HDFC Large & mid cap mutual fund review: Needs to show sustained pick up

ET Wealth collaborates with Value Research to analyse top mutual funds. We examine the key fundamentals of the fund, its portfolio and performance to help you make an informed investment decision.

BASIC FACTS
DATE OF LAUNCH
18 FEBRUARY 1994
CATEGORY

EQUITY
TYPE
LARGE & MIDCAP
AUM*
Rs.6,579 crore
BENCHMARK
NIFTY LARGE MIDCAP 250
TOTAL RETURN INDEX

WHAT IT COSTS
GROWTH OPTION
Rs.193.24
NAV**
IDCW
Rs.25.76
MINIMUM INVESTMENT
Rs.5,000
MINIMUM SIP AMOUNT
Rs.300
EXPENSE RATIO*** (%)
2.20
EXIT LOAD
1% for redemption within 365 days

*AS ON 31 JULY 2022
**AS ON 23 AUGUST 2022
***AS ON 31 JULY 202

FUND MANAGER
GOPAL AGRAWAL
TENURE: 2 YEARS

Recent portfolio changes
New Entrants: Delhivery, Delta Corp, Eicher Motors, LIC, Bata India, Chambal Fertilisers, Hindalco Inds, Indusind Bank.
Complete Exits: Bank Of Baroda
Increasing allocation: Bharti Airtel, HPCL, Mphasis, Tata Chemicals, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Steel, Torrent Pharma.

Should you buy?
Since its shift to the large and mid cap mandate in 2018 from earlier avatar as HDFC Growth Opportunities, the fund has moderated its earlier large cap stance. The portfolio is currently evenly balanced between large caps and mid/small caps. The fund favours businesses with distinct competitive advantages, superior financial strength and have value unlocking potential. The fund continues to run a bloated portfolio of around 140 stocks, with a very long tail of small bets. The fund has exhibited frequent bouts of underperformance over the years, under its earlier contrarian stance. Now in the hands of a new veteran fund manager, it is starting to show some improved results, but needs to exhibit a sustained pick up to be counted on for long term.

(Source: Value Research)