Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF
Direct Plan where a fund has one, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF is an ETF fund and Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF is a mutual fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF returned 21.1% a year and Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) returned 22.9% a year. Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF charges 0.45% a year and Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF 0.23%. Their portfolios overlap 81.1%: they hold 16 of the same securities.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
ETF
- 3 year return
- 21.1%
- Expense ratio
- 0.45%
- NAV
- ₹167.35
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF
- 3 year return
- 22.9%
- Expense ratio
- 0.23%
- NAV
- ₹27.89
Which is better, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF returned more over 5 years: 14.9% a year against 14.2%.
- Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF returned more over 3 years: 22.9% a year against 21.1%.
- Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF costs less: 0.23% a year against 0.45%.
- Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 14.7% a year against 15.1%.
- Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF fell less in its worst fall since 06-07-2021: −20.7% against −21.0%.
- Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF is the larger fund: ₹1,736 Cr against ₹23 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 81.1%: 16 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 | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Axis Mutual Fund | Nippon India Mutual Fund |
| Category | ETF | Not available |
| AUM | ₹23 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹1,736 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹167.35 | ₹27.89 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | Not available | 0.23% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | Not available | Not available |
| Riskometer | Very High | Not available |
| Benchmark | NIFTY Healthcare TRI | Not available |
| Launch date | 17-05-2021 | Not available |
| Minimum investment | 50000 (Units) | Not available |
| Lock in | None | Not available |
| Fund managers | Nandik Malik, Rohit Gautam | Not available |
| Exit load | N/A | Not available |
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: 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% | -- |
| Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) | +2.58% | +2.95% | +16.84% | +22.08% | +22.94% | +14.91% | -- |
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Axis NIFTY HealthcareAxis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | Nippon India Nifty PharmaNippon India Nifty Pharma ETF |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +12.54% | +19.82% |
| 2025 | −1.84% | −2.46% |
| 2024 | +40.85% | +39.59% |
| 2023 | +33.48% | +34.44% |
| 2022 | −10.32% | −10.86% |
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty Healthcare Index TRI, the benchmark of Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
Rolling returns
Every 3-year holding period, 581 of them, one for each trading day from 08-07-2024 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
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct)
Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
to
Sept 2024Feb 2022
to
Feb 2025Jun 2022
to
Jun 2025Nov 2022
to
Nov 2025Apr 2023
to
Apr 2026Aug 2023
to
Aug 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 | 2.2 | 36.5 | 57.0 | 4.3 | 20.7% | 21.1% | 13.4% | 26.9% | 0% |
| Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 39.6 | 52.2 | 4.4 | 20.3% | 20.5% | 12.3% | 27.7% | 24% |
| Nifty Healthcare Index TRI | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 33.7 | 57.7 | 6.4 | 21.1% | 21.5% | 13.8% | 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 06-07-2021. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: 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 01-07-2021 to 30-10-2026: 64 instalments, ₹6,40,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETFAxis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | ₹6,40,000 | ₹9,91,569 | ₹3,51,569 | 16.4% |
| Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETFNippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) | ₹6,40,000 | ₹10,43,720 | ₹4,03,720 | 18.4% |
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETFAxis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETFNippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (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 Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +11.09% | +22.08% |
| Standard deviation | 14.03% | 14.13% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.42 | 1.19 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.62 | 1.86 |
| Maximum drawdown | −9.2% (23-10-2026) | −7.5% (01-02-2026) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | −0.41% | −0.28% |
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 | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +21.10% | +22.94% |
| Standard deviation | 14.70% | 15.07% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.03 | 1.12 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.48 | 1.63 |
| Maximum drawdown | −15.7% (28-02-2025) | −16.6% (28-02-2025) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | −0.44% | −0.30% |
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 | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +14.16% | +14.91% |
| Standard deviation | 14.84% | 14.93% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.56 | 0.61 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.81 | 0.89 |
| Maximum drawdown | −18.4% (17-06-2022) | −17.7% (13-03-2023) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | −0.37% | −0.25% |
From daily NAVs, 29-10-2021 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.
