Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Direct Plan where a fund has one, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF is an ETF fund and Nippon India Small Cap Fund is a Small Cap fund. In the year to 30-10-2026, Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF returned −3.6% and Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct) returned −0.2%. Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF charges 0.58% a year and Nippon India Small Cap Fund 0.69%. Their portfolios overlap 28.8%: they hold 85 of the same securities.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF
ETF
- 1 year return
- −3.6%
- Expense ratio
- 0.58%
- NAV
- ₹16.84
Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Small Cap
- 1 year return
- −0.2%
- Expense ratio
- 0.69%
- NAV
- ₹192.76
Which is better, Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF or Nippon India Small Cap? 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 Small Cap returned more over 1 year: −0.2% against −3.6%.
- Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF costs less: 0.58% a year against 0.69%.
- Nippon India Small Cap fell less in its worst fall since 21-03-2024: −24.2% against −26.1%.
- Nippon India Small Cap holds more in large companies: 14.3% of the fund in large caps against 0.0%.
- Nippon India Small Cap is the larger fund: ₹80,906 Cr against ₹250 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 28.8%: 85 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 | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small Cap Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund | Nippon India Mutual Fund |
| Category | ETF | Small Cap |
| AUM | ₹250 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹80,906 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹16.84 | ₹192.76 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | Not available | 0.69% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | Not available | 1.41% |
| Riskometer | Very High | Very High |
| Benchmark | Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI | Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI |
| Launch date | 15-03-2024 | 16-09-2010 |
| Minimum investment | On the Exchange: As the Scheme would be listed on the exchange, the investor can buy units on an ongoing basis on NSE at the traded prices which may be close to the actual NAV of the Scheme. The units are purchased in round lots of 1 unit. Directly with t | Not available |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Swapnil Mayekar, Rakesh Shetty | Samir Rachh |
| Exit load | Nil | Exit load of 1% if redeemed within 1 year. |
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | −5.81% | −6.08% | +0.30% | −3.63% | -- | -- | -- |
| Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct) | −5.79% | −4.50% | +0.35% | −0.23% | +12.97% | +17.08% | +19.26% |
| Small Cap average | −5.86% | −3.28% | +5.03% | +3.00% | +14.03% | +14.51% | +16.19% |
Category average: the average of the 36 Small Cap funds, same plan type.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETFMotilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small CapNippon India Small Cap | Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +0.54% | +3.07% | +1.00% |
| 2025 | −5.74% | −4.02% | −5.48% |
| 2024 | -- | +27.06% | +27.21% |
| 2023 | -- | +50.17% | +49.09% |
| 2022 | -- | +7.53% | −2.64% |
| 2021 | -- | +75.87% | +63.34% |
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI, the benchmark of both
Rolling returns
Every 1-year holding period, 397 of them, one for each trading day from 21-03-2025 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.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF
Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct)
Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI
to
May 2025Aug 2024
to
Aug 2025Nov 2024
to
Nov 2025Mar 2025
to
Mar 2026Jun 2025
to
Jun 2026Sept 2025
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | 40.3 | 32.7 | 20.7 | 5.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2% | 1.2% | −12.1% | 15.5% | 1% |
| Nippon India Small Cap | 34.3 | 24.0 | 26.3 | 14.1 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0% | 3.3% | −9.6% | 16.1% | 77% |
| Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI | 38.0 | 32.5 | 20.9 | 7.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6% | 1.7% | −11.9% | 16.3% | -- |
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 Smallcap 250 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 21-03-2024. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap: 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 21-03-2024 to 30-10-2026: 32 instalments, ₹3,20,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETFMotilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | ₹3,20,000 | ₹3,24,450 | ₹4,450 | 1.0% |
| Nippon India Small CapNippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct) | ₹3,20,000 | ₹3,32,644 | ₹12,644 | 2.9% |
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETFMotilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF
