HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
This is the Direct plan of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund — bought from the fund house, with no distributor commission in its expense ratio. Income is retained in the fund, so it shows up as NAV rather than as a payout.
Performance
Scorecard
★★★★★5/5 vs 142 of 255 Sectoral/ Thematic peers- Performance 60%
- Risk 15%
- Cost 10%
- Downside 15%
How this is computed
Each verdict is computed from this fund's own metrics against its sub-category — the number behind it is shown, not a black-box rating. The stars weight the same ground 60/15/10/15 (performance/risk/cost/downside) across every fund in the peer group. Ranked within Sectoral/ Thematic (same plan and option). 142 of the 255 Sectoral/ Thematic funds in this cohort carry the full record the stars need, so they are the ones ranked against.
3Y CAGR +29.81% · ranks 3 of 142 Sectoral/ Thematic funds
Volatility 14.1% vs 15.7% category avg
1.0% expense vs 1.3% category avg
100% of rolling 3Y windows were positive
Strengths & concerns
Generated from this fund's own numbers against its sub-category — each point names the figure behind it.
Strengths
- Ahead of the Sectoral/ Thematic average on 1M/3M/6M/1Y — 1Y by 22.28pp
- 3-year return (+29.81%) beats the Sectoral/ Thematic average (+13.69%)
- Ranks #6 of 229 on 1-year return in its Sectoral/ Thematic cohort
- Stronger risk-adjusted returns — Sharpe 1.66 vs 0.44 Sectoral/ Thematic average
- Less volatile than its Sectoral/ Thematic peers (14.1% vs 15.7%)
Concerns
No significant concerns identified.
Key Metrics
Scheme Info
DefinitionsPeriod returns (<1Y, absolute — not annualized)
DefinitionsAnnualized returns (≥1Y — CAGR)
DefinitionsAdvanced metrics — risk and benchmark ratios
Fund vs category average (Sectoral/ Thematic)
| Period | Fund | Category avg. | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1M abs | -2.81% | -4.48% | +1.67% |
| 3M abs | +1.72% | -2.34% | +4.06% |
| 6M abs | +26.10% | +12.01% | +14.09% |
| 1Y CAGR | +25.57% | +3.29% | +22.28% |
| 3Y CAGR | +29.81% | +13.69% | +16.12% |
| 5Y CAGR | — | +12.04% | — |
Category average across peers in Sectoral/ Thematic (up to 255 funds with data), same plan and option, excluding this fund. Under-1-year figures are absolute; 1Y and beyond are annualised (CAGR).
Not sure what a figure means? The glossary explains every metric, and the methodology shows the formulas.
Category rank
Vs 255 peers in Sectoral/ Thematic
Backtest this fund
What a SIP or one-time investment would have grown to over this fund’s real NAV history.
36 monthly installments of ₹10,000 into HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund, valued at the latest NAV. XIRR annualizes for each installment’s timing.
Calendar-year returns
What the fund actually returned in each year, not the smoothed average.
| Year | Fund | Nifty 500 TRI | Diff | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026part | +23.01% | -7.18% | +30.19% | |
| 2025 | +2.42% | +7.94% | -5.52% | |
| 2024 | +52.22% | +16.43% | +35.79% | |
| 2023part | +13.96% | — | — |
January–December, from this fund's NAV history. Absolute return, not annualised. “part” marks a year the fund didn't run end to end — its first year, the current year so far, or one it stopped reporting in; those years show no benchmark comparison.
Taxation
Taxed as equityThis is an equity-oriented fund (≥65% in Indian equities), so gains get the concessional capital-gains rates below — they do not add to your income-tax slab.
Flat, on the whole gain
On gains above ₹1.25 L per financial year
Applies to capital gains on redemption. Excludes IDCW/dividend tax, STT, surcharge and cess, and pre-2018 equity grandfathering. For research only — consult a tax advisor before filing.
Asset allocation
As on 31 Aug 2026 · AMC disclosure- Equity98.42%
- Cash & Equivalents1.58%
Fund size over time
Quarterly average AUM · AMFIAt or near its largest, ₹2,282Cr in April - June 2026. Size matters most where the mandate is narrow — a large small-cap or a very large flexi-cap book is harder to move without moving the price.
Net flow is an estimate: AMFI publishes a quarterly average AUM, not a closing balance, and it covers every plan and option of this scheme together, so it is a read on direction and rough size rather than a cash-flow statement.
