📊 Small Cap Fund · Deep Analysis

Axis Small Cap Fund

Axis Mutual Fund · Direct Growth · SEBI Category: Small Cap

Current NAV ₹124.4800 (+0.72% today) As of 04 Jun 2026
1 Year Return +2.9%
3 Year CAGR +16.8% p.a.
5 Year CAGR +17.9% p.a.
AAUM ₹25.5K Cr Jan–Mar 2026
All data from RightAdvise DB — calculated from 2,573 daily NAV records
Fund Overview

Axis Small Cap Fund — Quick Summary

Axis Small Cap Fund applies Axis AMC's distinctive quality-first framework to the small cap segment. Managed by Anupam Tiwari, the fund seeks small cap companies with strong competitive advantages, high return on capital, clean governance and visible earnings growth. The portfolio is more concentrated than typical small cap funds (30 to 50 stocks), reflecting high conviction in each holding.

The quality filter in the small cap space is particularly valuable because this segment contains many companies with weak governance, high leverage or unpredictable earnings. By systematically excluding such companies, Axis Small Cap has historically experienced lower drawdowns than peers during market corrections while still delivering strong long-term returns.

Fund House
Axis Mutual Fund
SEBI Category
Small Cap
Benchmark
NIFTY Smallcap 250 TRI
Fund Manager
Anupam Tiwari
AMFI Code
125354
Risk Level
Very High
NAV Records in DB
2,573 days
Quarterly Average AUM · Jan–Mar 2026
₹25.5K Cr
↓ Decreased by 4.1% vs Oct–Dec 2025 · ₹26.6K Cr
Official quarterly average AUM from AMFI disclosure. Published every 3 months.
📊
✓ Suitable For
Suited for investors with a 10+ year horizon and high risk tolerance who specifically want quality exposure in the small cap space — and want relatively lower drawdown history compared to more aggressive small cap funds.
The fund's quality-focused approach in the inherently riskier small cap space is its strongest differentiator. By filtering out weak governance and highly leveraged companies, it historically shows lower drawdowns than the category average while still delivering strong long-term compounding.
✗ Not Suitable For
Investors seeking aggressive, momentum-driven small cap exposure — the quality filter excludes many high-momentum but low-quality small cap businesses. Those with horizons under 7 years. Investors who cannot tolerate sharp drawdowns — even quality small caps can fall severely in bear markets.
Who Runs This Fund

Fund Manager

AT
Anupam Tiwari
Axis Mutual Fund · Managing since 2016

Anupam Tiwari is Fund Manager at Axis Mutual Fund and manages the Axis Small Cap Fund. He applies a quality-focused framework to the small cap universe — looking for businesses with durable competitive advantages, strong cash generation and management integrity. The quality filter makes this fund more selective than many peers but also more conservative within the small cap category.

For current co-manager details and full biography, refer to the latest Axis Mutual Fund factsheet on AMFI or the AMC website.

What to Factor In

Things to Consider

Informational points to help you form your own view — not judgements or recommendations.

AMFI Code · Informational
AMFI Scheme Code: 125354
The official AMFI scheme code for Axis Small Cap Fund Direct Growth is 125354. Use this when transacting on platforms or verifying data across databases.
Important Note
Points Worth Knowing
Axis Mutual Fund went through a compliance-related challenge in 2022-2023. While Axis Small Cap Fund was not the primary scheme involved, investors should evaluate the fund house context as part of their long-term commitment decision. The quality filter may cause this fund to underperform peers significantly during speculative small cap rallies.
Investment Objective
As per Scheme Information Document
To achieve long term capital appreciation by investing in a diversified portfolio predominantly consisting of equity and equity related instruments of small cap companies.
All Data Below — From RightAdvise Database
Category Comparison

Top 5 Small Cap Funds Compared

Live data. Current fund highlighted. Click any fund name for full analysis.

FundNAVAAUM1Y Return 3Y CAGR 5Y CAGR Sharpe (3Y)
Nippon India Small Cap Fund ₹194.79 ₹65.6K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 +4.0% +19.4% p.a. +21.5% p.a. 0.95
SBI Small Cap Fund ₹194.52 ₹34.3K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 +0.1% +13.4% p.a. +14.5% p.a. 0.53
Kotak Small Cap Fund ₹300.61 ₹16.3K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 -0.6% +14.6% p.a. +15.0% p.a. 0.69
Axis Small Cap Fund ▲ ₹124.48 ₹25.5K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 +2.9% +16.8% p.a. +17.9% p.a. 0.80
HDFC Small Cap Fund ₹152.20 ₹36.3K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 -1.1% +15.0% p.a. +17.7% p.a. 0.68
Best value in each column shown in green. AAUM from latest AMFI quarterly filing. Returns calculated from daily NAV history.
Performance

Fund Returns

Calculated from 2,573 daily NAV records in RightAdvise DB. Last calculated: Jun 2026.

