BIDAX vs. DCARX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BIDAX (iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund) and DCARX (DFA California Municipal Real Return Portfolio) are both Municipal Bonds funds. Over the past 5 years, BIDAX returned 0.69%/yr vs 2.55%/yr for DCARX. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BIDAX charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.26%/yr for DCARX.

Performance

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund (BIDAX) and DFA California Municipal Real Return Portfolio (DCARX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BIDAX achieves a 1.41% return, which is significantly lower than DCARX's 2.03% return.

BIDAX

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: 0.72%
• YTD: 1.41%
• 6M: 1.76%
• 1Y: 6.97%
• 3Y*: 3.69%
• 5Y*: 0.69%
• 10Y*: —

DCARX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.19%
• YTD: 2.03%
• 6M: 2.07%
• 1Y: 3.47%
• 3Y*: 3.27%
• 5Y*: 2.55%
• 10Y*: —

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

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
BIDAX iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund	1.41%	4.52%	1.44%	5.74%	-9.41%	1.38%	4.70%	7.56%	1.44%
DCARX DFA California Municipal Real Return Portfolio	2.03%	2.64%	3.16%	2.63%	-1.06%	6.21%	2.35%	5.08%	-0.00%

Correlation

The correlation between BIDAX and DCARX is -0.02, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.02
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.18
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 19, 2018	0.22

The correlation between BIDAX and DCARX shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (1 year) to 0.22 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

BIDAX vs. DCARX — Risk / Return Rank

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

BIDAX

BIDAX Risk / Return Rank: 67
BIDAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
BIDAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
BIDAX Omega Ratio Rank: 90
BIDAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
BIDAX Martin Ratio Rank: 36

DCARX

DCARX Risk / Return Rank: 96
DCARX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
DCARX Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
DCARX Omega Ratio Rank: 97
DCARX Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
DCARX Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund (BIDAX) and DFA California Municipal Real Return Portfolio (DCARX). 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.

	BIDAX	DCARX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.63	3.27	-0.64
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.14	5.44	-1.31
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.66	1.95	-0.29
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.37	7.25	-4.88
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.02	20.39	-12.37
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BIDAX Sharpe Ratio is 2.63, which is comparable to the DCARX Sharpe Ratio of 3.27. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BIDAX and DCARX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BIDAX	DCARX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.63	3.27	-0.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.17	1.14	-0.97
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	0.96	-0.42

Drawdowns

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BIDAX drawdown since its inception was -14.39%, which is greater than DCARX's maximum drawdown of -12.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BIDAX and DCARX.

Drawdown Indicators

	BIDAX	DCARX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.39%	-12.27%	-2.12%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.95%	-0.47%	-2.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.07%	-1.39%	-4.68%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.39%	-4.79%	-9.60%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.65%	0.00%	-0.65%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.52%	-0.74%	-2.78%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.87%	0.17%	+0.70%

Volatility

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Volatility Comparison

iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund (BIDAX) has a higher volatility of 1.06% compared to DFA California Municipal Real Return Portfolio (DCARX) at 0.44%. This indicates that BIDAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DCARX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BIDAX	DCARX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.06%	0.44%	+0.62%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.06%	0.86%	+1.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.68%	1.04%	+1.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.08%	2.24%	+1.84%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.44%	2.91%	+1.53%

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Expense Ratio Comparison

BIDAX has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than DCARX's 0.26% expense ratio.

Dividends

BIDAX vs. DCARX - Dividend Comparison

BIDAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.11%, less than DCARX's 3.22% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BIDAX iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund	3.11%	4.09%	3.25%	2.16%	1.92%	2.36%	2.35%	3.64%	0.48%	0.00%
DCARX DFA California Municipal Real Return Portfolio	3.22%	3.11%	3.52%	1.84%	0.90%	0.78%	1.12%	1.43%	1.27%	0.09%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BIDAX and DCARX in my portfolio?

BIDAX and DCARX have a correlation of -0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BIDAX or DCARX?

BIDAX has higher volatility (1.06%) compared to DCARX (0.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BIDAX dropped -14.39% vs DCARX's -12.27%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DCARX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.27 vs 2.63), 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.