Kotak Arbitrage Fund vs Samco Arbitrage Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Kotak Arbitrage Fund and Samco Arbitrage Fund are both Arbitrage funds. In the year to 30-10-2026, Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct) returned 6.8% and Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct) returned 5.2%. Kotak Arbitrage Fund charges 2.31% a year and Samco Arbitrage Fund 1.09% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 20.5%: they hold 17 of the same securities.
Which is better, Kotak Arbitrage or Samco Arbitrage? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- Kotak Arbitrage returned more over 1 year: 6.8% against 5.2%.
- Samco Arbitrage costs less: 1.09% a year against 2.31% (Direct plans).
- Kotak Arbitrage fell less in its worst fall since 29-11-2024: −0.5% against −0.6%.
- Samco Arbitrage holds more in large companies: 69.8% of the fund in large caps against 52.1%.
- Kotak Arbitrage is the larger fund: ₹75,275 Cr against ₹26 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 20.5%: 17 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 | Kotak Arbitrage Fund | Samco Arbitrage Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund | Samco Mutual Fund |
| Category | Arbitrage | Arbitrage |
| AUM | ₹75,275 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹26 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹43.60 (Direct) | ₹11.04 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 2.31% | 1.09% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 2.89% | 2.54% |
| Riskometer | Low | Low |
| Benchmark | Nifty 50 Arbitrage Index | Nifty 50 Arbitrage TRI |
| Launch date | 29-09-2005 | 27-11-2024 |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 | ₹5,000 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Hiten Shah | Umeshkumar Mehta, Nirali Bhansali, Dhawal Dhanani, Vishal Shinde, Manish Naiya |
| Exit load | Exit load of 0.25% if redeemed within 30 days | •0.25% If the investment is redeemed or switched out on or before 7 days from the date of allotment of units. • .No Exit Load will be charged if investment is redeemed or switched out after 7 days from the date of allotment of units. |
Kotak Arbitrage vs Samco Arbitrage: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | +0.55% | +1.55% | +3.29% | +6.75% | +7.43% | +6.98% | +6.46% |
| Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | +0.55% | +1.28% | +2.60% | +5.24% | -- | -- | -- |
| Arbitrage average | +0.56% | +1.52% | +3.20% | +6.62% | -- | -- | -- |
Category average: the average of the 39 Arbitrage funds, same plan type.
Kotak Arbitrage vs Samco Arbitrage: Year-wise Returns
| Year | KotakKotak Arbitrage | SamcoSamco Arbitrage |
|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +5.53% | +4.35% |
| 2025 | +7.06% | +5.27% |
| 2024 | +8.47% | -- |
| 2023 | +8.01% | -- |
| 2022 | +5.14% | -- |
| 2021 | +4.56% | -- |
Kotak Arbitrage vs Samco Arbitrage: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds
Rolling returns
Every 1-year holding period, 225 of them, one for each trading day from 01-12-2025 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.
Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct)
Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct)
to
Dec 2025Feb 2025
to
Feb 2026Apr 2025
to
Apr 2026Jun 2025
to
Jun 2026Aug 2025
to
Aug 2026Oct 2025
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kotak Arbitrage | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.8% | 6.7% | 6.2% | 7.2% |
| Samco Arbitrage | 0.0 | 14.2 | 85.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.2% | 5.2% | 4.8% | 5.6% |
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. Every fund is measured over the days all of them have, from 29-11-2024. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Kotak Arbitrage vs Samco Arbitrage: 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 04-11-2024 to 30-10-2026: 24 instalments, ₹2,40,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kotak ArbitrageKotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | ₹2,40,000 | ₹2,56,877 | ₹16,877 | 6.7% |
| Samco ArbitrageSamco Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | ₹2,40,000 | ₹2,52,933 | ₹12,933 | 5.2% |
Kotak ArbitrageKotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct)
Samco ArbitrageSamco Arbitrage 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.
Kotak Arbitrage vs Samco Arbitrage: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +6.75% | +5.24% |
| Standard deviation | 1.38% | 1.83% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.09 | -0.00 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.65 | -0.00 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.5% (06-08-2026) | −0.6% (06-08-2026) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
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 | Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +7.07% | +5.30% |
| Standard deviation | 1.02% | 1.56% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.00 | -0.20 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.52 | -0.29 |
| Maximum drawdown | −0.6% (03-06-2020) | −0.6% (06-08-2026) |
| Beta | -- | -- |
| Alpha | -- | -- |
From daily NAVs, 07-01-2013 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.
Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct)
Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct)
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | −0.5% | 03-08-2026 | 06-08-2026 | 24-08-2026 | 18 days | −0.0% |
| Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct) | −0.6% | 03-08-2026 | 06-08-2026 | 01-09-2026 | 26 days | −0.1% |
From daily values since 29-11-2024, 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.