AMC Profile
HDFC Mutual Fund is run by HDFC Asset Management, part of the HDFC Bank group and listed on the exchanges since 2018. It has been in business since 1999, absorbed Zurich India's schemes in 2003, and is consistently among the two or three largest fund houses by assets.
Fund Managers
NMNikhil MathurManaging since 04 Oct 2023
GAGopal AgrawalManaging since 01 Sep 2026
• B.E., • MBM • B.E (Jadavpur University)
Collectively over 22 years experience in Fund Management and 2.5 years in Equity Research • July 9, 2020 till Date: HDFC Asset Management Company Limited • July 23, 2018 till June 30, 2020: DSP Investment Managers Private Limited Last Position Held: Senior Fund Manager and Head-Macro strategy • April 03, 2017 till July 16, 2018: TATA Asset Management Company Limited Last Position Held: CIO-Equity • October 01, 2007 till March 31, 2017: Mirae Asset Global Investments (India) Pvt. Ltd.. Last Position Held: CIO-Equity and Chief Strategist
BKBhagyesh KagalkarManaging since 26 Aug 2026
• B.E (Production) Collectively • MMS (Finance)
over 31 years experience in Equity Research, investments and Finance • January 3, 2007 till Date: HDFC Asset Management Company Limited
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Fund managers from the AMC's filed Scheme Summary — its most recent filing for this scheme. Benchmark and dealing terms from it and this scheme's SEBI-filed Scheme Information Document on AMFI. Each manager's qualifications and role are reconciled across every filing this fund house makes for them, including its Statement of Additional Information. Total AUM via AMFI.
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Returns and risk are computed from NAV history and may differ slightly from other portals due to methodology (rolling vs point-to-point, dividend treatment). For research only — not investment advice.
About Sectoral & Thematic funds
Sectoral and thematic funds must keep at least 80% in the equity of one sector (banking, pharma, technology) or one theme (consumption, manufacturing, ESG). That concentration is the point and the risk: with no mandate to diversify away from the sector, the fund rises and falls with it.
From the blog
Pharma and healthcare funds: all 17 are up over the year
02 Oct 2026
All 17 pharma and healthcare funds with a one-year record gained in the year to 1 October 2026; the median made 17.50%. Best, worst, 3 and 5-year returns.
Pharma and healthcare funds in June 2026: up 10% this year
19 Jun 2026
On 18 June 2026 the median healthcare fund was up 10.03% for 2026 while the Nifty 50 was down 7.57%. Returns over 1, 3 and 5 years against the Nifty Pharma.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NAV of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
As of 05 Oct 2026, the NAV of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is ₹21.78 per unit. NAV (net asset value) is the fund's per-unit price, published once each business day.
What returns has HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund delivered?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund has returned +25.57% over 1 year, +29.81% per year over 3 years and +29.73% per year since inception. Figures beyond one year are annualised (CAGR) and are computed from AMFI NAV history, so they may differ slightly from other portals.
What is the expense ratio of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund charges an expense ratio of 1.03% per year. This annual fee is already deducted from the NAV, so the returns you see are net of it.
What are the top holdings of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund's largest holdings are Divis Laboratories Ltd. (9.5%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (8.9%), Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (4.1%), Max Healthcare Institute Limited (4.1%) and Lupin Ltd. (4.0%). Holdings are disclosed monthly and change over time.
How risky is HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is rated very high on SEBI's risk-o-meter, its trailing-3Y volatility (annualised) is 14.1% and its worst peak-to-trough fall in our sample was -14.9%. Higher volatility means the NAV swings more; the drawdown shows how far it has fallen from a peak historically.
What does the Sharpe ratio of 1.66 mean?
The Sharpe ratio is return earned per unit of total risk, above a 6.5% risk-free rate. HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund's 1.66 means it has rewarded its volatility with excess return. Higher is better.
What is the benchmark of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is benchmarked against the BSE Healthcare Index (TRI). Its alpha and beta on this page are measured against that index.
Who manages HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is managed by Nikhil Mathur, Gopal Agrawal and Bhagyesh Kagalkar at HDFC.
How is HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund taxed?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is an equity-oriented fund, so its capital gains get concessional rates: short-term gains (units held under 1 year) are taxed at 20%, and long-term gains (held 1 year or more) at 12.5% above a ₹1.25 lakh per-year exemption. These rates apply on redemption and don't add to your income-tax slab.