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

WOC Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹13.774 as of 17 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹301 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 2.63%, 0% and 0%, and the fund sits in the High Risk category.

Our view is that this is a hybrid fund for investors who can accept a rougher return path in exchange for a portfolio that mixes equity, debt and cash-like exposures. The recent return profile is modest, while the holding mix suggests a diversified structure, but the limited track record means the fund needs more time before a stronger long-term pattern can be judged confidently.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹13.774 as of 17 Sep 2026
AUM	₹301 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.61%
Launch Date	27 Oct 2023
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Hybrid
Exit Load	NIL upto 10% of units and 1% for remaining units on or before 30D, NIL after 30D
Fund Managers	Ramesh Mantri, Piyush Baranwal, Trupti Agrawal, Dheeresh Pathak

The fund is managed by Ramesh Mantri, Piyush Baranwal, Trupti Agrawal and Dheeresh Pathak.

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-1.64%	-3.66%
3M	1.33%	-3.71%
1Y	2.63%	-7.13%
3Y	Data not available	Data not available
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

The fund has held up better than the benchmark over every available period, even though absolute returns remain restrained. The 1-month figure was negative, but it still outperformed the index because the benchmark fell more sharply. The 3-month and 1-year numbers show a clearer edge versus the benchmark, which tells us the fund has been less volatile than the index in this stretch.

The pattern across the provided monthly path is uneven rather than smooth. There are short periods of recovery, followed by softer patches, so the fund does not yet look like a steady compounding vehicle on a short history. That matters because the scheme was launched only in late 2023, which leaves no true 3-year or 5-year live performance record to interpret. For now, the more meaningful comparison is that the fund has been less weak than the benchmark, not that it has produced strong absolute growth.

In our view, the recent trend suggests defensive behaviour rather than aggressive upside capture. That can appeal to investors who want a hybrid fund to reduce portfolio swings, but it also means the current return profile is not especially compelling on its own. The main question is whether the fund can turn this relative resilience into a more consistent compounding pattern over a longer period.

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD WOC Balanced Hybrid?

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
WOC Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan	2.63%	Data not available	Data not available
Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.6%	Data not available	Data not available
Aditya Birla SL Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.17%	10.96%	9.97%
Baroda BNP Paribas Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	4.23%	11.11%	10.62%
360 ONE Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan	3.64%	Data not available	Data not available
Bank of India Balanced Advantage Fund Direct Growth Plan	3.62%	8.24%	10.21%

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639. On the recent 1-year number, the fund trails the stronger peer results in the group and also sits below the two balanced-advantage peers with available longer-term records. That said, its 1-year return is still better than the benchmark and not far behind the lower peer cluster, so the short-term picture is mixed rather than weak across the board.

The longer-term comparison is more limited because this scheme does not yet have live 3-year or 5-year figures, while several peers do. That means the available peer set points to a gap in proven longer-run compounding, but it does not prove a weaker strategy; it mainly reflects the short operating history. For investors, the key distinction is between relative resilience versus the benchmark and the absence of a mature long-term record.

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Limited	Bank	5.57%
6.94% Government of India (11/05/2036)	Government Securities	4.99%
Net Receivables / (Payables)	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	3.33%
8.06% Bajaj Finance Limited (15/05/2029) **	Corporate Debt	3.31%
Clearing Corporation of India Ltd	Cash & Cash Equivalents and Net Assets	3.19%
HDFC Bank Limited	Bank	2.67%
HDFC Bank Limited (21/09/2026) ** #	Certificate of Deposit	2.65%
Bharti Airtel Limited	Telecom	2.37%
7.57% LIC Housing Finance Limited (23/11/2029)	Corporate Debt	2.31%
Nexus Select Trust – Reit	Finance	2.01%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 32.4% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the WOC Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Limited, carries a weight of 5.57%, which is not unusually dominant for a hybrid portfolio. The drop from the first holding to the tenth is gradual rather than steep, and the displayed positions span bank equity, government securities, corporate debt, cash-like balances, a certificate of deposit, telecom and REIT exposure.

Because the top 10 holdings sum to 32.4% and the fund discloses 48 holdings in total, the portfolio appears spread across a fairly long tail rather than concentrated in just a few positions. That structure may help keep single-position influence contained, although the first few lines still matter more than the smaller entries below them. The mix also suggests that outcomes may depend on both equity selection and fixed-income positioning, rather than on a single asset sleeve doing all the work.

For investors, that kind of spread can be useful if they want hybrid exposure without a very heavy bet on any one security. At the same time, the return pattern indicates that diversification has not yet translated into strong compounding, so the portfolio shape should be seen as a stabilising feature rather than proof of superior performance.

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors who are comfortable with High Risk and want a hybrid allocation that can absorb equity-linked swings while still holding debt and cash-like instruments. The short track record and the uneven return pattern mean it is better viewed with a medium- to long-term lens rather than as a short-horizon holding.

The main trade-off is that the fund has looked less weak than the benchmark in the recent period, but it has not yet built a convincing long-term compounding record. Investors who value diversification and a mixed portfolio structure may find that useful, while those seeking clearly established 3-year and 5-year performance evidence may prefer to wait for a longer history.

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 10% of units and 1% for remaining units on or before 30D, NIL after 30D.

Source data date: as of 17 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of WOC Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹13.774 as of 17 Sep 2026.

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

The 1-year return is 2.63%, while the 3-year and 5-year returns are not available because the fund does not yet have a live record for those periods.

How has the fund performed versus Nifty 50?

It has been ahead of Nifty 50 across the available 1-month, 3-month and 1-year periods. The advantage is modest in absolute terms, but the fund has been less weak than the benchmark in this stretch.

How does it compare with peer funds on the available 1-year figures?

Its 1-year return of 2.63% is below the stronger peer outcomes listed here, while still staying above the benchmark. The short history also means several peers have a fuller long-term record than this fund.

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 Ramesh Mantri, Piyush Baranwal, Trupti Agrawal and Dheeresh Pathak. The exit load is nil up to 10% of units and 1% for the remaining units if sold on or before 30 days, and nil after 30 days.

Bottom line

WOC Balanced Hybrid Fund Direct Growth Plan has shown better relative resilience than the benchmark, but its absolute returns remain modest and the longer-term record is still too short to judge on 3-year or 5-year terms. In the available peer set, the recent 1-year figure is behind the stronger comparables, while the portfolio itself looks diversified across equity, debt and cash-like exposures. That makes it more suitable for investors who want a high-risk hybrid structure and are willing to wait for a longer performance history to build.

Published on 18 September 2026 at 9:56 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.