1M / 3M / 6M / 1Y — simple point-to-point return  ·  3Y / 5Y / 10Y — CAGR (compounded annual growth rate)

1 MonthPoint-to-point
+0.9%
3 MonthPoint-to-point
+6.3%
6 MonthPoint-to-point
+1.0%
1 YearPoint-to-point
+2.9%
3 YearCAGR
+16.8% p.a.
5 YearCAGR
+17.9% p.a.
10 YearCAGR
+19.5% p.a.
₹1 Lakh → 5YLump sum growth
₹226,245

Best & Worst Periods Ever

Based on all rolling windows in full NAV history. Dates show the start and end of each period.

Best 1Y WindowSimple return
+101.5%
May 2020 – May 2021
Worst 1Y WindowSimple return
-14.9%
Mar 2019 – Mar 2020
Best 3Y CAGRCAGR p.a.
+43.2% p.a.
May 2020 – Jun 2023
Worst 3Y CAGRCAGR p.a.
+1.3% p.a.
Feb 2017 – Mar 2020

Calendar Year Returns

Jan 1 to Dec 31 each year. Simple point-to-point — not CAGR.

2025
-1.0%
2024
+26.4%
2023
+35.6%
2022
+4.1%
2021
+60.7%
2020
+24.6%
2019
+20.8%
2018
-7.9%
2017
+39.8%
Consistency Analysis

Rolling Returns ℹ️ What is this?

Rolling returns show performance across every possible investment start date — not one cherry-picked number. Learn more →

1Y Rolling Avg
22.8%
Positive in 88% of windows
Best: 101.5% · Worst: -14.9%
3Y Rolling Avg
22.9% p.a.
Positive in 100% of windows
Best: 43.2% · Worst: 1.3%
5Y Rolling Avg
25.1% p.a.
Positive in 100% of windows
Best: 35.5% · Worst: 17.0%
1-Year Rolling Returns Each bar = 1Y return starting from that date
Risk Analysis

Maximum Drawdown ℹ️ What is this?

How much the fund fell from its peak NAV — what investors actually experience during crashes. Calculated from full NAV history.

Max Drawdown Ever
-34.6%
Feb 2020 → Mar 2020
Recovered: Nov 2020 (11 mos)
Current from Peak
-2.7%
All-time Peak: ₹127.33
Peak date: May 2026

How the fund behaved in key crisis periods

Calculated from actual NAV data. "Pre-inception" means the fund didn't exist during that period.

2024–25 Tariff / Correction
-19.4%
Sep 27, 2024 – Apr 7, 2025
Recovered: Jul 2025 (6 mos)
COVID-19 Crash
-34.2%
Feb 19 – Mar 23, 2020
Recovered: Nov 2020 (11 mos)
2022 Rate Hike Cycle
-15.0%
Jan 17 – Jun 17, 2022
Recovered: Sep 2022 (4 mos)
2018 IL&FS Crisis
-13.8%
Aug 28 – Oct 26, 2018
Recovered: May 2019 (10 mos)
Risk Metrics

Risk Ratios

Calculated from 3 years of daily NAV — industry standard. Risk-free rate: 6.5% p.a. Last updated: Jun 2026. What do these mean? →

Sharpe Ratio (3Y)
0.80
Return per unit of total risk. >1 is good. Learn more →
Sortino Ratio (3Y)
1.10
Like Sharpe but only penalises downside volatility. Learn more →
Std Deviation (3Y)
14.6%
Annualised monthly volatility. Lower = more consistent returns. Learn more →
📊
Want to see what Axis Small Cap Fund is actually holding?

Our portfolio holdings page shows every stock the fund owns, sector allocation, and month-over-month changes — from official AMC disclosures.

Full current portfolio — all stocks, weights, sectors
New entries and exits over the last 3 months
Sector allocation and month-over-month changes
Updated monthly from official AMC disclosures
See Portfolio Holdings →
← Compare all Small Cap Funds

See how Axis Small Cap Fund ranks against other Small Cap funds on returns, drawdown, Sharpe ratio and AAUM — side by side.

Learn the Metrics
📖 Deep Dive
CAGR, Sharpe, Sortino & Std Dev
What these numbers mean and how to use them
📖 Deep Dive
Drawdown & Rolling Returns
Why these reveal more than any CAGR figure
⚠️ RightAdvise.com is NOT registered with SEBI. All content is for educational purposes only. Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Please read all scheme-related documents carefully and consult a SEBI-registered advisor before investing.
Free Newsletter

Stay Updated on Mutual Funds

New fund analysis, articles and market insights — no spam, no selling. Unsubscribe anytime.

Found this useful? Share it

WhatsApp LinkedIn X / Twitter
Help Us Improve

Your Feedback

Found an error? Have a suggestion? We read every response.

How helpful was this page?
Type of Feedback
⚠️ RightAdvise.com is NOT registered with SEBI. All content is for educational purposes only. Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Please read all scheme-related documents carefully and consult a SEBI-registered advisor before investing.