Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund vs HDFC Business Cycle Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund is an ELSS fund and HDFC Business Cycle Fund is a Thematic fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) returned 10.7% a year and HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) returned 10.8% a year. Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund charges 1.05% a year and HDFC Business Cycle Fund 1.16% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 32.5%: they hold 21 of the same securities.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund
ELSS
- 3 year return
- 10.7%
- Expense ratio
- 1.05%
- NAV
- ₹106.82
HDFC Business Cycle Fund
Thematic
- 3 year return
- 10.8%
- Expense ratio
- 1.16%
- NAV
- ₹15.18
Which is better, Axis ELSS- Tax Saver or HDFC Business Cycle? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- HDFC Business Cycle returned more over 3 years: 10.8% a year against 10.7%.
- HDFC Business Cycle returned more over 1 year: −3.4% against −4.5%.
- Axis ELSS- Tax Saver costs less: 1.05% a year against 1.16% (Direct plans).
- Axis ELSS- Tax Saver swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 13.3% a year against 13.9%.
- Axis ELSS- Tax Saver fell less in its worst fall since 30-11-2022: −16.5% against −18.0%.
- Axis ELSS- Tax Saver holds more in large companies: 68.0% of the fund in large caps against 36.4%.
- Axis ELSS- Tax Saver is the larger fund: ₹30,269 Cr against ₹2,646 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 32.5%: 21 of the same holdings.
Past returns do not promise future returns. This page is information, not investment advice.
Key facts
From each fund's scheme summary document and AMFI
| Fact | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund | HDFC Business Cycle Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Axis Mutual Fund | HDFC Mutual Fund |
| Category | ELSS | Thematic |
| AUM | ₹30,269 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹2,646 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹106.82 (Direct) | ₹15.18 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 1.05% | 1.16% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 1.76% | 2.14% |
| Riskometer | Very High | Very High |
| Benchmark | Nifty 500 TRI | Nifty 500 TRI |
| Launch date | 29-12-2009 | 30-11-2022 |
| Minimum investment | ₹500 | ₹100 |
| Lock in | 3 years | None |
| Fund managers | Shreyash Devalkar Mr. Ashish Naik | Amar Kalkundrikar, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar |
| Exit load | Nil | In respect of each purchase/switch-in of units, an Exit Load of 1.00% is payable if Units are redeemed/switched-out within 1 year from the date of allotment. No Exit Load is payable if Units are redeemed/ switched-out after 1 year from the date of allotment. In respect of Systematic Transactions such as SIP, Flex SIP, STP, Flex STP, Swing STP, Exit Load, if any, prevailing on the date of registration / enrolment shall be levied. |
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver vs HDFC Business Cycle: Returns Comparison
Returns as on 30-10-2026. Up to one year they are absolute returns. Longer periods are a rate per year.
| Fund | 1M | 3M | 6M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | +1.20% | −3.48% | +1.46% | −4.51% | +10.74% | +5.27% | +11.72% |
| HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) | −2.40% | −3.93% | +3.09% | −3.42% | +10.75% | -- | -- |
| ELSS average | −2.34% | −5.61% | −1.63% | −5.75% | +10.92% | +10.29% | +13.05% |
| Thematic average | −2.09% | −4.52% | +0.86% | −1.22% | +13.76% | -- | -- |
Category average: the average of the 50 ELSS funds and the 235 Thematic funds, same plan type.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver vs HDFC Business Cycle: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Axis ELSS- Tax SaverAxis ELSS- Tax Saver | HDFC Business CycleHDFC Business Cycle | Nifty 500 TRI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | −3.10% | −0.37% | −7.51% |
| 2025 | +5.15% | +2.68% | +7.76% |
| 2024 | +18.30% | +15.28% | +16.24% |
| 2023 | +22.89% | +29.85% | +26.91% |
| 2022 | −11.23% | -- | +4.25% |
| 2021 | +25.60% | -- | +31.60% |
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver vs HDFC Business Cycle: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty 500 TRI, the benchmark of both
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 229 of them, one for each trading day from 30-11-2025 to 30-10-2026: the yearly return (CAGR) of each, plotted on the day it ended. One lucky or unlucky start day cannot flatter or hide a fund.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
to
Dec 2025Feb 2023
to
Feb 2026Apr 2023
to
Apr 2026Jun 2023
to
Jun 2026Aug 2023
to
Aug 2026Oct 2023
to
Oct 2026
How the periods spread
| Fund | Below 0% | 0-5% | 5-10% | 10-15% | 15-20% | 20-25% | Above 25% | Mean | Median | Lowest | Highest | Beat benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis ELSS- Tax Saver | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.3 | 67.7 | 24.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.1% | 13.1% | 8.6% | 17.1% | 18% |
| HDFC Business Cycle | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 76.0 | 21.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.1% | 12.9% | 9.3% | 16.4% | 22% |
| Nifty 500 TRI | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.3 | 48.5 | 43.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.1% | 14.2% | 8.8% | 18.1% | -- |
