and cash-like exposure, which supports a conservative income-oriented profile. That combination may suit investors who want moderate risk and a debt fund with a measured, not aggressive, return pattern.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 8:09 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.