DSP Healthcare Fund vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 29-10-2026
DSP Healthcare Fund is a Sectoral fund and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is a Thematic fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) returned 21.8% a year and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) returned 30.5% a year. DSP Healthcare Fund charges 0.76% a year and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund 1.05% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 35.1%: they hold 14 of the same securities.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
Thematic
- 3 year return
- 30.5%
- Expense ratio
- 1.05%
- NAV
- ₹21.95
Which is better, DSP Healthcare or HDFC 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.
- HDFC Pharma and Healthcare returned more over 3 years: 30.5% a year against 21.8%.
- HDFC Pharma and Healthcare returned more over 1 year: 23.1% against 15.4%.
- DSP Healthcare costs less: 0.76% a year against 1.05% (Direct plans).
- DSP Healthcare swung less over 3 years: a standard deviation of 12.6% a year against 14.1%.
- HDFC Pharma and Healthcare fell less in its worst fall since 04-10-2023: −14.9% against −16.1%.
- DSP Healthcare holds 9.3% of the fund in foreign stocks; HDFC Pharma and Healthcare 0.0%.
- DSP Healthcare is the larger fund: ₹3,750 Cr against ₹3,501 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 35.1%: 14 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 | DSP Healthcare Fund | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | DSP Mutual Fund | HDFC Mutual Fund |
| Category | Sectoral | Thematic |
| AUM | ₹3,750 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹3,501 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹50.24 (Direct) | ₹21.95 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 0.76% | 1.05% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 2.06% | 2.13% |
| Riskometer | Very High | Very High |
| Benchmark | BSE Healthcare TRI | BSE Healthcare TRI |
| Launch date | 30-11-2018 | 04-10-2023 |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 | ₹100 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Chirag Dagli | Nikhil Mathur, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar |
| Exit load | Exit load of 0.50% if redeemed within 1 month. | In respect of each purchase/switch-in of units, an Exit load of 1% is payable if units are redeemed /switched-out within 30 days from the date of allotment. No Exit Load is payable if units are redeemed / switched out after 30 days from the date of allotment. |
DSP Healthcare vs HDFC 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) | −1.61% | +1.18% | +16.73% | +15.40% | +21.77% | +16.26% | -- |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | +0.04% | +0.83% | +16.68% | +23.12% | +30.53% | -- | -- |
| Sectoral average | −1.70% | −4.49% | +2.30% | −0.58% | +15.61% | +14.51% | -- |
| Thematic average | −2.09% | −4.52% | +0.86% | −1.22% | +13.76% | -- | -- |
Category average: the average of the 20 Sectoral funds and the 235 Thematic funds, same plan type.
DSP Healthcare vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare: Year-wise Returns
| Year | DSPDSP Healthcare | HDFC Pharma andHDFC Pharma and Healthcare | BSE Healthcare TRI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +15.40% | +23.99% | +14.00% |
| 2025 | −4.55% | +2.42% | −2.72% |
| 2024 | +42.61% | +52.22% | +44.30% |
| 2023 | +36.80% | -- | +37.97% |
| 2022 | −6.50% | -- | −11.50% |
| 2021 | +25.11% | -- | +21.54% |
DSP Healthcare vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against BSE Healthcare TRI, the benchmark of both
Rolling returns
Every 1-year holding period, 494 of them, one for each trading day from 04-10-2024 to 29-10-2026: the yearly return (CAGR) of each, plotted on the day it ended. One lucky or unlucky start day cannot flatter or hide a fund.
DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct)
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
BSE Healthcare TRI
to
Dec 2024Apr 2024
to
Apr 2025Aug 2024
to
Aug 2025Dec 2024
to
Dec 2025May 2025
to
May 2026Aug 2025
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSP Healthcare | 22.3 | 10.1 | 8.7 | 19.8 | 20.4 | 2.0 | 16.6 | 14.4% | 12.7% | −7.6% | 60.9% | 31% |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare | 0.0 | 4.3 | 15.7 | 9.2 | 10.0 | 17.6 | 43.1 | 24.6% | 22.7% | 1.7% | 67.3% | 100% |
| BSE Healthcare TRI | 7.9 | 16.0 | 14.6 | 20.6 | 17.0 | 8.1 | 15.8 | 16.0% | 12.6% | −3.7% | 61.9% | -- |
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 BSE Healthcare 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 04-10-2023. Past returns do not promise future returns.
DSP Healthcare vs HDFC 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 03-10-2023 to 29-10-2026: 37 instalments, ₹3,70,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSP HealthcareDSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) | ₹3,70,000 | ₹4,63,217 | ₹93,217 | 14.8% |
| HDFC Pharma and HealthcareHDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | ₹3,70,000 | ₹5,26,145 | ₹1,56,145 | 23.6% |
DSP HealthcareDSP Healthcare Fund (Direct)
HDFC Pharma and HealthcareHDFC 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.
