SBI Mutual Fund, one of the largest mutual fund houses in India, has assets under management (AUM) of over Rs 11 lakh crore. With a strong banking legacy and research-driven investment strategies, the fund house has over the years built a special trust among investors. The fund house currently offers more than 125 schemes, and nearly half of these funds are equity plans.
The market has experienced significant volatility over the past year, particularly in early 2025, which has impacted investor portfolios. However, with market headwinds easing slightly from April onwards, funds have started to recover. That said, this story will not evaluate fund performance based on short-term or one-year returns. Here, the story will focus on the 3-year performance of SBI equity funds across sub-categories. But here is the question one might ask – why three-year returns?
Therefore, the answer is that short-term returns can often be misleading, as markets are prone to sudden fluctuations, as seen over the past six months, when sharp corrections were followed by rebounds. In contrast, a three-year timeframe offers a clearer picture of a fund’s consistency and resilience. If a fund delivers strong returns over this period, it is considered both reliable and sustainable. So in this write-up, we have shortlisted five top performers (direct plans) from SBI Mutual Fund house.
Top 5 SBI Funds that gave the best returns in three years
1. SBI PSU Fund
SBI PSU Fund is an open-ended equity scheme launched in January 2013 by SBI Mutual Fund. The fund primarily invests in public sector undertakings (PSUs) and has delivered a return of 12.12% since its launch.
It tracks the BSE PSU TRI as its benchmark and carries a “Very High” risk rating, as per the Riskometer. As of June 30, 2025, the fund manages assets worth Rs 5,427 crore and has an expense ratio of 0.85%.
3-year return: 37.04% CAGR
This return ensures that a lump sum investment of Rs 1 lakh in this fund would have turned into a corpus of Rs 2.5 lakh. The fund has seen an absolute return of around 158% during this period.
3-year annualised SIP return: 28.93%
A Rs 10,000 SIP started 3 years ago would be worth Rs 5.45 lakh now.
2. SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund
SBI Healthcare Opportunities Fund is an open-ended equity scheme from SBI Mutual Fund that focuses on the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector.
Launched in January 2013, the fund has delivered an impressive return of 18.43% since inception. It tracks the BSE Healthcare TRI as its benchmark and is rated “Very High” on the Riskometer. As of June 30, 2025, the fund manages assets worth Rs 3,849 crore with an expense ratio of 0.89%.
3-year return: 29.60% CAGR
The fund would have turned a lump sum investment of Rs 1 lakh into Rs 2.17 lakh in just 3 years. Its absolute return of the last three years has been 118%.
3-year SIP return: 29.43%
An SIP investment of Rs 10,000 on a monthly basis in this fund would be worth now Rs Rs 5.49 lakh in 3 years now.
3. SBI ELSS Tax Saver Fund
SBI ELSS Tax Saver Fund is an open-ended equity-linked savings scheme (ELSS) from SBI Mutual Fund that offers tax benefits under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act.
Launched in January 2013, the fund has delivered a strong return of 16.81% since inception. It follows the BSE 500 TRI as its benchmark and is categorized as “Very High” risk on the Riskometer.
As of June 30, 2025, the fund manages assets worth Rs 30,616 crore, with an expense ratio of 0.93%.
3-year return: 26.49% CAGR
A lump sum investment of Rs 1 lakh done three years ago in this fund would have become now Rs 2.02 lakh.
3-year annualised SIP return: 24.02%
An SIP started three years back would be now worth Rs 5.10 lakh, earning a CAGR of 24.13%.
4. SBI Infrastructure Fund
SBI Infrastructure Fund is an open-ended equity scheme from SBI Mutual Fund that invests in companies related to the infrastructure sector.
Launched in January 2013, the fund has delivered a return of 15.60% since inception. It tracks the NIFTY Infrastructure TRI as its benchmark and is classified as “Very High” risk on the Riskometer.
As of June 30, 2025, the fund manages assets worth Rs 5,195 crore, with an expense ratio of 1.03%.
3-year return: 26.76% CAGR
A lump sum investment of Rs 1 lakh in this fund made three years ago would have become Rs 2.04 lakh. The fund’s absolute return during the three-year period stood at 104%.
3-year annualised SIP return: 21.41%
The fund would have turned Rs 10,000 monthly SIP started three years ago into a corpus of Rs 4.92 lakh at 21.41% annualised rate of return.
5. SBI Contra Fund
SBI Contra Fund is an open-ended equity scheme from SBI Mutual Fund that follows a contrarian investment strategy — investing in undervalued stocks that are temporarily out of favour.
Launched in January 2013, the fund has delivered a strong return of 16.90% since inception. It tracks the BSE 500 TRI as its benchmark and is rated “Very High” on the Riskometer.
Despite the high risk label, it holds a Low Risk Grade and a High Return Grade, indicating a favourable risk-return profile. As of June 30, 2025, the fund manages a robust asset base of Rs 47,390 crore with a low expense ratio of 0.68%.
3-year returns: 24.38% CAGR
The fund would have turned Rs 1 lakh lump sum investment in this fund to Rs 1.92 lakh in 3 years. Its absolute return during this period was 92.63%
3-year annualised SIP return: 20.81%
An SIP of Rs 10,000 per month in this fund started 3 years back would be worth now Rs 4.88 lakh.
(Data: Value Research)
Don’t focus only on returns while selecting a fund
Although in this story we have mainly focused on the excellent returns over a period of 3 years, it would not be right to make returns the only parameter for investment. This is data based on past performance, there is no guarantee that it will be repeated in the future. Before investing, it is very important to keep in mind other important aspects like the fund’s risk profile, asset allocation, management strategy and your investment period.
Disclaimer: The above content is for informational purposes only. Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Please consult your financial advisor before investing.
