Synopsis: This article lists the top 7 equity mutual funds that have delivered more than 30% returns in the past 3 years. It also includes NAV, AUM, expense ratio, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year returns, top holdings, benchmark index, and fund managers of each fund.
Several categories of equity mutual funds, especially those focused on PSU, small-cap, thematic, and international equity, have benefited from positive trends in various sectors and better market sentiment. As a result, a select group of equity mutual funds has achieved over 30% CAGR in the last three years, significantly outperforming the broader market indices. These funds took advantage of sectoral upswing, changes in valuation, and effective fund management strategies.
7 Top Performing Equity Mutual Funds in the Last Year (as of 12 Feb 2026)
1. Motilal Oswal BSE Enhanced Value Index Fund (3-Year CAGR: 36.16% )
- NAV: ₹30.07
- AUM: ₹1,454.07Cr
- Expense Ratio:0.36%
- 1-Year Return: 36.57%
- 3-Year Return: 148.4%
Motilal Oswal BSE Enhanced Value Index Fund uses the BSE Enhanced Value Total Return Index as its benchmark and is managed by Swapnil P Mayekar, Rakesh Shetty, and Dishant Mehta. Its top 3 holdings include State Bank of India, Hindalco Industries Ltd, and ONGC Ltd.
2. SBI PSU Fund (3-Year CAGR: 35.13% )
- NAV: ₹40.20
- AUM: ₹5,979.80Cr
- Expense Ratio:0.82%
- 5-Year CAGR:30.17%
- 1-Year Return: 32.10%
- 3-Year Return: 141.4%
- 5-Year Return: 268.2%
SBI PSU Fund uses the BSE PSU Total Return Index as its benchmark and is managed by Rohit Shimpi. Its top 3 holdings include State Bank of India, Bharat Electronics Ltd, and NTPC Ltd.
3. Invesco India PSU Equity Fund (3-Year CAGR: 33.36% )
- NAV: ₹81.12
- AUM: ₹1,491.71 Cr
- Expense Ratio:0.89%
- 5-Year CAGR: 28.38%
- 1-Year Return: 29.77%
- 3-Year Return:134.0%
- 5-Year Return:250.7%
Invesco India PSU Equity Fund uses the BSE PSU Total Return Index as its benchmark and is managed by Hiten Jain and Sagar Gandhi. Its top 3 holdings include State Bank of India, Bharat Electronics Ltd, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
4. Aditya Birla SL PSU Equity Fund (3-Year CAGR: 32.46%)
- NAV: ₹40.72
- AUM: ₹5,713.52 Cr
- Expense Ratio:0.59%
- 5-Year CAGR: 29.76%
- 1-Year Return: 30.76%
- 3-Year Return: 128.5%
- 5-Year Return: 263.7%
Aditya Birla SL PSU Equity Fund uses the BSE PSU Total Return Index as its benchmark and is managed by Dhaval Gala. Its top 3 holdings include State Bank of India, NTPC Ltd, and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.
5. Bandhan Small Cap Fund (3-Year CAGR: 31.80% )
- NAV: ₹51.00
- AUM: ₹19,266.54 Cr
- Expense Ratio:0.47%
- 5-Year CAGR: 25.55%
- 1-Year Return: 15.16%
- 3-Year Return: 127.0%
- 5-Year Return: 210.8%
Bandhan Small Cap Fund uses the BSE 250 SmallCap Total Index Return as its benchmark index and is managed by Manish Gunwani, Kirthi Jain, Ritika Behera and Gaurav Satra. Its top 3 holdings include Sobha Ltd, REC Ltd, and LT Foods Ltd.
6. Franklin India Opportunities Fund (3-Year CAGR:31.69%)
- NAV: ₹288.50
- AUM: ₹8,271.28 Cr
- Expense Ratio:0.57%
- 5-Year CAGR: 21.39%
- 1-Year Return: 15.94%
- 3-Year Return: 125.6%
- 5-Year Return: 161.6%
Franklin India Opportunities Fund uses the NIFTY 500 Total Return Index as its benchmark and is managed by Kiran Sebastian, Sandeep Manam, and R Janakiraman. Its top 3 holdings include Axis Bank Ltd, State Bank of India Ltd, and Amphenol Corp.
7. ICICI Pru PSU Equity Fund (3-Year CAGR: 31.56%)
- NAV: ₹ 23.60
- AUM: ₹1,924.01Cr
- Expense Ratio: 0.85%
- 1- Year Return: 24.93%
- 3-Year Return: 126.1%
ICICI Pru PSU Equity Fund uses the BSE PSU Total Return Index as its benchmark and is managed by Antariksha Banerjee. Its top 3 holdings include State Bank of India, NTPC Ltd, and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.
Who Should Choose These Funds?
These funds are ideal for investors who are comfortable with moderate to high risk to get long-term capital growth. Investors who can stay invested for 5-7 years and who can tolerate market fluctuations should consider these funds, as they have given inflation-beating high returns in the past 3 years. SIP investors who want to gain benefits from the rupee cost averaging during market volatility can also choose these funds.
Conclusion
While these returns show a strong market phase, investors should keep in mind that equity markets can be unpredictable and past performance may not always repeat. It is important to choose funds that match your risk tolerance, investment timeline, and overall portfolio mix. For long-term investors who can stay invested during market ups and downs, these equity mutual funds can be key to building wealth.
Written by Nila Maria Jacob
