Prior to investing in a mutual fund, it is vital to examine the past returns of one scheme and compare the same with similar schemes in the same category.
Past returns typically give an indication of how the scheme has performed in the past, which, some believe, sets the tone of future performance.
Importantly, comparing the scheme of one category with another scheme in a different category is equivalent to comparing apples with oranges. This is why we handpick one category of mutual fund schemes – focused mutual funds – and list out thetop performing schemes within this category based on past five-year returns.
At the outset, let us first explain what exactly focused mutual funds are. These are equity mutual funds which are focused on the number of stocks (with a maximum cap of 30) with at least 65 percent allocation to equity & equity-related instruments.
The latestAMFI(Association of Mutual Funds in India) data shows that there are 28 focused mutual funds with total assets under management (AUM) of ₹1,62,172 crore as on June 30, 2025. Based on the size of assets, this is the second least popular category, more popular than dividend yield funds, which have a total AUM of ₹33,161 crore.
Top-performing funds
We list out six top-performingfocused mutual funds which have delivered over 20 percent annualised return in the past five years.
These schemes are 360 one-focused funds, Franklin India Focused Equity Fund, HDFC Focused Fund, ICICI Prudential Focused Equity Fund, Nippon India Focused Fund, and Quant Focused Fund.
(Source: AMFI; regular returns as on August 6)
As one can see in the table above,HDFC Focused Fund andICICI Prudential Focused Equity Fund delivered the highest returns.
However, it is important to note that the past returns are historical and are meant to be considered for reference only. They are not a precursor to future returns. In other words, just because a scheme has delivered exceptional returns in the past, it does not mean that it will perform in a similar fashion in the future as well. And vice versa is also true.
Note: This story is for informational purposes only. Please speak to a SEBI-registered investment advisor before making any investment-related decision.