At a time when equities are trading at high valuations, it makes sense to go for a multi-cap scheme that invests in companies across market caps. Because once earnings growth catches up, there would be interest in companies of all sizes. Among the multi-cap schemes, Birla Sun Life Equity has distinguished itself as a consistent performer with a right mix of mid-and large-sized companies.

Anil Shah manages the Birla Sun Life Equity Fund and uses a combination of strategies in picking stocks. As and when required, he employs topdown and bottom-up approaches to select an attractive stock.In addition to this, he takes expensive calls but with a caution and comfort of selecting companies, which have high visibility of earnings growth. These factors have worked in the scheme's favour.

Another factor which investors should keep in mind is the scheme's long performance history, which is commendable. The scheme has been in existence for the past 18 years. It has not only beaten its peers but also its benchmark S&P BSE 200 by a wide margin. In the three-year and five-year periods, the scheme has delivered 24% and 21.9 % returns, respectively, while its peers have generated 19% and 17% returns, respectively.

In the past six months, the Birla Sun Life Equity Fund scheme's fund manager has bought stocks that may look out of favour in markets right now, but would prove as value buys in the long term. These companies are Tech Mahindra, Ashok Leyland, Power Grid Corporation and ICICI Bank.