DFEMX Alternatives & Similar Mutual Funds

DFA Emerging Markets Portfolio (DFEMX) belongs to the Emerging Markets Equities category. Below you'll find alternative mutual funds from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DFEMX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to DFEMX

DFEMX charges 0.36% annually. There are 19 mutual funds in the Emerging Markets Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.01%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
FHKFX	Fidelity Series Emerging Markets Fund	0.01%	—	Aug 2018	DFEMX vs FHKFX
FEMSX	Fidelity Series Emerging Markets Opportunities Fun...	0.01%	—	Dec 2008	DFEMX vs FEMSX
VEMIX	Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Institu...	0.06%	—	Jun 2000	DFEMX vs VEMIX
FPADX	Fidelity Emerging Markets Index Fund	0.08%	—	Sep 2011	DFEMX vs FPADX
FERGX	Fidelity SAI Emerging Markets Index Fund	0.08%	—	Jan 2016	DFEMX vs FERGX

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFEMX

DFEMX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 66. There are 79 mutual funds in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 94.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
LZEMX	Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio	94	—	Jul 1994	DFEMX vs LZEMX
RLEMX	Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio Class R6	94	—	—	DFEMX vs RLEMX
ESCIX	Ashmore Emerging Markets Small Cap Equity Fund	92	—	Oct 2011	DFEMX vs ESCIX
DEMIX	Delaware Emerging Markets Fund	91	—	Jun 1996	DFEMX vs DEMIX
DEMAX	Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A	91	—	Jun 1996	DFEMX vs DEMAX

Top Performing DFEMX Alternatives (YTD)

DFEMX is at 17.07% YTD. There are 94 mutual funds in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 68.59%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DEMIX	Delaware Emerging Markets Fund	68.59%	—	Jun 1996	DFEMX vs DEMIX
DEMAX	Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A	68.34%	—	Jun 1996	DFEMX vs DEMAX
DEMCX	Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class C	67.60%	—	Jun 1996	DFEMX vs DEMCX
FQEMX	Franklin Templeton SMACS: Series EM	50.59%	—	Nov 2021	DFEMX vs FQEMX
GMAQX	GMO Emerging Markets ex-China Fund	37.39%	—	Oct 2021	DFEMX vs GMAQX

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFEMX

DFEMX has 21.83% 1-year volatility. There are 103 mutual funds in the Emerging Markets Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 9.88%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
GSIYX	Goldman Sachs GQG Partners International Opportuni...	9.88%	—	Dec 2016	DFEMX vs GSIYX
ESCIX	Ashmore Emerging Markets Small Cap Equity Fund	10.28%	—	Oct 2011	DFEMX vs ESCIX
GQGPX	GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund	11.51%	—	Dec 2016	DFEMX vs GQGPX
GQGIX	GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund Institut...	11.53%	—	—	DFEMX vs GQGIX
FGKPX	Fidelity SAI Emerging Markets Low Volatility Index...	11.80%	—	Jan 2019	DFEMX vs FGKPX

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFEMX

DFEMX has a 1-year max drawdown of -14.29%. There are 121 mutual funds in the Emerging Markets Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -5.70%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
ESCIX	Ashmore Emerging Markets Small Cap Equity Fund	-5.70%	—	Oct 2011	DFEMX vs ESCIX
FGKPX	Fidelity SAI Emerging Markets Low Volatility Index...	-6.93%	—	Jan 2019	DFEMX vs FGKPX
GSIYX	Goldman Sachs GQG Partners International Opportuni...	-7.81%	—	Dec 2016	DFEMX vs GSIYX
BADEX	BlackRock Defensive Advantage Emerging Markets Fun...	-8.89%	—	Dec 2020	DFEMX vs BADEX
COBYX	The Cook & Bynum Fund	-8.95%	—	Jun 2009	DFEMX vs COBYX

