AVSD vs. DFSI

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Avantis Responsible International Equity ETF (AVSD) and Dimensional International Sustainability Core 1 ETF (DFSI).

AVSD and DFSI are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AVSD is a passively managed fund by Avantis that tracks the performance of the MSCI World ex USA IMI. It was launched on Mar 15, 2022. DFSI is an actively managed fund by Dimensional. It was launched on Nov 1, 2022.

Performance

AVSD vs. DFSI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis Responsible International Equity ETF (AVSD) and Dimensional International Sustainability Core 1 ETF (DFSI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

AVSD vs. DFSI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
AVSD Avantis Responsible International Equity ETF	1.01%	37.07%	6.69%	17.49%	11.73%
DFSI Dimensional International Sustainability Core 1 ETF	1.03%	33.62%	4.98%	17.86%	11.99%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with AVSD having a 1.01% return and DFSI slightly higher at 1.03%.

AVSD

• 1D: 1.77%
• 1M: -5.62%
• YTD: 1.01%
• 6M: 5.42%
• 1Y: 28.25%
• 3Y*: 17.34%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

DFSI

• 1D: 1.85%
• 1M: -5.59%
• YTD: 1.03%
• 6M: 5.56%
• 1Y: 26.38%
• 3Y*: 15.52%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AVSD vs. DFSI - Expense Ratio Comparison

AVSD has a 0.23% expense ratio, which is lower than DFSI's 0.24% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

DFSI

Dimensional International Sustainability Core 1 ETF

AVSD

Avantis Responsible International Equity ETF

Return for Risk

AVSD vs. DFSI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AVSD

AVSD Risk / Return Rank: 80
AVSD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
AVSD Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
AVSD Omega Ratio Rank: 81
AVSD Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
AVSD Martin Ratio Rank: 78

DFSI

DFSI Risk / Return Rank: 78
DFSI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
DFSI Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
DFSI Omega Ratio Rank: 80
DFSI Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
DFSI Martin Ratio Rank: 77

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AVSD vs. DFSI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis Responsible International Equity ETF (AVSD) and Dimensional International Sustainability Core 1 ETF (DFSI). 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.

	AVSD	DFSI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.62	1.56	+0.06
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.25	2.15	+0.10
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.32	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.26	2.19	+0.07
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.07	8.93	+0.14
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AVSD vs. DFSI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVSD Sharpe Ratio is 1.62, which is comparable to the DFSI Sharpe Ratio of 1.56. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVSD and DFSI, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AVSD	DFSI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.62	1.56	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.72	1.35	-0.63

Correlation

The correlation between AVSD and DFSI is 0.97, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

AVSD vs. DFSI - Dividend Comparison

AVSD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.60%, more than DFSI's 2.24% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
AVSD Avantis Responsible International Equity ETF	2.60%	2.54%	3.25%	2.53%	1.35%
DFSI Dimensional International Sustainability Core 1 ETF	2.24%	2.23%	2.39%	2.10%	0.18%

Drawdowns

AVSD vs. DFSI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVSD drawdown since its inception was -25.56%, which is greater than DFSI's maximum drawdown of -12.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVSD and DFSI.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVSD	DFSI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.56%	-12.82%	-12.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.63%	-12.26%	-0.37%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.73%	-7.29%	-0.44%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.00%	-2.57%	-2.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.14%	3.00%	+0.14%

Volatility

AVSD vs. DFSI - Volatility Comparison

Avantis Responsible International Equity ETF (AVSD) and Dimensional International Sustainability Core 1 ETF (DFSI) have volatilities of 7.73% and 7.91%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVSD	DFSI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.73%	7.91%	-0.18%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.35%	11.34%	+0.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.53%	16.96%	+0.57%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.54%	15.06%	+1.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.54%	15.06%	+1.48%