Some Top PMS Schemes That Attracted Largest Inflows In May: ICICI Prudential, Abakkus Lead The Pack

The month of May witnessed substantial inflows into Portfolio Management Services (PMS) schemes, with ICICI Prudential's Contra Strategy and Abakkus' All Cap Approach emerging as the frontrunners. Data provided by PMS AIF WORLD highlighted that these schemes saw the highest monthly inflows, reflecting strong investor confidence and strategic allure.

ICICI Prudential PMS's Contra Strategy took the lead, drawing in Rs 464 crore in May. This surge pushed the Assets Under Management (AUM) of the scheme to an impressive Rs 6,844 crore. The strategy's robust inflows were complemented by a return of 3.50% for the month, indicating a well-executed investment approach that resonated with investors.

The Contra Strategy, known for its contrarian investment philosophy, seeks to capitalize on undervalued stocks that are overlooked by the market. The success of this approach in May shows the strategy's potential to deliver value even amid market fluctuations.

Following closely was Abakkus Asset Manager's All Cap Approach, which garnered Rs 306 crore in inflows. The scheme's AUM climbed to Rs 6,040 crore by the end of May. Although the monthly return was a modest 0.48%, the substantial inflows reflect investor confidence in the scheme's long-term growth potential.

Abakkus' All Cap Approach invests across market capitalizations, providing a diversified exposure to large, mid, and small cap stocks. This flexibility allows the fund to navigate various market conditions effectively.

Buoyant Capital's Opportunities Multi-cap scheme secured the third-highest inflows of Rs 225 crore, despite posting a negative return of 1.13% in May. The scheme's AUM rose to Rs 3,192 crore. This suggests that investors were willing to overlook short-term performance in favour of the strategy's long-term potential.

The Opportunities Multi-cap scheme focuses on identifying and investing in multi-cap opportunities, aiming to leverage growth across different sectors and market segments.

In fourth place, UNIFI's Blended Fund-Rangoli attracted Rs 190 crore in inflows, boosting its AUM to a substantial Rs 14,847 crore. However, the scheme experienced a negative monthly return of 1.32%.

ValueQuest's Growth Scheme, which saw the fifth-highest inflows of Rs 141 crore, faced a challenging month with a negative return of 4%. The scheme's AUM stood at Rs 1,576 crore.

Stallion Asset's Core Fund received Rs 137 crore in inflows, pushing its AUM to Rs 1,799 crore in May. The scheme achieved a monthly return of 1.62%.

Carnelian Capital's Shift strategy, which saw inflows of Rs 133 crore, experienced a negative return of 4.5%. Despite this, the strategy's AUM increased to Rs 1,786 crore.

ICICI Prudential PMS's PIPE Strategy also witnessed strong inflows of Rs 133 crore, raising its AUM to Rs 5,623 crore. The strategy achieved a monthly return of 3%, indicating solid performance and effective management.

Motilal Oswal AMC's Founders strategy and ValueQuest's Platinum Scheme rounded out the top ten, with inflows of Rs 95 crore and Rs 91 crore, respectively. These schemes' inclusion in the top ten highlights their continued relevance and attractiveness to investors seeking diversified portfolio management options.

The significant inflows into these top PMS schemes in May show the diverse investment strategies that appeal to a broad spectrum of investors. ICICI Prudential's Contra Strategy and Abakkus' All Cap Approach leading the pack reflect interest in both contrarian and diversified all-cap investment philosophies. Despite varied monthly returns, the inflows demonstrate a robust investor appetite for well-managed and strategically sound PMS offerings.