The table shows the % of periods in each return band; a darker cell holds more of them. Lumpsum: the yearly rate (CAGR) from a period's first NAV to its last. SIP: the XIRR of the monthly instalments. The benchmark is Nifty 500 TRI, over the same periods. "Beat benchmark" counts the periods in which the fund did better. Every fund is measured over the days all of them have, from 30-11-2022. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver vs HDFC Business Cycle: SIP and Lumpsum Returns
What the same monthly or one-time investment would be worth in each fund today, from their own NAV history
Growth of an investment
₹10,000 on the first trading day of every month, from 01-11-2022 to 30-10-2026: 48 instalments, ₹4,80,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis ELSS- Tax SaverAxis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | ₹4,80,000 | ₹5,49,338 | ₹69,338 | 6.7% |
| HDFC Business CycleHDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) | ₹4,80,000 | ₹5,56,713 | ₹76,713 | 7.4% |
Axis ELSS- Tax SaverAxis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
HDFC Business CycleHDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct)
Amount invested
From each plan's published NAV (Growth option), over the same days. Return a year: XIRR for a SIP, CAGR for a lumpsum, shown for a year or more. It does not include exit load, stamp duty or tax. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver vs HDFC Business Cycle: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | −4.51% | −3.42% |
| Standard deviation | 14.43% | 15.04% |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.68 | -0.58 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.91 | -0.78 |
| Maximum drawdown | −14.1% (31-03-2026) | −16.6% (23-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Alpha | +2.66% | +3.78% |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2025 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +10.74% | +10.75% |
| Standard deviation | 13.35% | 13.88% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.35 | 0.34 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.49 | 0.46 |
| Maximum drawdown | −16.5% (28-02-2025) | −18.0% (23-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.90 | 0.93 |
| Alpha | +0.96% | +0.84% |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2023 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +15.25% | +11.21% |
| Standard deviation | 15.06% | 12.73% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.61 | 0.40 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.84 | 0.54 |
| Maximum drawdown | −33.5% (23-03-2020) | −18.0% (23-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.89 | 0.90 |
| Alpha | +3.18% | +2.08% |
From daily NAVs, 02-01-2013 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
Drawdowns
How far below its previous high each one was on every day: the falls an investor had to sit through. 0% means it was at a new high.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | −16.5% | 26-09-2024 | 28-02-2025 | Not yet | -- | −6.0% |
| HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) | −18.0% | 23-09-2024 | 23-03-2026 | 03-08-2026 | 4 months | −6.6% |
| Nifty 500 TRI | −18.6% | 26-09-2024 | 28-02-2025 | Not yet | -- | −8.8% |
From daily values since 30-11-2022, the first day every fund has.
Rolling standard deviation
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 1-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 3-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct)
HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct)
Nifty 500 TRI
Against Nifty 500 TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (Direct) | 96% | 93% | 5.15% |
| HDFC Business Cycle Fund (Direct) | 98% | 86% | 4.49% |
From month-end values since 30-11-2022. Up capture: a fund's average month when the benchmark rose, as % of the benchmark's; above 100% it gained more. Down capture: the same for months the benchmark fell; below 100% it fell less. Tracking error: how far the monthly returns strayed from the benchmark's, a year; an index fund aims near 0.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver vs HDFC Business Cycle: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund, September 2026; HDFC Business Cycle Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 32.5%
- Held by both
- 21
- Only in Axis ELSS- Tax Saver
- 50
- Only in HDFC Business Cycle
- 42
| Security | % of Axis ELSS- Tax Saver | % of HDFC Business Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| ICICI Bank Limited | 6.89% | 5.21% |
| Bharti Airtel Limited | 4.45% | 5.69% |
| HDFC Bank Limited | 6.09% | 3.24% |
| Eternal Limited | 3.35% | 2.86% |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited | 2.47% | 5.31% |
| Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd | 2.25% | 2.28% |
| Titan Company Limited | 1.88% | 4.46% |
| Vishal Mega Mart Limited | 1.22% | 2.52% |
| InterGlobe Aviation Limited | 1.46% | 1.16% |
| PB Fintech Limited | 1.22% | 0.98% |
| CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited | 1.63% | 0.88% |
| Fortis Healthcare Limited | 0.86% | 1.71% |
| Anthem Biosciences Limited | 0.83% | 3.78% |
| Mankind Pharma Limited | 0.76% | 1.37% |
| GE Vernova T&D India Limited | 0.76% | 1.20% |
| Sona BLW Precision Forgings Limited | 1.56% | 0.56% |
| Swiggy Limited | 0.54% | 1.93% |
| Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited | 0.51% | 0.54% |
| Axis Bank Limited | 2.73% | 0.46% |
| Dhoot Transmission Ltd | 0.33% | 0.65% |
| Indo-MIM Limited | 0.85% | 0.24% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 32.5% means 32.5% of each fund's money sits in positions the other also holds. Matched by ISIN. Cash and hedged positions are left out.
