In this edition of the fund performance report, we review HDFC Hybrid Equity Fund. In a baffling and messy response to the SEBI categorisation rules, HDFC decided to close both its balanced funds, HDFC Balanced and HDFC Prudence and merge them with unknown funds!
From June 1st 2018, HDFC Balanced and its AUM merged with HDFC premium multi-cap and then renamed HDFC Hybrid Equity Fund. HDFC Prudence also met a similar fate and became a balanced advantage fund. HDFC Hybrid Equity Fund currently has an AUM of Rs. 17,192 Crores.
Disclaimer: Fund performance reports present return and risk analysis of a fund with representative benchmarks and not investment recommendations. It must be expressly understood that the data below reflect only past performance and is in no way an indication of future performance. Our investment recommendations can be found here: Handpicked List of Mutual Funds (PlumbLine).
Disclosure: HDFC Hybrid Equity is part of my retirement portfolio. For details, see Fourteen Years of Mutual Fund Investing: My Journey and lessons learned.
We find out how consistently the Fund has performed wrt Nifty 100 TRI and CRISIL 65:35 Aggressive Hybrid Index. We will use three metrics to analyze performance consistency versus benchmarks. Analysis such as this can be found for 350+ equity funds in our monthly mutual fund screener.
Join 32,000+ readers and get free money management solutions delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to get posts via email! (Link takes you to our email sign-up form)
🔥Enjoy massive discounts on our robo-advisory tool & courses! 🔥
1 Rolling return outperformance consistency: the fund returns are compared with category benchmark returns over every possible 3Y,4Y, and 5Y period. Higher the outperformance consistency, the better. Suppose 876 fund returns were compared with 876 benchmark returns, and the fund has beaten the benchmark 675 times. The consistency score will be 675/876 ~ 77%.
Three years
Metric | Nifty 100 TRI | Crisil6535 |
No of rolling return entries Index (3 Years) | 1626 | 2263 |
No of rolling return entries Fund (3 years) | 1626 | 2263 |
No of times the fund has outperformed the index (3 years) | 702 | 1483 |
rolling return outperformance Consistency Score (3 years) | 43% | 66% |
Four years
Metric | Nifty 100 TRI | Crisil6535 |
No of rolling return entries Index (4 Years) | 1382 | 2019 |
No of rolling return entries Fund (4 years) | 1382 | 2019 |
No of times the fund has outperformed the index (4 years) | 702 | 1133 |
rolling return outperformance Consistency Score (4 years) | 51% | 56% |
Five years
Metric | Nifty 100 TRI | Crisil6535 |
No of rolling return entries Index (5 Years) | 1132 | 1672 |
No of rolling return entries Fund (5 years) | 1132 | 1672 |
No of times the fund has outperformed the index (5 years) | 646 | 1059 |
rolling return outperformance Consistency Score (5 years) | 57% | 63% |
It is just about average to above-average performance. Which is not too shabby, considering spectacular outperformance does not last forever.
2 Upside performance consistency over every possible 1Y,2Y,3Y,4Y, 5Y: Higher the better. A score of 70% means, 7 out of 10 times, the Fund performed better than the category benchmark when the benchmark was moving up. This is a measure of reward. It is computed from rolling upside capture data (see link below).
Metric | Nifty 100 TRI | Crisil6535 |
upside performance consistency (3 years) | 46% | 97% |
upside performance consistency (4 years) | 49% | 96% |
upside performance consistency (5 years) | 47% | 98% |
The fund generally tends to do well when the hybrid index is on the way up.
3 Downside performance consistency over every possible 3Y,4Y, 5Y. Higher, the better. A score of 60% means, 6 out of 10 times, the Fund performed better than the category benchmark when the benchmark was moving down. This is a measure of risk protection. It is computed from rolling downside capture data. Read more: An introduction to Downside and Upside Capture Ratios.
Metric | Nifty 100 TRI | Crisil6535 |
downside protection consistency (3 years) | 96% | 65% |
downside protection consistency (4 years) | 100% | 69% |
downside protection consistency (5 years) | 100% | 67% |
Downside protection wrt Nifty 100 is not a fair comparison as the benchmark does not have any bonds, so we discount that.
Curiously HDFC Hybrid Equity tends to favour upside capture (doing better than the hybrid index when the latter is moving up) to downside capture (doing better than the hybrid index when the latter is going down). However, on its own, the downside, protection consistency is reasonably good. Not many funds can replicate this behaviour.
In summary, HDFC Hybrid Equity has displayed unspectacular but “reasonably acceptable” performance wrt a hybrid index. The fund is suitable for mature investors who prefer a quiet, average or above-average performer to a short-lived star.
🔥Enjoy massive discounts on our courses, robo-advisory tool and exclusive investor circle! 🔥& join our community of 7000+ users!
Use our Robo-advisory Tool for a start-to-finish financial plan! ⇐ More than 2,500 investors and advisors use this!
Track your mutual funds and stock investments with this Google Sheet!
We also publish monthly equity mutual funds, debt and hybrid mutual funds, index funds and ETF screeners and momentum, low-volatility stock screeners.





