HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund vs ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is a Thematic fund and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund is a Thematic fund. In the 3 years to 30-10-2026, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) returned 30.5% a year and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) returned 18.0% a year. HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund charges 1.05% a year and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund 1.24% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 11.6%: they hold 10 of the same securities.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
Thematic
- 3 year return
- 30.5%
- Expense ratio
- 1.05%
- NAV
- ₹21.95
ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund
Thematic
- 3 year return
- 18.0%
- Expense ratio
- 1.24%
- NAV
- ₹19.09
Which is better, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare or ICICI Prudential Innovation? 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 18.0%.
- HDFC Pharma and Healthcare returned more over 1 year: 23.1% against −3.6%.
- HDFC Pharma and Healthcare costs less: 1.05% a year against 1.24% (Direct plans).
- ICICI Prudential Innovation 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 −16.5%.
- ICICI Prudential Innovation is the larger fund: ₹7,549 Cr against ₹3,501 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 11.6%: 10 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 | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund | ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | HDFC Mutual Fund | ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund |
| Category | Thematic | Thematic |
| AUM | ₹3,501 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹7,549 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹21.95 (Direct) | ₹19.09 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 1.05% | 1.24% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 2.13% | 2.18% |
| Riskometer | Very High | Not available |
| Benchmark | BSE Healthcare TRI | Nifty 500 TRI |
| Launch date | 04-10-2023 | 28-04-2023 |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 | ₹5,000 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Nikhil Mathur, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar | Vaibhav Dusad |
| Exit load | 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. | Exit load of 1%, if redeemed within 1 month. |
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare vs ICICI Prudential Innovation: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | +0.04% | +0.83% | +16.68% | +23.12% | +30.53% | -- | -- |
| ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) | −1.60% | −5.59% | +1.92% | −3.63% | +17.96% | -- | -- |
| Thematic average | −2.09% | −4.52% | +0.86% | −1.22% | +13.76% | -- | -- |
Category average: the average of the 235 Thematic funds, same plan type.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare vs ICICI Prudential Innovation: Year-wise Returns
| Year | HDFC Pharma and HealthcareHDFC Pharma and Healthcare | ICICI Prudential InnovationICICI Prudential Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +23.99% | −3.97% |
| 2025 | +2.42% | +12.00% |
| 2024 | +52.22% | +30.13% |
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare vs ICICI Prudential Innovation: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against BSE Healthcare TRI, the benchmark of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
Rolling returns
Every 1-year holding period, 510 of them, one for each trading day from 04-10-2024 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.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Innovation 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| ICICI Prudential Innovation | 2.7 | 22.2 | 28.6 | 25.7 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 13.5 | 13.1% | 9.3% | −5.5% | 59.3% | 31% |
| BSE Healthcare TRI | 7.8 | 15.9 | 14.3 | 20.8 | 17.1 | 8.0 | 16.1 | 16.1% | 12.7% | −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.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare vs ICICI Prudential Innovation: 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 04-10-2023 to 30-10-2026: 37 instalments, ₹3,70,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Pharma and HealthcareHDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | ₹3,70,000 | ₹5,26,145 | ₹1,56,145 | 23.6% |
| ICICI Prudential InnovationICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) | ₹3,70,000 | ₹4,12,099 | ₹42,099 | 7.0% |
HDFC Pharma and HealthcareHDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential InnovationICICI Prudential Innovation 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.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare vs ICICI Prudential Innovation: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +23.12% | −3.63% |
| Standard deviation | 13.67% | 13.49% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.31 | -0.66 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.93 | -0.88 |
| Maximum drawdown | −9.8% (23-10-2026) | −15.5% (30-03-2026) |
| Beta | 0.95 | 0.88 |
| Alpha | +11.09% | +2.21% |
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 | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +30.53% | +17.96% |
| Standard deviation | 14.09% | 12.62% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.74 | 0.95 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.49 | 1.31 |
| Maximum drawdown | −14.9% (28-02-2025) | −16.5% (28-02-2025) |
| Beta | 0.96 | 0.83 |
| Alpha | +8.23% | +8.45% |
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 | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +29.32% | +20.18% |
| Standard deviation | 13.98% | 12.02% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.66 | 1.17 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.38 | 1.63 |
| Maximum drawdown | −14.9% (28-02-2025) | −16.5% (28-02-2025) |
| Beta | 0.95 | 0.83 |
| Alpha | +8.51% | +9.25% |
From daily NAVs, 04-10-2023 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.
