Top-5 mutual funds that have given the highest returns year to date

Many people want to invest money to grow their income, but they don't step forward because they either don't have time or lack resources. Or, if sometimes they have time, they fear that without proper investment guidance, they will lose their money. To avoid that problem, many people have started investing money in mutual funds as these funds are managed by full-time managers.

Multiple mutual fund options provide one a chance to diversify their investment portfolio, while the minimum initial investment in many of the mutual funds can be as low as Rs 100. Mutual funds also provide one tax benefits up to Rs 150,000 in the 80C category of the Income Tax Act.  

In this write-up, ZeeBiz brings you the list of the top 5 mutual funds that have given the maximum returns year-to-date.

Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund- Direct Growth

The small-cap fund has emerged as the top-gainer YTD with a 32.84 per cent rate of return against the category average of 26.66 per cent.

The annualised return of the Rs 9595.27 crore fund stands at 39.65 per cent. Rs 10,0000 invested on December 30, 2022, in the fund would have become Rs 132,842 today (October 3, 2023).

The direct mutual fund had a net asset value (NAV) size of Rs 141 as of September 29, and its expense ratio is 0.96 per cent.

The fund has 92.49 per cent of its investment in domestic equities, with 54.17 per cent of it in small-cap stocks.

The top stocks in its portfolio are Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd, Brigade Enterprises Limited, Deepak Nitite Limited, and Kalyan Jewellers India Ltd. 

Nippon India Small Cap Fund- Direct Plan 

The small-cap fund is second in the list with a YTD return of 32.70 per cent against the category average of 26.66 per cent.

Had one invested Rs 100,000 in the fund on December 30, 2022, they would have got Rs 132,701 today.

The total size of the fund from the House of Nippon India is Rs 36,539.55 crore, and the NAV size as of September 29 is Rs 135.518.

The fund has 97.73 per cent of its investment in domestic equities, out of which, 58.39 per cent is invested in small-cap stocks.

Tube Investment of India Ltd, HDFC Bank, Apar Industries, and KPIT Technologies are its top portfolio stocks.

HDFC Small-Cap Fund-Direct Plan

The mutual fund from HDFC has given a YTD return of 32.44 per cent against the category average of 26.66 per cent.

Rs 100,000 investment in the fund on December 30, 2022, would have turned into Rs 132,445 today.

The direct mutual plan had a net asset value of Rs 117.424 as of September 29, and the fund's expense ratio stands at 0.75 per cent.

The 22,560.06 crore fund has invested 93.61 per cent in domestic equities, out of which, 70.48 per cent is in small-cap stocks.

It has a total of 75 stocks in its portfolio, with the leading ones being Sonata Software, Bank of Baroda, Firstsource Solutions, and Bajaj Electricals.

Mahindra Manulife Mid Cap Fund

The mid-cap fund stands fourth in the list with a YTD return of 32.20 per cent, which means Rs 100,000 invested in the fund on December 30, 2022, would have become Rs 132,203 in today's time. 

The Rs 1,475.97 crore size fund had a NAV size of Rs 25.31 as of September 29 with an expense ratio of 0.56 per cent.

The fund has invested 93.2 per cent of money in domestic equities, with mid-cap stocks having the biggest chunk at 44.64 per cent.

Federal Bank, Persistent Systems, Rural Electricity Corporation Limited, and PNB are the top stocks in its portfolio of 65. 

Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund - Regular

The Rs 9,595.27 crore small-cap fund is fifth in the list with a YTD of 31.96 per cent.

Rs 100,000 invested in the fund on December 22, 2022, would have increased to Rs 131957 at present.

The fund had a NAV size of Rs 126.45, and the expense ratio of the fund is 1.8 per cent.

It has invested 92.49 per cent of its money in domestic equities, of which 54.17 per cent is in small-cap stocks.

The fund has a portfolio of 87 stocks with the leading ones being Equitas Small Finance Bank, Brigade Enterprises, Deepak Nitite Limited and Kalyan Jewellers India.