- Do you have a comment about the above article? Reach out to us on Twitter: @freefincal or @pattufreefincal
- Have a question? Subscribe to our newsletter using the form below.
- Hit 'reply' to any email from us! We do not offer personalized investment advice. We can write a detailed article without mentioning your name if you have a generic question.
Join 32,000+ readers and get free money management solutions delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to get posts via email! (Link takes you to our email sign-up form)
About The Author

Our flagship course! Learn to manage your portfolio like a pro to achieve your goals regardless of market conditions! ⇐ More than 3,000 investors and advisors are part of our exclusive community! Get clarity on how to plan for your goals and achieve the necessary corpus no matter the market condition is!! Watch the first lecture for free! One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos! Reduce fear, uncertainty and doubt while investing! Learn how to plan for your goals before and after retirement with confidence.
Our new course! Increase your income by getting people to pay for your skills! ⇐ More than 700 salaried employees, entrepreneurs and financial advisors are part of our exclusive community! Learn how to get people to pay for your skills! Whether you are a professional or small business owner who wants more clients via online visibility or a salaried person wanting a side income or passive income, we will show you how to achieve this by showcasing your skills and building a community that trusts and pays you! (watch 1st lecture for free). One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos!
Our new book for kids: “Chinchu Gets a Superpower!” is now available!


Must-read book even for adults! This is something that every parent should teach their kids right from their young age. The importance of money management and decision making based on their wants and needs. Very nicely written in simple terms. - Arun.Buy the book: Chinchu gets a superpower for your child!
How to profit from content writing: Our new ebook is for those interested in getting side income via content writing. It is available at a 50% discount for Rs. 500 only!
Do you want to check if the market is overvalued or undervalued? Use our market valuation tool (it will work with any index!), or get the Tactical Buy/Sell timing tool!
We publish monthly mutual fund screeners and momentum, low-volatility stock screeners.
About freefincal & its content policy. Freefincal is a News Media Organization dedicated to providing original analysis, reports, reviews and insights on mutual funds, stocks, investing, retirement and personal finance developments. We do so without conflict of interest and bias. Follow us on Google News. Freefincal serves more than three million readers a year (5 million page views) with articles based only on factual information and detailed analysis by its authors. All statements made will be verified with credible and knowledgeable sources before publication. Freefincal does not publish paid articles, promotions, PR, satire or opinions without data. All opinions will be inferences backed by verifiable, reproducible evidence/data. Contact information: letters {at} freefincal {dot} com (sponsored posts or paid collaborations will not be entertained)
Connect with us on social media
- Twitter @freefincal
- Subscribe to our YouTube Videos
- Posts feed via Feedburner.
Our publications
You Can Be Rich Too with Goal-Based Investing

Gamechanger: Forget Startups, Join Corporate & Still Live the Rich Life You Want

Your Ultimate Guide to Travel
