MAM
How to select the best ELSS funds for tax saving in 2024?
Mutual fund investments are extremely popular in India. Statistics show that mutual fund SIP accounts stood at 7.91 crore until January 2024. However, when investors invest in these flexible schemes, they also look to benefit from a tax-saving perspective. ELSS (Equity Linked Savings Scheme) mutual funds constitute a sub-category of equity funds that helps investors do just that.
Stepwise plan to help investors select the best ELSS funds in 2024:
Investors can adopt the following strategic approach to investing in ELSS funds in 2024 to make the most of their mutual fund investments:
• Listing down investment objectives and carrying out a risk assessment: As the first step, investors must list down their investment objectives. It helps to think of investment objectives in one-line assertions: “I wish to plan my retirement” Or “I wish to save for an upcoming vacation”, for example. Next, the investor must analyse their risk-taking capacity and gauge whether they are a conservative or a non-conservative investor with respect to risk.
• Shortlisting ELSS funds and analysing them: Next, the investor must research ELSS funds online and analyse them. The most efficient way to analyse an ELSS fund is by using a mutual fund SIP calculator. Investors can use these free, online tools to calculate their returns at the end of their investment tenure. These calculators can also help investors know their ideal investment amount. After shortlisting a few ELSS funds, investors must compare their expected returns to further narrow down their search.
• Noting down the expenses of investing in each shortlisted ELSS fund: Since ELSS mutual funds charge an expense ratio, investors must also note down the expense ratios charged by each fund in their shortlist. This will help them further narrow down their list and bring it down to two-to-three funds.
• Considering liquidity concerns: Investors should bear in mind that ELSS mutual funds have a three-year-long lock-in period. These funds offer very less liquidity, and investors should be aware of this feature at this stage. They must accordingly decide on their investment amount. It is at this stage that the investor can select the fund of their choice and make the investment.
• Reassessment: After investing, the investor must keep revisiting their ELSS investment to check if it aligns with their larger investment goal(s). If their ELSS investment does not align with their investment goal(s), they must reassess and make changes. An SIP investment calculator can help investors with this too.
In the five-step procedure outlined in this article, the role of online mutual fund returns calculators emerges as being extremely crucial. Investors must make the most of these online tools since they help them plan for their ELSS investments in advance. The utility of these calculators goes beyond helping investors calculate their returns, since they can also be used to assess one’s risk-taking capacity. Investors can enter different values of investment amounts and tenures to assess their own capacity of taking risks through their ELSS investments.
Brands
Maruti Suzuki posts record FY26 profit of Rs 14,445 crore, dividend at Rs 140
Sales hit 24.22 lakh units as Q4 revenue crosses Rs 50,000 crore mark
NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki India Limited reported its highest-ever annual performance for FY2025-26, with record sales volumes, revenue and profit, alongside a dividend of Rs 140 per share.
The company posted net sales of Rs 1,74,369.5 crore for the full year, marking a 20.2 per cent increase over FY2024-25. Net profit stood at an all-time high of Rs 14,445.4 crore, up slightly from Rs 14,297.6 crore in the previous year.
Total sales for the year reached 24,22,713 units, compared to 22,34,266 units last year. Domestic sales accounted for 19,74,939 units, while exports rose sharply to 4,47,774 units from 3,32,585 units a year earlier. The company retained its position as India’s top passenger vehicle exporter for the fifth consecutive year, contributing 49 per cent of total exports.
Exports of the made-in-India e VITARA, the company’s first battery electric vehicle, expanded to 44 countries, highlighting its growing global footprint.
In the January to March quarter, Maruti Suzuki recorded its highest-ever quarterly sales of 6,76,209 units, an increase of 11.8 per cent year-on-year. Domestic sales stood at 5,38,994 units, while exports touched a record 1,37,215 units.
Quarterly net sales crossed the Rs 50,000 crore milestone for the first time, reaching Rs 50,078.7 crore, up from Rs 38,839.1 crore in the same quarter last year.
Operating profit, measured as EBIT, rose 30.4 per cent to Rs 4,409.2 crore, reflecting improved operating efficiency. However, net profit declined 6.9 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,590.5 crore, primarily due to mark-to-market impacts.
The company said growth in the second half of the year was supported by a reduction in GST rates, which boosted demand in the domestic market. However, production constraints remained a challenge, with around 1,90,000 pending customer orders at the end of the year, including nearly 1,30,000 in the small car segment. Dealer inventory levels were also low, at about 12 days of stock.
During the year, Suzuki Motor Gujarat Private Limited was amalgamated into the parent company, effective 1 December 2025, with financials restated from 1 April 2025 for comparability.
The board recommended a dividend of Rs 140 per share, up from Rs 135 in FY2024-25, marking the highest payout in the company’s history.
With strong export momentum, improving domestic demand and continued capacity constraints, Maruti Suzuki enters FY27 balancing growth opportunities with supply-side challenges, even as it strengthens its position in both conventional and electric vehicle segments.
