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Equirus Long Horizon

AUM (426 cr) | Inc Date (20-Oct-2016)

Scheme Rating

IME Scheme Rating

4 of 5 stars

A combination of an AMC with a clear small-cap focus, a small-cap specialist fund manager and a strong track record, makes Equirus Long-Horizon fund a good option for those seeking small-cap PMS exposures. However, it is important to note that Viraj Mehta the FM since inception of the fund has left Equirus in 2024, and is replaced by Sahil Shah (who also comes in with strong small-cap investing pedigree). Given Sahil’s own strong small-cap investing track record & Equirus’s strengths in this space, we continue to recommend Equirus Long Horizon but would watch keenly for any changes in performance & the investment strategy followed.

IME Strategy Rating

5 of 5 stars

It invest in superior big-potential businesses at reasonable valuations(below their intrinsic value) with a view a long-term view of 3-5 years. They are intent to be early in the business discovery, thus providing maximum earnings growth with limited churn.

AMC Rating

4 of 5 stars

AMC: Equirus PMS (click link for detailed AMC review)

Equirus PMS has had a strong performance since its 2016 launch, focusing on small-caps which aligns with the group’s strengths. Despite recent turnover in the investment team, the new CIO Sahil brings a strong track-record in small-caps. Equirus has the potential to build a successful niche PMS business with a small-cap focus.

PMS Scheme Ratings are driven by IME’s Proprietary Scheme Rating Methodology, which takes into account our ratings of the Scheme’s investment strategy, its maturity, the investment team, and our separate rating on the AMC that runs this particular scheme. Our views on each of these individual criteria are available via the IME RMS – which you can view by reaching out to one of our relationship managers (using either the live chat or book appointment feature on this site).

Investment Philosophy

Equiris Long Horizon Fund is a small-cap strategy. Invest in superior businesses with a view of 3-5 years. The strategy intends to be early in the business discovery, thus providing maximum earnings growth with limited churn.

Equirus PMS follows a blended approach of investing in quality & value. The aim is to invest in relatively undiscovered businesses with long-term growth potential that are available at a price below their intrinsic value. The philosophy is essentially GARP (Growth at Right Price).

Investment Framework

  • Growth: Earnings driven by sales and margin expansion
  • Financial Strength: no or low debt, and deleveraging situations with higher coverage ratios
  • Profitability: High ROCEs driven by improving margins and/or asset turns
  • Management: High integrity with skin in the game and prudent capital allocation
  • Attractive Valuation: low analyst coverage/institutional holding and market ignoring long term potential

Portfolio Construction

  • Undiscovered Companies: Focuses on high-quality companies that are under-researched and under-owned with a bias for small and mid-cap companies at a reasonable valuation.
  • Non-model portfolio approach: Does not follow model portfolio.
  • Long-term outlook: Aims to buy businesses for atleast 3-5 years.
  • Concentrated bets: Aims to hold 15-17 companies with a maximum of 10% in a single stock and 30% in a sector on the cost basis.

Trailing Performance

1yr 3yr 5yr Since Inception
Equirus Long Horizon 0.6 10.1 35.5 20.2
S&P BSE 500 4.8 12.3 24.8 14.5
Alpha over Broad Mkt BM -4.2 -2.2 10.7 5.7
Nifty Smallcap 250 5.4 17 36.6
Alpha over Category BM -4.8 -6.9 -1.1

Performance as of: 31-Mar-25 | Inception Date: 20-Oct-16

Fund Managers

Sahil Shah | 3-star rated FM

CIO | 18 yrs Experience | 1 yrs at current firm

Past Experience: Edelweiss Research (Analyst), Anagram Capital (Analyst)

Sahil Shah has over 17 years of extensive experience, he has worked as an analyst and managed mutual funds and PMS. Previously, he worked with Edelweiss Small Cap Fund (AUM 3300cr) as a fund manager and was also co-fund manager for Midcap and Multicap funds at Edelweiss. Prior to joining Edelweiss Asset Management, he has worked with Edelweiss Financial Services and Anagram Capital

Gaurav Arora | 2-star rated FM

Fund Manager | 15 yrs Experience | 3 yrs at current firm

Past Experience: VP (Avendus Capital), AVP (Kotak Institutional Equities), Assistant Manager (Tata Motors)

Gaurav Arora has 15+ years of experience in finance. Before joining Equirus, he worked at Avendus Wealth Management and Kotak Institutional Equities. He holds degrees from IIM Calcutta and BITS Pilani.

Ajay Garg | 5-star rated FM

Managing Director | 32 yrs Experience | 18 yrs at current firm

Past Experience: DSP Merill Lynch (VP), Mape Advisory Group (Co-Founder), Kwench (Director), CRIF India (Director)

Ajay Garg is the founder of Equirus Capital. He is a veteran investment banker, with over 22 years of experience in Investment Banking. He is acknowledged as being amongst the top dealmakers in the country. He started his career with DSP Merrill Lynch where he was involved with several landmark deals during his stint there between 1996–2002. Prior to setting up Equirus in 2007, he was the group CEO of a leading investment bank which he co-founded. Ajay holds a first degree in engineering and is a postgraduate in management from IIM, Ahmedabad.

Fee Structure

Fee Structure Fee
Fixed Fee Structure 2.5
Variable Fee Structures
Exit Fees 1yr(2%), 2yr(1%)

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