Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund
Direct Plan where a fund has one, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF is an ETF fund and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund is a Thematic fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF returned 21.1% a year and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) returned 20.3% a year. Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF charges 0.45% a year and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund 0.89%. Their portfolios overlap 70.1%: they hold 19 of the same securities.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
ETF
- 3 year return
- 21.1%
- Expense ratio
- 0.45%
- NAV
- ₹167.35
ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund
Thematic
- 3 year return
- 20.3%
- Expense ratio
- 0.89%
- NAV
- ₹19.46
Which is better, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or ITI Pharma and Healthcare? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF returned more over 3 years: 21.1% a year against 20.3%.
- Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF returned more over 1 year: 11.1% against 9.4%.
- Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF costs less: 0.45% a year against 0.89%.
- ITI Pharma and Healthcare swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 14.2% a year against 14.7%.
- ITI Pharma and Healthcare fell less in its worst fall since 11-11-2021: −17.7% against −18.4%.
- Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF holds more in large companies: 47.8% of the fund in large caps against 35.9%.
- ITI Pharma and Healthcare is the larger fund: ₹266 Cr against ₹23 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 70.1%: 19 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Axis Mutual Fund | ITI Mutual Fund |
| Category | ETF | Thematic |
| AUM | ₹23 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹266 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹167.35 | ₹19.46 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | Not available | 0.89% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | Not available | 2.59% |
| Riskometer | Very High | Very High |
| Benchmark | NIFTY Healthcare TRI | NIFTY Healthcare TRI |
| Launch date | 17-05-2021 | 08-11-2021 |
| Minimum investment | 50000 (Units) | ₹5,000 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Nandik Malik, Rohit Gautam | Animesh Singh, Nilay Dalal |
| Exit load | N/A | Exit load of 0.50%, if redeemed within 3 months. |
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare: 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF | +1.90% | −1.58% | +10.36% | +11.09% | +21.10% | +14.16% | -- |
| ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | 0.00% | −1.04% | +11.74% | +9.43% | +20.30% | -- | -- |
| Thematic average | −2.09% | −4.52% | +0.86% | −1.22% | +13.76% | -- | -- |
Category average: the average of the 235 Thematic funds, same plan type.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETFAxis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and HealthcareITI Pharma and Healthcare | Nifty Healthcare Index TRI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +12.54% | +14.07% | +12.91% |
| 2025 | −1.84% | −8.24% | −1.50% |
| 2024 | +40.85% | +43.95% | +41.36% |
| 2023 | +33.48% | +34.39% | +33.99% |
| 2022 | −10.32% | −6.68% | −10.11% |
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty Healthcare Index TRI, the benchmark of both
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 494 of them, one for each trading day from 11-11-2024 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF
ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
to
Jan 2025May 2022
to
May 2025Sept 2022
to
Sept 2025Jan 2023
to
Jan 2026May 2023
to
May 2026Sept 2023
to
Sept 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 27.9 | 67.0 | 5.1 | 21.4% | 21.7% | 15.2% | 26.9% | 0% |
| ITI Pharma and Healthcare | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.0 | 79.8 | 6.2 | 21.7% | 21.4% | 17.3% | 26.9% | 49% |
| Nifty Healthcare Index TRI | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 24.7 | 67.8 | 7.5 | 21.8% | 22.2% | 15.6% | 27.3% | -- |
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 Healthcare Index 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 11-11-2021. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare: 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 01-11-2021 to 30-10-2026: 60 instalments, ₹6,00,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETFAxis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ₹6,00,000 | ₹9,17,316 | ₹3,17,316 | 17.0% |
| ITI Pharma and HealthcareITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | ₹6,00,000 | ₹9,07,480 | ₹3,07,480 | 16.6% |
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETFAxis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
ITI Pharma and HealthcareITI Pharma and Healthcare 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +11.09% | +9.43% |
| Standard deviation | 14.03% | 13.63% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.42 | 0.31 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.62 | 0.44 |
| Maximum drawdown | −9.2% (23-10-2026) | −11.7% (29-01-2026) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.91 |
| Alpha | −0.41% | −1.48% |
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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +21.10% | +20.30% |
| Standard deviation | 14.70% | 14.17% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.03 | 1.01 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.48 | 1.41 |
| Maximum drawdown | −15.7% (28-02-2025) | −17.1% (03-03-2025) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.90 |
| Alpha | −0.44% | +0.31% |
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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +13.53% | +14.34% |
| Standard deviation | 14.80% | 13.44% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.54 | 0.63 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.77 | 0.89 |