DSP Healthcare vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +15.40% | +23.12% |
| Standard deviation | 12.14% | 13.67% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.84 | 1.31 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.24 | 1.93 |
| Maximum drawdown | −10.5% (23-03-2026) | −9.8% (23-10-2026) |
| Beta | 0.73 | 0.95 |
| Alpha | +6.09% | +11.09% |
From daily NAVs, 29-10-2025 to 29-10-2026. 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 | DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +21.77% | +30.53% |
| Standard deviation | 12.56% | 14.09% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.25 | 1.74 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.77 | 2.49 |
| Maximum drawdown | −16.1% (07-04-2025) | −14.9% (28-02-2025) |
| Beta | 0.77 | 0.96 |
| Alpha | +2.89% | +8.23% |
From daily NAVs, 27-10-2023 to 29-10-2026. 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 | DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +22.57% | +29.32% |
| Standard deviation | 14.11% | 13.98% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.23 | 1.66 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.77 | 2.38 |
| Maximum drawdown | −21.7% (23-03-2020) | −14.9% (28-02-2025) |
| Beta | 0.77 | 0.95 |
| Alpha | +7.48% | +8.51% |
From daily NAVs, 03-12-2018 to 29-10-2026. 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.
DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct)
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
BSE Healthcare TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) | −16.1% | 07-01-2025 | 07-04-2025 | 04-06-2026 | 14 months | −2.8% |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | −14.9% | 02-01-2025 | 28-02-2025 | 04-07-2025 | 4 months | −4.1% |
| BSE Healthcare TRI | −16.2% | 02-01-2025 | 28-02-2025 | 29-07-2025 | 5 months | −3.8% |
From daily values since 04-10-2023, 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.
DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct)
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
BSE Healthcare 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.
DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct)
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
BSE Healthcare TRI
Against BSE Healthcare TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| DSP Healthcare Fund (Direct) | 90% | 81% | 6.07% |
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | 109% | 80% | 3.45% |
From month-end values since 04-10-2023. 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.
DSP Healthcare vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: DSP Healthcare Fund, September 2026; HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 35.1%
- Held by both
- 14
- Only in DSP Healthcare
- 13
- Only in HDFC Pharma and Healthcare
- 24
| Security | % of DSP Healthcare | % of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited | 7.44% | 8.28% |
| Alkem Laboratories Limited | 4.75% | 4.64% |
| Divi's Laboratories Limited | 4.17% | 9.39% |
| Cipla Limited | 7.18% | 4.15% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited | 6.07% | 3.69% |
| IPCA Laboratories Limited | 8.13% | 2.98% |
| Vijaya Diagnostic Centre Limited | 2.36% | 2.00% |
| Gland Pharma Limited | 6.15% | 1.78% |
| Sai Life Sciences Limited | 6.52% | 1.58% |
| Thyrocare Technologies Limited | 1.91% | 1.10% |
| Eris Lifesciences Limited | 0.72% | 0.92% |
| Jupiter Life Line Hospitals Limited | 0.35% | 1.68% |
| Cohance Lifesciences Limited | 3.79% | 0.32% |
| Laxmi Dental Limited | 0.14% | 0.35% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 35.1% means 35.1% 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 DSP Healthcare Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited | 3.18% |
| Kovai Medical Center And Hospital Limited | 2.83% |
| Pfizer Limited | 2.72% |
| Concord Biotech Limited | 2.70% |
| Procter & Gamble Health Limited | 2.36% |
Largest holdings only in HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. | 3.65% |
| Max Healthcare Institute Limited | 3.61% |
| Aster DM Quality Care Limited | 3.56% |
| Lupin Ltd. | 3.55% |
| Neuland Laboratories Limited | 3.24% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | DSP Healthcare | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 93.3% | 96.8% |
| Debt | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 6.7% | 3.2% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | DSP Healthcare | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 24.9% | 29.2% |
| Mid Cap | 14.2% | 30.1% |
| Small Cap | 42.7% | 32.5% |
| Foreign stocks | 9.3% | 0.0% |
| Not on AMFI's list | 2.2% | 5.0% |
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 | DSP Healthcare | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 65.8% | 71.3% |
| Healthcare Services | 17.8% | 22.1% |
| Healthcare Equipment & Supplies | 7.5% | 2.4% |
| Foreign Security | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| Insurance | 1.0% | 0.0% |
| Retailing | 0.0% | 1.0% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
DSP Healthcare vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | DSP Healthcare Fund | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 0.76% | 1.05% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.54% | 0.71% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 2.06% | 2.13% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.65% | 1.65% |
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 DSP Healthcare with
DSP Healthcare Fund vs HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between DSP Healthcare Fund and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
DSP Healthcare Fund is a Sectoral fund, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is a Thematic fund, run by DSP Mutual Fund and HDFC Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 35.1%. DSP Healthcare Fund charges 0.76% a year and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund 1.05%.
Which has given higher returns, DSP Healthcare Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Over 1 year: DSP Healthcare Fund +15.40%, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund +23.12%. Over 3 years: DSP Healthcare Fund +21.77% a year, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund +30.53% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, DSP Healthcare Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
DSP Healthcare Fund charges less: 0.76% a year against 1.05%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do DSP Healthcare Fund and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund overlap?
35.1%. They hold 14 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being SUNPHARMA, ALKEM, DIVISLAB. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, DSP Healthcare Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, DSP Healthcare Fund is rated Very High and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund Very High. Over 3 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 12.56% and 14.09% a year.
Which is better for SIP, DSP Healthcare Fund or HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Over the last 3 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 03-10-2023 to 29-10-2026 grew to ₹4,63,217 in DSP Healthcare Fund (XIRR 14.8% a year) and ₹5,26,145 in HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (XIRR 23.6% a year). Both received 37 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both DSP Healthcare Fund and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
Yes. 35.1% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages DSP Healthcare Fund and HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund?
DSP Healthcare Fund: Chirag Dagli. HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund: Nikhil Mathur, 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.