Nippon India Small CapNippon India Small Cap 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.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | −3.63% | −0.23% |
| Standard deviation | 18.12% | 16.03% |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.49 | -0.34 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.66 | -0.46 |
| Maximum drawdown | −18.3% (23-03-2026) | −14.7% (31-03-2026) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.87 |
| Alpha | −0.47% | +1.81% |
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 | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +7.17% | +23.01% |
| Standard deviation | 19.15% | 17.11% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.07 | 0.99 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.09 | 1.32 |
| Maximum drawdown | −26.1% (03-03-2025) | −48.6% (24-03-2020) |
| Beta | 1.00 | -- |
| Alpha | −0.50% | -- |
From daily NAVs, 21-03-2024 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.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF
Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct)
Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | −26.1% | 23-09-2024 | 03-03-2025 | Not yet | -- | −9.7% |
| Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct) | −24.2% | 24-09-2024 | 03-03-2025 | 22-06-2026 | 16 months | −8.7% |
| Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI | −26.0% | 23-09-2024 | 03-03-2025 | 26-08-2026 | 18 months | −9.4% |
From daily values since 21-03-2024, 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.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF
Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct)
Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI
Against Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | 99% | 101% | 0.23% |
| Nippon India Small Cap Fund (Direct) | 91% | 84% | 4.02% |
From month-end values since 21-03-2024. 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.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF, September 2026; Nippon India Small Cap Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 28.8%
- Held by both
- 85
- Only in Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF
- 164
- Only in Nippon India Small Cap
- 171
| Security | % of Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | % of Nippon India Small Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Karur Vysya Bank Limited | 1.38% | 1.28% |
| Sai Life Sciences Limited | 0.95% | 1.24% |
| Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited | 0.86% | 0.97% |
| TD Power Systems Ltd | 0.80% | 1.88% |
| MTAR Technologies Limited | 0.76% | 0.92% |
| Craftsman Automation Limited | 0.71% | 0.77% |
| Gland Pharma Limited | 1.04% | 0.66% |
| PNB Housing Finance Limited | 0.95% | 0.66% |
| Carborundum Universal Limited | 0.65% | 0.63% |
| Kalpataru Projects International Limited | 0.70% | 0.62% |
| Navin Fluorine International Limited | 1.36% | 0.58% |
| Krishna Institute Of Medical Sciences Limited | 0.89% | 0.56% |
| Delhivery Limited | 1.11% | 0.53% |
| Asahi India Glass Limited | 0.52% | 0.60% |
| Timken India Limited | 0.51% | 0.54% |
| Sona BLW Precision Forgings Limited | 1.67% | 0.49% |
| Finolex Cables Limited | 0.49% | 0.54% |
| The Ramco Cements Limited | 0.48% | 0.53% |
| Sansera Engineering Limited | 0.90% | 0.47% |
| RBL Bank Limited | 1.12% | 0.45% |
| Poonawalla Fincorp Limited | 0.71% | 0.44% |
| AWL Agri Business Limited | 0.44% | 0.58% |
| Affle 3i Limited | 0.43% | 0.48% |
| KFin Technologies Limited | 0.50% | 0.41% |
| Central Depository Services (India) Limited | 1.01% | 0.40% |
| PVR INOX Limited | 0.40% | 0.50% |
| Acme Solar Holdings Ltd | 0.40% | 1.33% |
| Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Limited | 0.60% | 0.39% |
| City Union Bank Limited | 0.98% | 0.38% |
| Cyient Limited | 0.39% | 0.38% |
| Deepak Nitrite Limited | 0.47% | 0.35% |
| Pine Labs Limited | 0.43% | 0.34% |
| Balrampur Chini Mills Limited | 0.34% | 0.91% |
| Emami Limited | 0.34% | 0.79% |
| Aarti Industries Limited | 0.44% | 0.33% |
| PhysicsWallah Limited | 0.33% | 0.50% |
| Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited | 0.33% | 0.52% |
| eClerx Services Limited | 0.33% | 0.78% |
| Dr. Lal Path Labs Limited | 0.70% | 0.32% |
| Syngene International Limited | 0.31% | 0.60% |
| Paradeep Phosphates Limited | 0.30% | 0.75% |
| Whirlpool of India Limited | 0.30% | 0.88% |
| Kajaria Ceramics Limited | 0.45% | 0.29% |
| Belrise Industries Ltd. | 0.41% | 0.29% |
| Data Patterns (India) Limited | 0.58% | 0.28% |
| Jindal Saw Ltd | 0.29% | 0.26% |
| TBO Tek Limited | 0.26% | 0.71% |
| Castrol India Limited | 0.43% | 0.25% |
| Aditya Birla Real Estate Limited | 0.27% | 0.24% |
| Vardhman Textiles Limited | 0.24% | 0.56% |
| Lemon Tree Hotels Limited | 0.23% | 0.25% |
| CIE Automotive India Limited | 0.22% | 0.24% |
| Zydus Wellness Ltd | 0.22% | 1.09% |
| Kaynes Technology India Limited | 0.49% | 0.21% |
| PG Electroplast Limited | 0.36% | 0.21% |
| Chambal Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited | 0.27% | 0.21% |