| Maximum drawdown | −20.7% (17-06-2022) | −17.7% (17-06-2022) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.84 |
| Alpha | −0.37% | +1.08% |
From daily NAVs, 21-05-2021 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF
ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | −18.4% | 31-12-2021 | 17-06-2022 | 30-06-2023 | 12 months | −3.0% |
| ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | −17.7% | 13-01-2022 | 17-06-2022 | 16-06-2023 | 12 months | −4.2% |
| Nifty Healthcare Index TRI | −18.3% | 31-12-2021 | 17-06-2022 | 30-06-2023 | 12 months | −2.9% |
From daily values since 11-11-2021, 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF
ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
Nifty Healthcare Index 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF
ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
Against Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | 99% | 101% | 0.05% |
| ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | 94% | 87% | 5.10% |
From month-end values since 11-11-2021. 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF, September 2026; ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 70.1%
- Held by both
- 19
- Only in Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
- 1
- Only in ITI Pharma and Healthcare
- 18
| Security | % of Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | % of ITI Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited | 17.00% | 11.96% |
| Divi's Laboratories Limited | 10.44% | 9.51% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited | 7.43% | 5.45% |
| Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited | 6.65% | 4.78% |
| Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited | 6.24% | 4.78% |
| Max Healthcare Institute Limited | 6.12% | 4.49% |
| Cipla Limited | 6.69% | 4.19% |
| Laurus Labs Limited | 6.82% | 4.02% |
| Aurobindo Pharma Limited | 4.08% | 4.01% |
| Fortis Healthcare Limited | 3.55% | 2.77% |
| Alkem Laboratories Limited | 2.75% | 3.09% |
| Mankind Pharma Limited | 2.51% | 3.78% |
| Lupin Limited | 4.36% | 2.04% |
| IPCA Laboratories Limited | 2.37% | 1.94% |
| Abbott India Limited | 1.25% | 2.14% |
| Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited | 3.11% | 1.13% |
| Gland Pharma Limited | 2.04% | 1.03% |
| Biocon Limited | 2.28% | 0.81% |
| Zydus Lifesciences Limited | 2.54% | 0.73% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 70.1% means 70.1% 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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Krishna Institute Of Medical Sciences Limited | 1.76% |
Largest holdings only in ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Cohance Lifesciences Limited | 3.14% |
| Neuland Laboratories Limited | 3.07% |
| Global Health Limited | 2.85% |
| Sai Life Sciences Limited | 1.87% |
| Shilpa Medicare Limited | 1.61% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 100.0% | 99.3% |
| Debt | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 0.0% | 0.7% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 47.8% | 35.9% |
| Mid Cap | 48.4% | 40.5% |
| Small Cap | 3.8% | 23.0% |
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 NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 81.1% | 74.8% |
| Healthcare Services | 18.9% | 20.9% |
| Healthcare Equipment & Supplies | 0.0% | 1.5% |
| Consumer Durables | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Chemicals & Petrochemicals | 0.0% | 0.9% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | Not available | 0.89% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.00% | 0.58% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | Not available | 2.59% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 0.33% | 2.10% |
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 ITI Pharma and Healthcare with
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF is an ETF fund, ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund is a Thematic fund, run by Axis Mutual Fund and ITI Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 70.1%. Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF charges 0.45% a year and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund 0.89%.
Which has given higher returns, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Over 1 year: Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF +11.09%, ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund +9.43%. Over 3 years: Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF +21.10% a year, ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund +20.30% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF charges less: 0.45% a year against 0.89%. These are the total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund overlap?
70.1%. They hold 19 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being SUNPHARMA, DIVISLAB, APOLLOHOSP. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF is rated Very High and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund Very High. Over 3 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 14.70% and 14.17% a year.
Which is better for SIP, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Over the last 3 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 03-10-2023 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹4,54,685 in Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF (XIRR 13.5% a year) and ₹4,46,688 in ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund (XIRR 12.3% a year). Both received 37 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Yes. 70.1% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.
Who manages Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF and ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF: Nandik Malik, Rohit Gautam. ITI Pharma and Healthcare Fund: Animesh Singh, Nilay Dalal.
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.