Mutual Fund in Focus - Axis Long Term Equity

Axis Long Term Equity
The fund has a three-year annualised return of 12.58%, compared with the benchmark's 1.97%.

FUND FACTS
INCEPTION: January 2010
CATEGORY: Equity Tax Planning
TYPE: Open-ended
AUM: Rs 755.32 crore
BENCHMARK INDEX: S&P BSE 200

WHAT IT COSTS
NAV: Rs 16.78 (G), Rs 13.38 (D)
MIN INVESTMENT: Rs 500
MIN SIP AMOUNT: Rs 1,000
EXPENSE RATIO: 2.84%
EXIT LOAD: NA

WHY INVEST IN IT?
Axis Long Term Equity is flexible on market capitalisation, with a substantial 45% of the portfolio in small-cap and mid-cap stocks. The objective is to find growth stocks to generate extra returns. The fund doesn't have any bias based on sector or market capitalisation. It started off with good performances in its first two years. It returned 16.5% in 2013, 10% over the category average. The fund's trailing four-year return of 14.8% is substantially higher than the category average of 5.23%. Attributes such as flexibility in picking stocks, downside protection in tough markets and its record in outperforming peers make it ideal for investor's looking for growth through equity.

MEET THE FUND MANAGER
Jinesh Gopani has been the fund manager since April 2011. He has also worked with Birla Sun Life AMC as portfolio manager (2008-2009), with Voyager India Capital as a research analyst and portfolio manager (2006-2008), with Emkay Shares & Stock Brokers as a research analyst (2002-2006) and with Networth Stock Broking.

(Data and analysis of the fund have been sourced from Value Research)