How to Read a Mutual Fund Factsheet
A fund factsheet packs everything you need to judge a mutual fund onto one page. Here’s how to read it.
On this page
Every mutual fund publishes a monthly factsheet — a one-page summary of what the fund does and how it has performed. Learning to read it helps you compare funds quickly.
Key things to check
- Objective and category — what the fund invests in (e.g. large cap, debt) and its benchmark.
- Returns — 1/3/5-year and since-inception, against the benchmark. Look at rolling returns for consistency.
- Expense ratio — lower is better; check the direct plan.
- AUM and fund manager — fund size and who runs it, plus their tenure.
Risk and portfolio
Check the riskometer, risk ratios like Sharpe and standard deviation, the top holdings and sector allocation, and (for debt funds) credit quality and duration.
Put it together
No single number tells the story. Weigh consistency, cost, risk and whether the category fits your goal. Our how to choose a mutual fund guide walks through it step by step.