| Kirloskar Brothers Limited | 0.20% | 0.99% |
| ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India Limited | 0.48% | 0.19% |
| CESC Limited | 0.38% | 0.19% |
| Sumitomo Chemical India Limited | 0.24% | 0.19% |
| Aavas Financiers Limited | 0.22% | 0.19% |
| Tejas Networks Limited | 0.18% | 0.30% |
| Elgi Equipments Limited | 0.59% | 0.17% |
| Brigade Enterprises Limited | 0.48% | 0.17% |
| KPIT Technologies Limited | 0.37% | 0.17% |
| Doms Industries Limited | 0.21% | 0.17% |
| Afcons Infrastructure Limited | 0.17% | 0.21% |
| Clean Science and Technology Limited | 0.17% | 0.30% |
| Allied Blenders And Distillers Limited | 0.17% | 0.37% |
| Computer Age Management Services Limited | 0.72% | 0.16% |
| CreditAccess Grameen Limited | 0.31% | 0.16% |
| UTI Asset Management Company Limited | 0.17% | 0.16% |
| JSW Cement Limited | 0.16% | 0.28% |
| Can Fin Homes Limited | 0.27% | 0.15% |
| Piramal Pharma Limited | 0.58% | 0.13% |
| Rainbow Childrens Medicare Limited | 0.29% | 0.13% |
| Zensar Technologies Limited | 0.22% | 0.13% |
| RITES Limited | 0.13% | 0.24% |
| Triveni Turbine Limited | 0.28% | 0.12% |
| Inox Wind Limited | 0.30% | 0.11% |
| RHI Magnesita India Limited | 0.11% | 0.21% |
| Birlasoft Limited | 0.20% | 0.10% |
| Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited | 0.10% | 0.65% |
| Urban Company Ltd | 0.25% | 0.09% |
| KEC International Limited | 0.22% | 0.07% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 28.8% means 28.8% 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 Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Welspun Corp Limited | 1.60% |
| Ather Energy Limited | 1.21% |
| Redington Limited | 1.08% |
| HFCL Limited | 1.04% |
| Sterlite Technologies Limited | 0.97% |
Largest holdings only in Nippon India Small Cap Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited | 1.77% |
| HDFC Bank Limited | 1.75% |
| Apar Industries Limited | 1.74% |
| Sundram Fasteners Limited | 1.20% |
| State Bank of India | 1.19% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 98.7% | 97.4% |
| Debt | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 1.3% | 2.6% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 0.0% | 14.3% |
| Mid Cap | 2.7% | 13.1% |
| Small Cap | 95.0% | 66.6% |
| Not on AMFI's list | 1.0% | 3.5% |
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 | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Equipment | 3.4% | 9.5% |
| Industrial Products | 8.7% | 6.8% |
| Auto Components | 8.4% | 7.7% |
| Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 7.8% | 5.4% |
| Finance | 7.6% | 4.0% |
| Banks | 5.1% | 7.6% |
| Chemicals & Petrochemicals | 5.7% | 5.0% |
| Consumer Durables | 2.8% | 5.4% |
| Capital Markets | 5.4% | 4.0% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF | Nippon India Small Cap Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | Not available | 0.69% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.00% | 0.53% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | Not available | 1.41% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 0.27% | 1.14% |
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
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF vs Nippon India Small Cap Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF and Nippon India Small Cap Fund?
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF is an ETF fund, Nippon India Small Cap Fund is a Small Cap fund, run by Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund and Nippon India Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 28.8%. Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF charges 0.58% a year and Nippon India Small Cap Fund 0.69%.
Which has given higher returns, Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF or Nippon India Small Cap Fund?
Over 1 year: Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF −3.63%, Nippon India Small Cap Fund −0.23%. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF or Nippon India Small Cap Fund?
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF charges less: 0.58% a year against 0.69%. These are the total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF and Nippon India Small Cap Fund overlap?
28.8%. They hold 85 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being KARURVYSYA, SAILIFE, KIRLOSENG. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF or Nippon India Small Cap Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF is rated Very High and Nippon India Small Cap Fund Very High. Over 1 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 18.12% and 16.03% a year.
Can I invest in both Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF and Nippon India Small Cap Fund?
Yes. 28.8% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so some of the two investments would move together.
Who manages Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF and Nippon India Small Cap Fund?
Motilal Oswal Nifty Smallcap 250 ETF: Swapnil Mayekar, Rakesh Shetty. Nippon India Small Cap Fund: Samir Rachh.
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.