Focused MFs' asset base rises 31% to Rs 1.43 lakh cr in June qtr; up to 60% returns last year

Focused mutual funds, which invest in a concentrated portfolio of stocks, are gaining traction among investors with the asset base of the category growing to Rs 1.43 lakh crore in three months ended June 2024, marking an increase of 31% from a year ago.

Interestingly, some of the focused funds offered by the mutual fund houses such as Invesco India Focused Fund, Mahindra Manulife Focused Fund, JM Focused Fund, and HDFC Focused 30 Fund delivered a remarkable return of 40-60% in the past year, industry data showed.

Focused funds are a type of mutual fund where the fund manager selects a concentrated portfolio of stocks, typically limited to a maximum of 30 due to regulatory constraints. This requires the fund manager to be highly skilled in stock selection, as they need to identify the best investment opportunities across the market without bias toward any specific market cap or sector.

According to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi), the assets under management (AUM) of the focused funds were at Rs 1.43 lakh crore in the June quarter 2024-25 as compared to Rs 1.09 lakh crore in April-June FY24.

This growth highlights the appeal of focused funds as an alternative to portfolio management services (PMS), especially with recent tax changes that make PMS less attractive due to higher costs and tax implications, Feroze Azeez, Deputy CEO, of Anand Rathi Wealth Ltd, said.

"With the increase in taxation on both small-term capital gain tax and long-term capital gain tax, PMS portfolios are expected to see a drop in post-tax returns. For example, a PMS portfolio generating a pre-tax return of 14 % could see post-tax returns drop from 11.73 % to 11.29 %. This shift could lead to fund managers churning portfolios less frequently, which in turn will be affecting returns for investors," he added.

Focused funds follow a similar concentrated portfolio strategy where the fund manager picks the top stocks and offers flexibility across market caps. Thus, becoming a more attractive option for investors looking to optimize their returns.

Industry experts recommend investing in focused funds through systematic investment plans (SIPs) as a smart strategy in the current market environment of sector rotation and high valuations. Since these funds invest in a small number of stocks, SIPs can help reduce risk by spreading out investments over time.

Overall, there are 31 focused schemes offered by different mutual fund houses in the category. These schemes have given returns of 19-60% in the last one year.

In terms of returns, smaller funds have performed exceptionally well. The Invesco India Focused Fund delivered a remarkable return of over 60% in the past year, while Mahindra Manulife Focused Fund provided around 50% returns and JM Focused Fund offered a return of 45% during the period.

With a corpus of Rs 1,552 crore as of June 2024, Mahindra Manulife Focused Fund has consistently performed well, securing the second rank for 1, 2, and 3-year periods. The fund delivered returns of 50%, 32%, and 26% over these periods, respectively.

HDFC Focused 30 Fund achieved the top rank over the 3 years with a return of 28.63 %, while JM Focused Fund secured the third rank with a 25 % return during the same period.

"The success of focused funds underscores the importance of skilled fund management and strategic stock selection," an industry expert said.

Focused funds opt for a more targeted strategy rather than the broad diversification typical of traditional mutual funds. This approach helps fund managers make investments in a carefully selected group of stocks, reflecting their strongest investment beliefs.

The concentrated nature of these portfolios requires careful selection of each stock, as the fund's performance heavily depends on these choices. Although these funds hold a limited number of stocks, they are structured to be sufficiently diversified to effectively manage risk.

Overall, the assets of the equity mutual funds rose to Rs 27.6 lakh crore in June 2024 from Rs 17.43 lakh crore in June 2023.