Prime Recommendation: A nimble mid-cap fund well-poised for this market

  • Aggressive mid-cap fund, taking above-average exposure to small-caps
  • Low portfolio churn with a buy-and-hold strategy that allows it to accumulate stocks and realise potential
  • Ability to contain downsides during corrections and beat the index on upsides
  • Superior risk-adjusted return compared to peers
  • Consistency in beating benchmark across timeframes

Over the past two weeks, we have been writing on the promise in the mid-cap and small-cap segment of the market and how the rally is starting to move beyond a handful of large stocks. While a quick recovery may be some way off, the steep 2-year correction in the mid-cap space offers good opportunities to begin accumulating mid-caps from a long-term perspective.

Kotak Emerging Equity features in our researched list of recommended funds –  Prime Funds – and is among the funds we listed in our 2020 equity strategy. Please read our equity outlook on why mid & small cap funds are good segments to enter now.

The fund is among the more aggressive in the mid-cap category, dipping into small-cap stocks more than peers. It, however, still keeps volatility and downsides in check. The fund’s returns are well above that of peers and its size, at Rs 5, 718 crore is still manageable to bag opportunities in small and mid-caps. Kotak Emerging is managed by Pankaj Tibrewal.

Suitability

Before getting into strategy and performance details, know that Kotak Emerging Equity (Kotak Emerging) is for the high risk-takers only. Conservative investors can stick to less aggressive options such as Franklin Prima or opt for more dynamic large-and-midcap funds instead.

Kotak Emerging fits 5-7 year and longer portfolios. It can be used as the only mid-cap exposure, or along with another mid-cap fund or an aggressive large-and-midcap fund depending on your investment amount. Cap overall mid-cap exposure to 30% of your portfolio, no matter how high a risk-taker you are.

Stands out among peers

Kotak Emerging’s average 3-year return over a 6-year period comes in 18.2%. The mid-cap category clocked an average 14.1% in the same period. Barring L&T Mid-cap, the fund beat every other mid-cap fund. The fund is a consistent performer too. It beat the category average all the time when rolling 3-year returns over a 6-year period and the Nifty Midcap 100 TRI 85% of the time. These figures are among the best in category.

Part of the driving force behind these higher returns is the fund’s small-cap exposure, which is usually higher than peers. In the past year, for instance, small-caps accounted for about 19% of Kotak Emerging’s portfolio. Peers such as Franklin India Prima, HDFC Mid-cap Opportunities, DSP Midcap, and Axis Midcap have far lower small-cap exposures of 3%-14%. Kotak Emerging additionally picks stocks from the lower end of the mid-cap spectrum; its portfolio for December 2019, for example, has about 38% in stocks with market capitalisations of less than Rs 15,000 crore.

This ups its risk profile. When we talk of risk, we mean the risk stemming from holding a relatively higher small-cap allocation. But as far as performance goes, Kotak Emerging has managed to keep in line with peers as far as volatility and downside protection goes. On the volatility front, it is only slightly more volatile than the category average, thanks in part to its low portfolio churn and buy-and-hold strategy. On downside, Kotak Emerging loses much lesser than the Nifty Midcap 150 TRI across different timeframes over the past five years, using downside capture ratio as a metric.

Typically, funds that do great on containing losses use this ability to maintain better returns and don’t always capture upsides well. Funds scoring during bull rides tend to drop faster. Kotak Emerging, though, has the rare combination of containing downsides and participating in upsides. Going by the upside capture ratio across timeframes, the fund gains more than the Nifty Midcap 150 in rising markets.

Buy and hold stock-picking

As with most mid-cap funds, Kotak Emerging keeps individual stock allocations limited and holds a large portfolio, in light of liquidity risks. It adopts a bottom-up approach to stock selection.

That said, its sector spread is wide, encompassing financials, consumer, industrials, metals, fertilisers, and chemicals. This wide spectrum and its ability to pick lesser-known names can keep it in good stead, especially when market recovery gets more broad-based and reacts to economic recovery. For instance, stocks such as Ratnamani Metals & Tubes, APL Apollo Tubes, Oberoi Realty, and Lux Industries don’t feature in a lot of fund portfolios. These have rallied sharply.

sector allocation

Kotak Emerging does not churn portfolio much; its portfolio turnover ratio is among the lowest in category. Kotak Emerging’s portfolio liquidity is reasonable as well; the average time to liquidate the entire portfolio has averaged less than 30 days. It both accumulates and exits stocks gradually over a period of months so as to keep impact costs low.

