How to Read a Mutual Fund Factsheet and Actually Understand It

A simple guide for Indian investors who want to make informed decisions

Let’s be honest—mutual fund factsheets can look intimidating. For a beginner, they might seem like a mix of finance jargon, complicated graphs, and random numbers. But here’s the good news: once you understand a few key terms and what to look for, a mutual fund factsheet becomes one of your best tools for making smart investment decisions.

Here’s a clear, no-nonsense breakdown—using facts, quotes, and real insights—to help you read a mutual fund factsheet with confidence.

Reading a mutual fund factsheet may feel like homework, but it’s one of the smartest things you can do for your financial future. Focus on:

Performance relative to benchmarks
Diversification
Expense ratio
Fund manager’s experience
Risk vs reward

If you take 15 minutes a month to read factsheets of your investments, you’ll likely avoid poor choices—and compound wealth faster.

As John Bogle, founder of Vanguard, put it:
“Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. Take facts seriously.”

And factsheets? That’s where the facts live.

1. What is a Mutual Fund Factsheet?

A mutual fund factsheet is a monthly or quarterly summary that tells you everything you need to know about a fund’s strategy, performance, holdings, and costs. It’s like a report card for how your money is being managed.

Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss AMC, once said, “An investor’s best weapon is not luck or timing, but understanding. Factsheets are where transparency lives.”

2. NAV (Net Asset Value)

NAV stands for Net Asset Value—essentially, the per-unit price of a mutual fund. It’s calculated by dividing the total value of the fund’s assets minus liabilities by the number of outstanding units.

If a fund manages ₹100 crore and has 10 crore units, its NAV is ₹10.

It’s important to remember that a low NAV doesn’t mean the fund is cheap or better. What really matters is performance over time, not where it started.

3. Expense Ratio

This is the percentage of your investment charged annually by the fund house to manage your money.

For example, if you invest ₹1,00,000 in a fund with a 1.5% expense ratio, you’re paying ₹1,500 a year in fees.

According to AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India), a lower expense ratio—especially in index or passive funds—can significantly boost your returns over a long investment horizon. In actively managed funds, anything under 2% is acceptable.

4. Fund Manager’s Track Record

The factsheet will include the name and tenure of the fund manager. This matters more than most people think.

Consider Prashant Jain, former CIO of HDFC Mutual Fund, whose consistent performance over two decades made his funds household names. A long-tenured manager with a history of outperforming the benchmark is a green flag.

Check how long the fund manager has been with the scheme and how their decisions have impacted returns during market cycles.

5. Portfolio Mix

This section tells you where the fund is investing: in large-cap, mid-cap, or small-cap stocks; in government or corporate bonds; or in specific sectors.

Look at the top holdings and sector allocation. If a fund is heavily skewed toward one sector—like banking or IT—it’s more exposed to industry-specific risks.

A well-diversified fund across multiple sectors and asset types helps reduce volatility.

In 2023, Axis Bluechip Fund had nearly 35% in financials. While that brought strong returns during the banking rally, it also meant higher risk when the sector underperformed.

6. Performance Over Time

Factsheets display returns over 1, 3, 5 years, and since inception, compared to a benchmark like the Nifty 50 or Sensex.

Focus on CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) rather than point-to-point returns. It smooths out short-term market noise and shows how the fund has grown annually.

If a fund has delivered 14% CAGR over five years compared to the benchmark’s 12%, it’s a positive sign.

But don’t chase just past performance. As the disclaimer says: “Past performance is not indicative of future returns.”

7. Risk Ratios

Factsheets include technical terms like:

Standard Deviation: Indicates how much returns vary. More deviation = more risk.
Beta: Shows how much the fund reacts to market movements. A beta of 1 means it moves in line with the market.
Sharpe Ratio: Measures return against risk. A higher number means better risk-adjusted returns.

If you’re a conservative investor, look for funds with a low standard deviation and a decent Sharpe ratio.

8. Exit Load and Minimum Investment

The exit load is a penalty for withdrawing money too soon—usually 1% if you exit within a year. It’s designed to encourage long-term investing.

Minimum investment requirements vary, with many SIPs starting at just ₹500.

Case Study: Why It Matters

In 2020, Mumbai-based engineer Rajesh Pillai invested ₹2 lakh in two different equity funds. One had a 2.2% expense ratio and high sector concentration, while the other had a 0.9% ratio and broader diversification.

Over three years, the first fund gave 10% CAGR, while the second returned 14%. The difference? Lower costs and a smarter portfolio mix—insights he got from reading the factsheets.