Kotak Arbitrage Fund (Direct)
Samco Arbitrage Fund (Direct)
Kotak Arbitrage vs Samco Arbitrage: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Kotak Arbitrage Fund, September 2026; Samco Arbitrage Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 20.5%
- Held by both
- 17
- Only in Kotak Arbitrage
- 177
- Only in Samco Arbitrage
- 0
| Security | % of Kotak Arbitrage | % of Samco Arbitrage |
|---|---|---|
| RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LTD. | 3.06% | 7.08% |
| AXIS BANK LTD. | 2.94% | 3.83% |
| ICICI BANK LTD. | 4.17% | 2.85% |
| HDFC BANK LTD. | 2.03% | 7.80% |
| BHARTI AIRTEL LTD. | 1.45% | 9.32% |
| Hindalco Industries Ltd. | 1.31% | 2.03% |
| Vodafone Idea Ltd | 1.30% | 4.28% |
| BAJAJ FINANCE LTD. | 1.20% | 3.05% |
| ITC Ltd. | 0.85% | 3.49% |
| SHRIRAM FINANCE LIMITED | 0.59% | 4.06% |
| One 97 Communications Ltd | 0.57% | 7.02% |
| KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LTD. | 0.47% | 3.85% |
| Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. | 0.46% | 3.63% |
| Eicher Motors Ltd. | 0.40% | 3.58% |
| Inter Globe Aviation Ltd | 0.34% | 4.89% |
| HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd | 0.33% | 1.77% |
| TITAN COMPANY LTD. | 0.31% | 4.33% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 20.5% means 20.5% 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 Kotak Arbitrage Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Kotak Money Market Fund Direct Growth | 9.78% |
| Kotak Savings Fund Direct Growth | 4.98% |
| Kotak Ultra Short to Short Term Fund | 3.86% |
| Kotak Liquid Direct Growth | 3.13% |
| HDFC BANK LTD. | 1.94% |
Largest holdings only in Samco Arbitrage Fund
Every holding of this fund is also held by the other.
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Kotak Arbitrage | Samco Arbitrage |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 71.1% | 76.9% |
| Debt | 5.8% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 23.1% | 23.1% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | Kotak Arbitrage | Samco Arbitrage |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 52.1% | 69.8% |
| Mid Cap | 16.4% | 7.0% |
| Small Cap | 2.6% | 0.0% |
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 | Kotak Arbitrage | Samco Arbitrage |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | 14.4% | 18.3% |
| Telecom - Services | 3.4% | 13.6% |
| Automobiles | 3.4% | 7.2% |
| Finance | 5.7% | 7.1% |
| Petroleum Products | 4.6% | 7.1% |
| Financial Technology (Fintech) | 1.2% | 7.0% |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology | 4.2% | 0.0% |
| Power | 3.9% | 0.0% |
| IT - Software | 3.8% | 0.0% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
Kotak Arbitrage vs Samco Arbitrage: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Kotak Arbitrage Fund | Samco Arbitrage Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 2.31% | 1.09% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.33% | 0.32% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 2.89% | 2.54% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 0.83% | 1.55% |
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 Kotak Arbitrage with
Kotak Arbitrage Fund vs Samco Arbitrage Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Kotak Arbitrage Fund and Samco Arbitrage Fund?
Both are Arbitrage funds, run by Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund and Samco Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 20.5%. Kotak Arbitrage Fund charges 2.31% a year and Samco Arbitrage Fund 1.09%.
Which has given higher returns, Kotak Arbitrage Fund or Samco Arbitrage Fund?
Over 1 year: Kotak Arbitrage Fund +6.75%, Samco Arbitrage Fund +5.24%. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, Kotak Arbitrage Fund or Samco Arbitrage Fund?
Samco Arbitrage Fund charges less: 1.09% a year against 2.31%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Kotak Arbitrage Fund and Samco Arbitrage Fund overlap?
20.5%. They hold 17 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being RELIANCE, AXISBANK, ICICIBANK. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, Kotak Arbitrage Fund or Samco Arbitrage Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, Kotak Arbitrage Fund is rated Low and Samco Arbitrage Fund Low. Over 1 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 1.38% and 1.83% a year.
Can I invest in both Kotak Arbitrage Fund and Samco Arbitrage Fund?
Yes. 20.5% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages Kotak Arbitrage Fund and Samco Arbitrage Fund?
Kotak Arbitrage Fund: Hiten Shah. Samco Arbitrage Fund: Umeshkumar Mehta, Nirali Bhansali, Dhawal Dhanani, Vishal Shinde, Manish Naiya.
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.