Best SBI equity funds: These 3 schemes lead 3, 5 and 10-year return charts

When it comes to long-term wealth creation, consistency matters more than short-term spikes. And among equity schemes from SBI Mutual Fund, three funds have clearly stood out on the return charts over 3, 5 and 10 years. The three schemes — SBI Contra Fund – Direct Plan – Growth, SBI Focused Fund – Direct Plan – Growth, and SBI Large & Midcap Fund – Direct Plan – Growth — have delivered strong compounded annual growth rates (CAGR) across multiple time frames. While the ranking changes slightly in the 3-year category, the 5-year and 10-year leaders remain the same. Performance data for these funds has been obtained from the Financial Express Mutual Fund Screener. Here’s a closer look at how these funds stack up. 3-year returns SBI Contra Fund – 21.31% SBI Focused Fund – 20.92% SBI Large & Midcap Fund – 20.08% Over the past three years, all three funds have delivered over 20% CAGR — a strong performance considering market volatility during this period. The Contra Fund leads, but the margin is narrow. 5-year returns SBI Contra Fund – 21.85% SBI Large & Midcap Fund – 18.66% SBI Focused Fund – 16.20% Over five years, the Contra strategy clearly stands out. The Large & Midcap Fund also shows solid long-term stability, while the Focused Fund trails slightly in this timeframe. 10-year returns SBI Contra Fund – 18.94% SBI Large & Midcap Fund – 17.90% SBI Focused Fund – 17.56% Over a decade, the ranking remains unchanged from the 5-year chart. The Contra Fund has emerged as the most consistent long-term performer among the three. What about 1-year performance? Interestingly, the short-term picture looks different. SBI Focused Fund tops with 19.54% SBI Large & Midcap Fund follows at 18.86% SBI Contra Fund stands lower at 11.62% This shows how short-term trends can differ from long-term leadership. A focused strategy may outperform during certain market phases, while a contra approach may take longer to unlock value. Fund-wise breakdown SBI Contra Fund – Overview Launch: 1 January 2013 AUM: Rs 48,729 crore Expense Ratio: 0.71% Benchmark: BSE 500 TRI Return Since Launch: 16.19% Risk & metrics Risk: Very High Mean Return: 20.02% Beta: 0.91 (slightly less volatile than market) Alpha: 4.85 (indicates outperformance over benchmark) Top holdings HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, Biocon, Punjab National Bank, Tata Steel. SBI Focused Fund – Overview Launch: 1 January 2013 AUM: Rs 42,998 crore Expense Ratio: 0.74% Benchmark: BSE 500 TRI Return Since Launch: 15.77% Risk & metrics Risk: Very High Mean Return: 18.83% Beta: 0.71 (lower market sensitivity) Alpha: 5.59 (strong risk-adjusted outperformance) Top holdings Alphabet Inc (GOOGL), Muthoot Finance, HDFC Bank, SBI, Airtel PP RE. SBI Large & Midcap Fund – Overview Launch: 1 January 2013 AUM: Rs 37,497 crore Expense Ratio: 0.73% Benchmark: NIFTY Large Midcap 250 TRI Return Since Launch: 17.14% Risk & metrics Risk: Very High Mean Return: 18.43% Beta: 0.85 Alpha: 4.02 Top holdings HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, SBI, ICICI Bank, Ashok Leyland. What should investors note? All three funds fall under the “Very High Risk” category. Being equity-oriented schemes, they can see sharp ups and downs in the short term. While the long-term numbers look impressive, investors should remember: Past returns do not guarantee future returns. Market conditions, economic cycles, interest rates, and global factors can influence future performance. Investors should align their choice with their risk appetite, investment horizon (preferably 5–10 years for equity funds), and overall financial goals. Summing up… If long-term consistency is the key filter, SBI Contra Fund has dominated the 3-, 5- and 10-year charts. However, for investors looking at recent momentum, SBI Focused Fund has delivered stronger 1-year performance. Ultimately, the “best” fund depends not just on return charts — but also on an investor’s time horizon, risk tolerance, and portfolio allocation strategy.