ICICI Pru Equity - Arbitrage Fund (G)

Details of Mr. Dixson Almeida,

Age: 53 years

Designation: EVP & Head - IT

Qualification:· Diploma in Industrial Electronics, Post Diploma in Computer Management Engineering, BCA, MBA

The fund aims to generate long-term capital appreciation by investing in companies that significantly contribute to or benefit from the growth of rural India. This includes companies with a strong presence in sectors like agriculture, rural infrastructure, consumer goods, and financial services.

The New Fund Offer (NFO) is open for subscription from January 16th to January 23rd, 2025. The minimum initial investment for the fund is Rs 5,000.

The scheme will be benchmarked against Nifty Rural Index TRI, which tracks the performance of stocks from the Nifty 500 Index, which represent the rural theme.

The fund seeks to capitalize on the significant growth potential of the Indian rural economy, which plays a crucial role in the country's overall development.

The fund will invest across various sectors, including automobiles, consumer durables, FMCG, and financial services, with a focus on companies with strong rural market penetration.

The fund will be managed by a seasoned team, including Sankaran Naren and Priyanka Khandelwal.

The New Fund Offer (NFO) for both instruments is open from January 16, 2025, to January 30, 2025. Both products seek to track the Nifty India Railways PSU Index, which encompasses a diverse range of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) crucial to the Indian Railways, covering areas like infrastructure, logistics, finance, and technology.  

As the world's fourth-largest railway network, Indian Railways plays a vital role in the country's economy. In FY 2024, it transported a staggering 6.7 billion passengers and moved over 1,588 million metric tonnes of freight.  

The sector is currently undergoing a significant transformation, fueled by a substantial capital expenditure plan of Rs 2.62 lakh crore for FY 2024-25. This investment will drive modernization initiatives, including high-speed rail projects, station redevelopments, and the integration of renewable energy sources, enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability.  

The ETF directly mirrors the Nifty India Railways PSU Index-TRI, offering investors a transparent and cost-effective way to participate in the sector's growth. The portfolio is weighted towards mid-cap stocks, which have the potential for significant long-term growth. The fund comprises 14 stocks with growth potential, providing diversified exposure to the railway sector.

Data suggests the Nifty India Railways PSU Index has outperformed the Nifty 500 Index over various timeframes. The index has delivered 26.81% returns for 1-year investment horizons. From April 2001 to December 2024, this index recorded a CAGR of 46.55%.

The objective of the scheme is to provide long term capital appreciation by constructing a diversified investment portfolio based on the quality factor theme to provide investors with exposure to companies having strong fundamentals and sustainable competitive advantages, i.e., companies which exhibit long term stability as they may lead to more predictable returns, less volatility, strong management and sustainable growth.

The fund's New Fund Offer (NFO) is open for subscription from January 8, 2025, to January 22, 2025. The minimum investment amount for a lumpsum purchase is Rs 500 or multiples of Re 1 thereafter. For Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs), the minimum investment amount is Rs 100 for weekly, fortnightly, and monthly frequencies, and Rs 500 for quarterly frequencies, with all amounts being applicable in multiples of Re 1 thereafter.

The fund will allocated 80% - 100% in equities of companies following the Quality Factor theme, with the remainder invested in other equities, debt securities, money market instruments, REITs, and InvITs.

The quality factor focuses on companies with strong fundamentals, signaling their ability to generate consistent earnings and withstand economic stress. Common parameters used to measure quality include return on equity (ROE), low debt-to-equity ratio, relatively stable earnings growth, and strong free cash flow. These criteria suggest that quality companies are financially sound and exhibit resilience, particularly during periods of market uncertainty.

The fund management team will be led by Ramesh Mantri, Trupti Agarwal, Dheeresh Pathak, and Piyush Baranwal. The fund will be benchmarked against BSE Quality TRI.

The fund's thematic focus aligns with the Nifty 200 Quality 30 TRI, which has delivered over 18% CAGR returns for 5-year investment horizons. From April 2005 to December 2024, this index recorded a CAGR of 18.6%.

Axis Midcap Fund – Regular Plan – IDCW Option: 3.59

Axis Midcap Fund – Direct Plan – IDCW Option: 4.72

Axis Small Cap Fund – Regular Plan – IDCW Option: 4.03

Axis Small Cap Fund – Direct Plan – IDCW Option: 4.69

Axis Bluechip Fund – Regular Plan – IDCW Option: 0.96

Axis Bluechip Fund – Direct Plan – IDCW Option: 1.36

Axis ELSS Tax Saver Fund – Regular Plan – IDCW Option: 2.15

Axis ELSS Tax Saver Fund – Direct Plan – IDCW Option: 4.57

Axis Focused Fund – Regular Plan – IDCW Option: 1.64

Axis Focused Fund – Direct Plan – IDCW Option: 2.91

Axis Growth Opportunities Fund – Regular Plan – IDCW Option: 1.50

Axis Growth Opportunities Fund – Direct Plan – IDCW Option: 1.90

Axis Value Fund – Regular Plan – IDCW Option: 1.47

Axis Value Fund – Direct Plan – IDCW Option: 1.54

Change in Fund Manager of the Scheme: