HDFC Defence Fund vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
HDFC Defence Fund (Direct) and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) head to head: growth of ₹100, returns across every window, risk, cost, and portfolio overlap — every figure computed from AMFI NAV history, nothing supplied by a fund house. Both are Sectoral/ Thematic schemes — see the best sectoral & thematic mutual funds for the full ranking.
Head to head
NAVs as of 15 Sep 2026
Growth of ₹100 (rebased over the selected window)
Common period 04 Oct 2023 – 15 Sep 2026, limited by HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund. Every series is rebased to ₹100 at the start of this window. Benchmark lines are the category index WealthTicker measures against, which is not always the benchmark the scheme itself declares — the fund page’s Scheme Info names that one.
View as table
| Date | HDFC Defence Fund | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund | Nifty 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Oct 2023 | ₹100.00 | ₹100.00 | ₹100.00 |
| 02 Jan 2024 | ₹127.28 | ₹116.08 | ₹113.40 |
| 01 Apr 2024 | ₹142.12 | ₹125.23 | ₹119.68 |
| 29 Jun 2024 | ₹198.65 | ₹132.82 | ₹131.75 |
| 27 Sep 2024 | ₹185.90 | ₹163.91 | ₹143.02 |
| 26 Dec 2024 | ₹183.52 | ₹169.35 | ₹130.99 |
| 26 Mar 2025 | ₹163.97 | ₹161.79 | ₹124.25 |
| 23 Jun 2025 | ₹222.58 | ₹167.36 | ₹134.33 |
| 21 Sep 2025 | ₹215.61 | ₹181.39 | ₹137.16 |
| 20 Dec 2025 | ₹195.52 | ₹177.59 | ₹138.28 |
| 20 Mar 2026 | ₹200.77 | ₹175.69 | ₹124.56 |
| 17 Jun 2026 | ₹252.18 | ₹202.70 | ₹134.96 |
| 15 Sep 2026 | ₹252.08 | ₹223.70 | ₹133.07 |
Portfolio overlap (same stocks held through more than one fund)
Some overlap is structural: SEBI defines large cap as the top 100 stocks by market capitalisation, so two large-cap funds are fishing the same pond by regulation. The bands below are measured per sleeve pairing rather than against one blanket threshold. How this is measured →
HDFC Defence Fund and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund share 0% of their equity book by weight.
| Metric | HDFC · Direct NAV ₹30.08 Very High risk ★★★★☆ | HDFC · Direct NAV ₹22.29 Very High risk ★★★★★ | Category median Sectoral/ Thematic · 255 funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| +19.59% | +25.31%Best in row | +2.69% | |
| +35.89%Best in row | +31.40% | +13.95% | |
| +39.74%Best in row | +31.40% | +12.99% | |
| +28.73%Best in row | +26.48% | — | |
| +40.36% | — | +17.19% | |
| Risk | |||
| 25.92% | 14.02%Best in row | 15.49% | |
| 1.13 | 1.78Best in row | 0.28 | |
| 1.56 | 2.54Best in row | 0.39 | |
| -34.54% | -14.91%Best in row | -23.03% | |
| +22.80%Best in row | +19.42% | +4.25% | |
| 1.63 | 0.71 | 0.97 | |
| 193.6%Best in row | 125.1% | 107.0% | |
| 105.5% | 24.9%Best in row | 91.2% | |
| 0.89%Best in row | 1.04% | 1.15% | |
| ₹9,371Cr | ₹2,282Cr | ₹1,160Cr | |
| ₹123 | ₹129 | — | |
| 11% | 42% | 42% | |
| 02 Jun 2023 | 04 Oct 2023 | — | |
| 24 | 37 | — | |
| 79.7% | 51.8% | — | |
| 1.9% | 0.5% | — | |
9 rows carry the same value for every fund — show
- 5Y return (CAGR)
- —
- 10Y return (CAGR)
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- 5Y rolling avg
- —
- 10Y rolling avg
- —
- Benchmark
- Nifty 500
- Exit load
- 1.00%
- Lock-in
- None
- Min SIP
- ₹100
- Manager
- Dhruv Muchhal
Best marks the strongest value in a row, and only where the gap is bigger than noise — a near-tie is left unmarked rather than dressed up as a result. SIP XIRR is a ₹10,000/month instalment over 5 years of real NAV history. Nothing here is supplied by a fund house. For research only — not investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
Which fund has delivered higher returns — HDFC Defence Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Over the last 3 years, HDFC Defence Fund returned +35.89% CAGR against HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund's +31.40%, computed from AMFI NAV history. Past returns don't guarantee future performance.
Which fund is cheaper — HDFC Defence Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Defence Fund has the lower expense ratio: HDFC Defence Fund charges 0.89% a year against HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund's 1.04%. The expense ratio is deducted from the NAV daily, so a lower one compounds in the investor's favour.
Which fund is riskier — HDFC Defence Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Defence Fund has shown higher volatility (+25.92% annualized vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund's +14.02%), measured as the annualized standard deviation of daily returns over the trailing 3 years. Worst 3-year drawdown: HDFC Defence Fund -34.54% vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund -14.91%.
Which fund manages more money — HDFC Defence Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Defence Fund is the larger fund: HDFC Defence Fund manages ₹9,371Cr against HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund's ₹2,282Cr in assets. Size cuts both ways — scale lowers costs, but a very large fund can find it harder to move in and out of positions.
Are HDFC Defence Fund and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund in the same category?
Yes — both are Sectoral/ Thematic schemes, so their returns, risk and cost are directly comparable against the same peer set.
Figures update daily from AMFI NAV history; ratings and ranks are WealthTicker’s own — see the methodology. This is data, not investment advice.