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.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct)
BSE Healthcare TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | −14.9% | 02-01-2025 | 28-02-2025 | 04-07-2025 | 4 months | −4.1% |
| ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) | −16.5% | 27-09-2024 | 28-02-2025 | 20-08-2025 | 6 months | −7.5% |
| 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.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Innovation 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.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct)
ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct)
BSE Healthcare TRI
Against BSE Healthcare TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (Direct) | 109% | 80% | 3.45% |
| ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (Direct) | 76% | 68% | 11.49% |
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.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare vs ICICI Prudential Innovation: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund, September 2026; ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 11.6%
- Held by both
- 10
- Only in HDFC Pharma and Healthcare
- 28
- Only in ICICI Prudential Innovation
- 71
| Security | % of HDFC Pharma and Healthcare | % of ICICI Prudential Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd. | 3.19% | 2.11% |
| Divis Laboratories Ltd. | 9.39% | 1.92% |
| Vijaya Diagnostic Centre Limited | 2.00% | 1.88% |
| Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. | 3.69% | 1.67% |
| Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | 8.28% | 1.19% |
| Biocon Ltd. | 1.47% | 1.09% |
| Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. | 1.10% | 0.71% |
| Max Healthcare Institute Limited | 3.61% | 0.68% |
| Cohance Lifesciences Limited | 0.32% | 0.87% |
| SYMBIOTEC PHARMALAB LIMITED | 1.36% | 0.08% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 11.6% means 11.6% 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 HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Alkem Laboratories Ltd. | 4.64% |
| Cipla Ltd. | 4.15% |
| Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. | 3.65% |
| Aster DM Quality Care Limited | 3.56% |
| Lupin Ltd. | 3.55% |
Largest holdings only in ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| ICICI Bank Ltd. | 4.73% |
| Eternal Ltd. | 3.97% |
| Axis Bank Ltd. | 2.88% |
| Bharti Hexacom Ltd. | 2.72% |
| Cummins India Ltd. | 2.38% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare | ICICI Prudential Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 96.8% | 94.8% |
| Debt | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Cash and others | 3.2% | 4.5% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare | ICICI Prudential Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 29.2% | 34.4% |
| Mid Cap | 30.1% | 28.1% |
| Small Cap | 32.5% | 31.4% |
| Not on AMFI's list | 5.0% | 0.9% |
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 | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare | ICICI Prudential Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 71.3% | 7.9% |
| Healthcare Services | 22.1% | 8.4% |
| Retailing | 1.0% | 10.8% |
| Banks | 0.0% | 8.2% |
| It - Software | 0.0% | 7.5% |
| Automobiles | 0.0% | 7.4% |
| Healthcare Equipment & Supplies | 2.4% | 0.0% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare vs ICICI Prudential Innovation: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund | ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 1.05% | 1.24% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.71% | 0.71% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 2.13% | 2.18% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 1.65% | 1.54% |
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 HDFC Pharma and Healthcare with
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund vs ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund is a Thematic fund, ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund is a Thematic fund, run by HDFC Mutual Fund and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 11.6%. HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund charges 1.05% a year and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund 1.24%.
Which has given higher returns, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund or ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund?
Over 1 year: HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund +23.12%, ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund −3.63%. Over 3 years: HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund +30.53% a year, ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund +17.96% a year. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund or ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund charges less: 1.05% a year against 1.24%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund overlap?
11.6%. They hold 10 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being DRREDDY, DIVISLAB, VIJAYA. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is better for SIP, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund or ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund?
Over the last 3 years, a monthly SIP of ₹10,000 from 04-10-2023 to 30-10-2026 grew to ₹5,26,145 in HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund (XIRR 23.6% a year) and ₹4,12,099 in ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund (XIRR 7.0% a year). Both received 37 instalments. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Can I invest in both HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund?
Yes. 11.6% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund and ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund?
HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund: Nikhil Mathur, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar. ICICI Prudential Innovation Fund: Vaibhav Dusad.
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.