Top 5 mutual funds with highest 5-year returns: Here’s how their strategies differ

Equity invest primarily in stocks across large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap segments, spanning different sectors and industries. Several funds have delivered strong returns over the past five years, even through periods of market uncertainty and fluctuations.

So, let’s take a look at the top five performing diversified equity funds.

Top 5 diversified equity mutual funds with the highest long-term returns

Fund Name 5-Year Returns
Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund 22.88%
Invesco India Smallcap Fund 22.16%
Invesco India Mid Cap Fund 21.94%
Bandhan Small Cap Fund 29.54%
Nippon India Growth Mid Cap Fund 21.56%

*CAGR Returns as on 25 June, 2026, Direct Plans, Source: Value Research, Excluding Sectoral Funds

If you had invested 1 lakh as a lump sum in the Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund, your investment would have grown to approximately 2.8 lakh over the last five years, reflecting its long-term growth potential.

Based on this data, it is clear that mid-cap and small-cap funds dominate the list, highlighting their strong return potential despite higher volatility.

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How these top 5 funds differ?

A closer look at the top-performing diversified equity mutual funds reveals a clear pattern of differentiated strategy.



Motilal Oswal Mid Cap Fund

This mid-cap fund has highly concentrated mid-cap positioning, with 80.86% allocation to mid-cap stocks. Large-cap exposure is 19.14% with no small-cap holdings. The fund remains invested in equities at 93.37%, with 6.63% in cash holdings.

Its portfolio tilts towards , , and .

Invesco India Smallcap Fund

With 66.45% exposure to small-cap stocks, it clearly prioritizes early-stage and high-growth companies.

The fund is also nearly fully invested in equities at 98.91%, leaving very little in cash at 1.09%. Its top 3 holdings include , , and .

Invesco India Mid Cap Fund

This mid-cap fund presents a relatively more balanced structure within the mid-cap category.

While mid-caps still dominate at 64.90%, the fund maintains a more diversified cap mix with 18.14% in large caps and 16.96% in small caps, making it less concentrated than the Motilal Oswal Mid Cap Fund. Key holdings of this fund are , , and .

Bandhan Small Cap Fund

Bandhan Small Cap Fund combines aggressive small-cap positioning with a slightly more defensive structural buffer.

While 77.12% of assets are in small-cap stocks, the fund also maintains a comparatively higher 10.12% cash allocation. Its top holdings are , REC, and .

Nippon India Growth Mid Cap Fund

This mid-cap fund reflects a more balanced mid-cap strategy compared to the highly concentrated Motilal Oswal approach.

With 68.50% allocation to mid-caps, it maintains a stronger presence in large-cap stocks at 21.09%, and a smaller but notable 10.41% exposure to small caps. Its near-complete equity allocation of 99.01% signals higher market participation. The top holdings include , , and .

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Disclaimer: This is purely for educational/ informational purposes and should not be taken as any investment advice. Always consult a SEBI-registered advisor before making any investment decisions.

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