DFAIX vs. IEF
Compare and contrast key facts about DFA Short-Duration Real Return Portfolio (DFAIX) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF).
DFAIX is managed by Dimensional. It was launched on Nov 5, 2013. IEF is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 7-10 Year Treasury Bond Index. It was launched on Jul 26, 2002.
Performance
DFAIX vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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DFAIX vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFAIX DFA Short-Duration Real Return Portfolio | 0.86% | 4.86% | 6.38% | 5.64% | -2.77% | 5.40% | 2.75% | 5.63% | 0.11% | 1.71% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.14% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFAIX achieves a 0.86% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -0.14% return. Over the past 10 years, DFAIX has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 3.20%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.78% annualized return.
DFAIX
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -0.09%
- YTD
- 0.86%
- 6M
- 1.22%
- 1Y
- 3.68%
- 3Y*
- 5.27%
- 5Y*
- 3.82%
- 10Y*
- 3.20%
IEF
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- -2.32%
- YTD
- -0.14%
- 6M
- 0.79%
- 1Y
- 3.95%
- 3Y*
- 2.25%
- 5Y*
- -0.76%
- 10Y*
- 0.78%
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DFAIX vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFAIX has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than IEF's 0.15% 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%.
Return for Risk
DFAIX vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
DFAIX
IEF
DFAIX vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for DFA Short-Duration Real Return Portfolio (DFAIX) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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.
| DFAIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 3.57 | 0.74 | +2.83 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 5.96 | 1.09 | +4.86 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 2.07 | 1.13 | +0.95 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 8.64 | 1.32 | +7.32 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 34.01 | 3.31 | +30.70 |
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
| DFAIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.57 | 0.74 | +2.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.21 | -0.10 | +1.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.26 | 0.12 | +1.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.08 | 0.51 | +0.58 |
Correlation
The correlation between DFAIX and IEF is 0.36, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
DFAIX vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
DFAIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.61%, more than IEF's 3.82% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFAIX DFA Short-Duration Real Return Portfolio | 4.61% | 4.65% | 4.14% | 3.66% | 1.68% | 0.98% | 0.82% | 2.53% | 2.72% | 1.71% | 1.41% | 1.29% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.82% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
Drawdowns
DFAIX vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFAIX drawdown since its inception was -5.63%, smaller than the maximum IEF drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFAIX and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFAIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.63% | -23.93% | +18.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.47% | -3.22% | +2.75% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.46% | -21.40% | +15.94% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.63% | -23.93% | +18.30% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.28% | -10.88% | +10.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.95% | -5.30% | +4.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.12% | 1.28% | -1.16% |
Volatility
DFAIX vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for DFA Short-Duration Real Return Portfolio (DFAIX) is 0.50%, while iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) has a volatility of 1.91%. This indicates that DFAIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFAIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.50% | 1.91% | -1.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.75% | 3.22% | -2.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.07% | 5.35% | -4.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.18% | 7.70% | -4.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.56% | 6.63% | -4.07% |