Largest holdings only in Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Bajaj Finance Limited | 3.35% |
| Divi's Laboratories Limited | 2.74% |
| Larsen & Toubro Limited | 2.70% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra Limited | 2.42% |
| Pidilite Industries Limited | 2.42% |
Largest holdings only in HDFC Business Cycle Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| PEARL GLOBAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED | 3.28% |
| Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions Limited | 2.38% |
| Indusind Bank Ltd. | 2.24% |
| Bajaj Auto Limited | 2.23% |
| Home First Finance Company India Ltd | 2.23% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver | HDFC Business Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 97.9% | 86.9% |
| Debt | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Cash and others | 2.1% | 12.0% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver | HDFC Business Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 68.0% | 36.4% |
| Mid Cap | 21.1% | 19.5% |
| Small Cap | 7.4% | 28.0% |
| Not on AMFI's list | 1.4% | 3.0% |
Share of the whole fund. Groups follow AMFI's latest list: Large Cap is the 100 largest companies, Mid Cap the next 150, Small Cap the rest.
Largest sectors
| Sector | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver | HDFC Business Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | 22.2% | 16.5% |
| Finance | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 7.7% | 7.4% |
| Retailing | 5.1% | 7.7% |
| Telecom - Services | 4.5% | 5.7% |
| Automobiles | 5.7% | 2.6% |
| IT - Software | 4.9% | 0.0% |
| Power | 0.4% | 4.8% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver vs HDFC Business Cycle: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund | HDFC Business Cycle Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 1.05% | 1.16% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.74% | 0.86% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 1.76% | 2.14% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.35% | 1.71% |
The expense ratio comes out of the fund's assets every day, so every return on this page is already after it. Base expense ratio: the fund house's own fee. The total adds brokerage, transaction costs, and levies with GST.
More comparisons
Each fund against the others of its category
Compare Axis ELSS- Tax Saver with
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund vs HDFC Business Cycle Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund and HDFC Business Cycle Fund?
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund is an ELSS fund, HDFC Business Cycle Fund is a Thematic fund, run by Axis Mutual Fund and HDFC Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 32.5%. Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund charges 1.05% a year and HDFC Business Cycle Fund 1.16%.
Which has given higher returns, Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund or HDFC Business Cycle Fund?
Over 1 year: Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund −4.51%, HDFC Business Cycle Fund −3.42%. Over 3 years: Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund +10.74% a year, HDFC Business Cycle Fund +10.75% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund or HDFC Business Cycle Fund?
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund charges less: 1.05% a year against 1.16%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund and HDFC Business Cycle Fund overlap?
32.5%. They hold 21 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being ICICIBANK, BHARTIARTL, HDFCBANK. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund or HDFC Business Cycle Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund is rated Very High and HDFC Business Cycle Fund Very High. Over 3 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 13.35% and 13.88% a year.
Which is better for SIP, Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund or HDFC Business Cycle Fund?
Over the last 3 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 03-10-2023 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹3,89,854 in Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund (XIRR 3.3% a year) and ₹3,93,771 in HDFC Business Cycle Fund (XIRR 4.0% a year). Both received 37 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund and HDFC Business Cycle Fund?
Yes. 32.5% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund and HDFC Business Cycle Fund?
Axis ELSS- Tax Saver Fund: Shreyash Devalkar Mr. Ashish Naik. HDFC Business Cycle Fund: Amar Kalkundrikar, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar.
Sources: NAV and expense ratio from AMFI. Holdings from each fund house's monthly portfolio statement. Fund facts from each scheme summary document.
This page is information, not investment advice. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme related documents carefully. Past returns do not promise future returns. Figures come from AMFI, NSE, BSE and each fund house's own documents.