| Measure | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +13.53% | +13.22% |
| Standard deviation | 14.80% | 15.07% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.54 | 0.50 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.77 | 0.72 |
| Maximum drawdown | −20.7% (17-06-2022) | −21.0% (13-03-2023) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Alpha | −0.37% | −0.26% |
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
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (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 | −20.7% | 03-09-2021 | 17-06-2022 | 20-07-2023 | 13 months | −3.0% |
| Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) | −21.0% | 04-10-2021 | 13-03-2023 | 27-07-2023 | 4 months | −0.3% |
| Nifty Healthcare Index TRI | −20.6% | 03-09-2021 | 17-06-2022 | 19-07-2023 | 13 months | −2.9% |
From daily values since 06-07-2021, 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
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (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
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct)
Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 5-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct)
Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
Against Nifty Healthcare Index TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | 99% | 101% | 0.06% |
| Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (Direct) | 94% | 89% | 4.11% |
From month-end values since 06-07-2021. 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 Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF, September 2026; Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 81.1%
- Held by both
- 16
- Only in Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF
- 4
- Only in Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF
- 4
| Security | % of Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | % of Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited | 17.00% | 19.50% |
| Divi's Laboratories Limited | 10.44% | 11.97% |
| Laurus Labs Limited | 6.82% | 7.82% |
| Cipla Limited | 6.69% | 7.68% |
| Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited | 6.65% | 7.62% |
| Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited | 6.24% | 7.16% |
| Lupin Limited | 4.36% | 5.00% |
| Aurobindo Pharma Limited | 4.08% | 4.69% |
| Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited | 3.11% | 3.56% |
| Alkem Laboratories Limited | 2.75% | 3.16% |
| Zydus Lifesciences Limited | 2.54% | 2.92% |
| Mankind Pharma Limited | 2.51% | 2.88% |
| IPCA Laboratories Limited | 2.37% | 2.71% |
| Biocon Limited | 2.28% | 2.62% |
| Gland Pharma Limited | 2.04% | 2.34% |
| Abbott India Limited | 1.25% | 1.43% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 81.1% means 81.1% 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 |
|---|---|
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited | 7.43% |
| Max Healthcare Institute Limited | 6.12% |
| Fortis Healthcare Limited | 3.55% |
| Krishna Institute Of Medical Sciences Limited | 1.76% |
Largest holdings only in Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Sai Life Sciences Limited | 2.14% |
| Wockhardt Limited | 1.77% |
| Ajanta Pharma Limited | 1.67% |
| Piramal Pharma Limited | 1.30% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 100.0% | 99.9% |
| Debt | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 47.8% | 46.3% |
| Mid Cap | 48.4% | 46.1% |
| Small Cap | 3.8% | 7.5% |
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 | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 81.1% | 99.9% |
| Healthcare Services | 18.9% | 0.0% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF | Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | Not available | 0.23% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.00% | 0.18% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 0.33% | 0.00% |
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.
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF vs Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF and Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF?
Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF is an ETF fund, Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF is a mutual fund, run by Axis Mutual Fund and Nippon India Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 81.1%. Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF charges 0.45% a year and Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF 0.23%.
Which has given higher returns, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF?
Over 1 year: Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF +11.09%, Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF +22.08%. Over 3 years: Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF +21.10% a year, Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF +22.94% a year. Over 5 years: Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF +14.16% a year, Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF +14.91% 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 Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF?
Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF charges less: 0.23% a year against 0.45%. These are the total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF and Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF overlap?
81.1%. They hold 16 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being SUNPHARMA, DIVISLAB, LAURUSLABS. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is better for SIP, Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF or Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF?
Over the last 5 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 01-10-2021 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹9,35,802 in Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF (XIRR 16.9% a year) and ₹9,85,731 in Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF (XIRR 19.0% a year). Both received 61 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both Axis NIFTY Healthcare ETF and Nippon India Nifty Pharma ETF?
Yes. 81.1% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.
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.