Other Mutual Funds from Dimensional

The 10 most viewed Dimensional mutual funds shown here include DFSVX, DFIVX, DGEIX and span 7 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $43B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DFSVX	DFA U.S. Small Cap Value Portfolio I	Small Cap Value Equities	85	21.39%	19.45B	Mar 1993	DFEMX vs DFSVX
DFIVX	DFA International Value Portfolio Institutional Cl...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	93	17.19%	19.17B	Feb 1994	DFEMX vs DFIVX
DGEIX	DFA Global Equity Portfolio Institutional Class	Global Equities	78	12.26%	—	Dec 2003	DFEMX vs DGEIX
DFUSX	DFA U.S. Large Company Portfolio	Large Cap Blend Equities	65	9.37%	14.33B	Sep 1999	DFEMX vs DFUSX
DFFVX	DFA U.S. Targeted Value Portfolio Institutional Cl...	Small Cap Value Equities	84	20.09%	16.81B	Feb 2000	DFEMX vs DFFVX
DISVX	DFA International Small Cap Value Portfolio Instit...	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	80	11.89%	14.24B	Dec 1994	DFEMX vs DISVX
DFIEX	DFA International Core Equity 2 Portfolio Institut...	Foreign Large Cap Equities	80	13.00%	42.60B	Sep 2005	DFEMX vs DFIEX
DFSTX	DFA U.S. Small Cap Portfolio	Small Cap Blend Equities	74	17.76%	19.72B	Mar 1992	DFEMX vs DFSTX
DFEOX	DFA US Core Equity 1 Portfolio I	Large Cap Blend Equities	78	11.80%	41.38B	Sep 2005	DFEMX vs DFEOX
DFLVX	DFA U.S. Large Cap Value Portfolio	Large Cap Value Equities	95	18.84%	30.83B	Feb 1993	DFEMX vs DFLVX

Often Compared With DFEMX

Investors most often compare DFEMX with DFAE, SFENX, FDEM. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DFAE	Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	59	15.96%	9.47B	Dec 2020	DFEMX vs DFAE
SFENX	Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index F...	Emerging Markets Equities	76	13.49%	—	Jan 2008	DFEMX vs SFENX
FDEM	Fidelity Emerging Markets Multifactor ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	55	14.53%	587.02M	Feb 2019	DFEMX vs FDEM
VEMAX	Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral...	Emerging Markets Equities	39	7.78%	163.30B	Jun 2006	DFEMX vs VEMAX
PCY	Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF	Emerging Markets Bonds	43	-0.05%	1.38B	Oct 2007	DFEMX vs PCY
VWO	Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	51	9.41%	163.30B	Mar 2005	DFEMX vs VWO
AVEM	Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	60	16.96%	25.76B	Sep 2019	DFEMX vs AVEM
DFETX	DFA Emerging Markets II Portfolio	Emerging Markets Equities	62	17.08%	—	Aug 1997	DFEMX vs DFETX
AVES	Avantis Emerging Markets Value ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	39	7.59%	1.41B	Sep 2021	DFEMX vs AVES
DFEM	Dimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	55	14.75%	8.96B	Apr 2022	DFEMX vs DFEM
DFCEX	DFA Emerging Markets Core Equity Fund	Emerging Markets Equities	49	12.45%	36.43B	Apr 2005	DFEMX vs DFCEX
SPY	State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	S&P 500	67	10.13%	789.06B	Jan 1993	DFEMX vs SPY
DFEVX	DFA Emerging Markets Value Portfolio	Emerging Markets Equities	66	15.08%	14.50B	Mar 1998	DFEMX vs DFEVX
VWENX	Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares	Diversified Portfolio	58	4.93%	123.40B	May 2001	DFEMX vs VWENX
JPEM	J.P. Morgan Diversified Return Emerging Markets Eq...	Emerging Markets Equities	61	8.42%	389.42M	Jan 2015	DFEMX vs JPEM
FOSFX	Fidelity Overseas Fund	Foreign Large Cap Equities	14	5.59%	—	Dec 1984	DFEMX vs FOSFX
DFALX	DFA Large Cap International Portfolio	Foreign Large Cap Equities	80	13.26%	—	Jul 1991	DFEMX vs DFALX
DUSLX	DFA U.S. Large Cap Growth Portfolio	Large Cap Growth Equities	33	8.30%	4.43B	Dec 2012	DFEMX vs DUSLX
DILRX	DFA International Large Cap Growth Portfolio	Foreign Large Cap Equities	33	8.52%	1.55B	Dec 2012	DFEMX vs DILRX
VIGI	Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF	Dividend, Foreign Large Cap Equities	47	7.63%	9.10B	Feb 2016	DFEMX vs VIGI

Compare DFEMX with Any Fund or Stock

Compare DFEMX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

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Diversifiers

Pair DFEMX with funds that move differently

DFA Emerging Markets Portfolio alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFEMX.

Explore DFEMX Diversifiers

DFA Emerging Markets Portfolio (DFEMX) Alternatives