For instance, the fund added to M&M Financial Services over the course of nearly 3 years using both dips and rallies to adjust holdings, as it has with Amara Raja Batteries, Alkem Labs, SRF, PI Industries, Solar Industries, Ramco Cement, Jindal Steel, and so on. Many of these stocks have been strong gainers in the recent pick-up.

The fund’s long-term buy and hold approach, its presence across niche stocks and sectors, and its ability to consistently deliver above-average returns make it a good choice for long-term portfolios.

Here’s a list of the top mid cap mutual funds.

Relevant Article : A Nifty MidCap Index Fund that challenges other midcap funds.

More like this

37 thoughts on “Prime Recommendation: A nimble mid-cap fund well-poised for this market”

  1. Hello team ,
    I am in the process of optimizing my MF portfolio – basically reducing the clutter in my portfolio. I have both Nifty Next 50 as well as the Midcap 150 index funds. I don’t think I need to have both the funds for my 7+ years time frame portfolio. The asset allocation in this space is around 20% .The following options can be considered
    1. Pair one of the index funds with an active fund
    2. Kotak Emerging Equity – One consistent performer active midcap fund which provides upside as well contains downside
    3. Can consider 2 midcap funds of different styles – ?
    I had a look at the Prime Funds and portfolios but confused how to pair the funds with my current midcap portfolio. Can you pls help with this ?
    Regards,
    Akhil

  2. I am thinking of investing in Kotak mid cap fund as it fits my criteria and also becauses of your recommendation.

    However as per below article, Kotak AMC was fined by SEBI for not crediting investors amount on time and falsifying some info. So iam now wondering if this issue puts a question mark on Kotak AMC’s credibility? What do you think about the issue in below article?
    https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/personal-finance/no-new-fmp-scheme-by-kotak-amc-for-six-months-rs-50-lakh-fine-sebi-order-7398391.html

    1. Hello Sir, This happened during the liquidity tightness in debt. it is no excuse. However, such risks hardly exist in equity. So the case in point is not a matter of concern for equity. Vidya

  3. Hi,
    I’m a bit curious on why the performance analysis was confined to the past 6 years alone? That seems like too less a timeframe to draw inferences from 3 year rolling returns. Tibrewal seems to be managing this fund since 2010. Taking a longer term performance since 2007, all its peers seem to have done better (5yr rolling and 3 yr rolling).
    Is there some fundamental change in the process?

    1. Bhavana Acharya

      Hello sir,

      We look at different periods and years for performance when we’re analysing; we try to put only relevant and useful information when we write an analysis like this. Apart from this, going too far back in performance has the risk that performance becomes irrelevant as markets change and funds change. So if a fund is turning around, its past performance will be poor, but it will an opportunity missed – and vice versa. So we balance both when analysing.

      Thanks,
      Bhavana

      1. Madam,
        Thank you for the clarification. I suppose this is a turn around. You mentioned HDFC, DSP, Franklin in the analysis. All these seem to have beaten this fund quite well back in the past. Might have been clearer to weave your story around the turn around and why it lagged in the past. Nevertheless, thanks for the research and the article.

        1. Bhavana Acharya

          Hello sir,

          I’ve noted your point. Our aim was to explain the fund’s strategy, and performance against both market and the category in general, instead of focusing on a few funds alone or going too far back in the past. Need to also keep length in check 🙂

          Regards,
          Bhavana

  4. Hi,

    Your equity outlook link appears to be broken as it is leading to a 404 page. Can you update the correct link?

    The 3 multicaps I have picked have a cumulative 30% midcap exposure. I am keen on adding a smallcap fund. My investment horizon is 30 years. There is a Kotak Smallcap Fund run by the same fund manager as this fund. Do you think this fund is a good substitute to Kotak Smallcap, and for my objective? Since you also say that this fund has a higher allocation to smallcaps and small midcaps.

    1. Hello Sir, Thanks for pointing out. We’ll check.
      On your question – if you are a subscriber, please write to us through our ticket so that we have betetr control over the queries we receive and the responses. You can use this to write to us: https://primeinvestor.in/contact-us/

      Thanks
      Vidya

        1. Bhavana Acharya

          Hello sir,

          Will get the link checked and rectified…thanks!

          Regards,
          Bhavana

Comments are closed.

Login to your account
OR

Become a PrimeInvestor!

Get access to fresh stocks and mutual funds recommendations.

or