AQLT vs. DFAI
AQLT (iShares MSCI Global Quality Factor ETF) and DFAI (Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF) are both Global Equities funds. AQLT is passively managed, while DFAI is actively managed. Over the past year, AQLT returned 29.00% vs 24.65% for DFAI. A 0.78 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. AQLT charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for DFAI.
Performance
AQLT vs. DFAI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AQLT achieves a 12.40% return, which is significantly higher than DFAI's 9.16% return.
AQLT
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- 4.34%
- YTD
- 12.40%
- 6M
- 12.67%
- 1Y
- 29.00%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
DFAI
- 1D
- -0.84%
- 1M
- 2.67%
- YTD
- 9.16%
- 6M
- 11.79%
- 1Y
- 24.65%
- 3Y*
- 18.12%
- 5Y*
- 9.36%
- 10Y*
- —
AQLT vs. DFAI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
AQLT iShares MSCI Global Quality Factor ETF | 12.40% | 17.65% | -3.14% |
DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF | 9.16% | 34.04% | -2.93% |
Correlation
The correlation between AQLT and DFAI is 0.81, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 13, 2024 | 0.78 |
The correlation between AQLT and DFAI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.78 to 0.81 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
AQLT vs. DFAI — Risk / Return Rank
AQLT
DFAI
AQLT vs. DFAI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Global Quality Factor ETF (AQLT) and Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF (DFAI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| AQLT | DFAI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.60 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.32 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.73 | 2.26 | +0.47 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.25 | 8.87 | +3.38 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| AQLT | DFAI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.18 | 1.76 | +0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.59 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.09 | 0.78 | +0.31 |
Drawdowns
AQLT vs. DFAI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AQLT drawdown since its inception was -16.84%, smaller than the maximum DFAI drawdown of -27.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AQLT and DFAI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AQLT | DFAI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.84% | -27.44% | +10.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.68% | -10.95% | +0.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -13.25% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -27.44% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.37% | -1.61% | +1.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.32% | -5.12% | +2.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.37% | 2.79% | -0.42% |
Volatility
AQLT vs. DFAI - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Global Quality Factor ETF (AQLT) is 3.54%, while Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF (DFAI) has a volatility of 4.45%. This indicates that AQLT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFAI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AQLT | DFAI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.54% | 4.45% | -0.91% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.82% | 11.68% | -0.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.39% | 14.08% | -0.69% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.99% | 15.92% | +1.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.99% | 15.70% | +1.29% |
AQLT vs. DFAI - Expense Ratio Comparison
AQLT has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than DFAI's 0.18% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
AQLT vs. DFAI - Dividend Comparison
AQLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.93%, less than DFAI's 2.26% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AQLT iShares MSCI Global Quality Factor ETF | 0.93% | 1.05% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF | 2.26% | 2.45% | 2.72% | 2.64% | 2.72% | 2.06% | 0.09% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AQLT and DFAI have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DFAI has higher volatility (4.45%) compared to AQLT (3.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AQLT dropped -16.84% vs DFAI's -27.44%.
On 1-year performance, AQLT leads with 29.00% vs 24.65% for DFAI. On fees, DFAI is cheaper at 0.18% per year. On volatility, AQLT has been the lower-risk option at 3.54%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, AQLT has performed better with a 29.00% return vs 24.65%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DFAI is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for AQLT.
DFAI has the higher dividend yield at 2.26%, compared with 0.93% for AQLT.
They also come from different issuers: iShares and Dimensional. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for AQLT and 0.18% for DFAI.
AQLT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.18 vs 1.76), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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