DFALX vs. VFSIX
DFALX (DFA Large Cap International Portfolio) and VFSIX (Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares) are both mutual funds - DFALX is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund managed by Dimensional, while VFSIX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, DFALX returned 9.94%/yr vs 2.62%/yr for VFSIX. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. DFALX charges 0.18%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VFSIX.
Performance
DFALX vs. VFSIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFALX achieves a 9.96% return, which is significantly higher than VFSIX's 0.73% return. Over the past 10 years, DFALX has outperformed VFSIX with an annualized return of 9.94%, while VFSIX has yielded a comparatively lower 2.62% annualized return.
DFALX
- 1D
- -0.68%
- 1M
- 1.79%
- YTD
- 9.96%
- 6M
- 12.25%
- 1Y
- 25.14%
- 3Y*
- 18.41%
- 5Y*
- 9.42%
- 10Y*
- 9.94%
VFSIX
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.21%
- YTD
- 0.73%
- 6M
- 1.12%
- 1Y
- 4.52%
- 3Y*
- 5.51%
- 5Y*
- 2.33%
- 10Y*
- 2.62%
DFALX vs. VFSIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFALX DFA Large Cap International Portfolio | 9.96% | 33.60% | 4.55% | 17.88% | -13.04% | 12.79% | 8.13% | 22.05% | -14.15% | 25.35% |
VFSIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares | 0.73% | 6.89% | 5.12% | 5.88% | -5.72% | -0.59% | 5.28% | 5.88% | 1.00% | 2.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFALX and VFSIX is 0.37, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 1, 1997 | -0.03 |
The correlation between DFALX and VFSIX shifts across timeframes, from -0.03 (all time) to 0.37 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
DFALX vs. VFSIX — Risk / Return Rank
DFALX
VFSIX
DFALX vs. VFSIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for DFA Large Cap International Portfolio (DFALX) and Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares (VFSIX). 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.
| DFALX | VFSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.46 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.41 | 2.78 | -0.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.38 | 11.00 | -1.62 |
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
| DFALX | VFSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.83 | 2.04 | -0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 | 0.78 | -0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.62 | 1.06 | -0.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.38 | 1.53 | -1.16 |
Drawdowns
DFALX vs. VFSIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFALX drawdown since its inception was -59.76%, which is greater than VFSIX's maximum drawdown of -9.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFALX and VFSIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFALX | VFSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.76% | -9.21% | -50.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.70% | -1.71% | -8.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.11% | -1.71% | -11.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -27.52% | -9.21% | -18.31% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.58% | -9.21% | -26.37% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.86% | -0.32% | -0.54% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.01% | -0.79% | -11.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.74% | 0.43% | +2.31% |
Volatility
DFALX vs. VFSIX - Volatility Comparison
DFA Large Cap International Portfolio (DFALX) has a higher volatility of 4.14% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares (VFSIX) at 0.75%. This indicates that DFALX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFSIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFALX | VFSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.14% | 0.75% | +3.39% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.42% | 1.67% | +9.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.09% | 2.33% | +11.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.68% | 2.99% | +12.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.17% | 2.49% | +13.68% |
DFALX vs. VFSIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFALX has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is higher than VFSIX's 0.07% 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
DFALX vs. VFSIX - Dividend Comparison
DFALX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.75%, less than VFSIX's 4.74% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFALX DFA Large Cap International Portfolio | 2.75% | 2.89% | 3.18% | 3.24% | 2.86% | 3.00% | 1.88% | 2.88% | 3.07% | 2.55% | 2.89% | 2.94% |
VFSIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares | 4.74% | 4.61% | 4.19% | 2.88% | 2.06% | 1.81% | 2.35% | 2.95% | 2.80% | 2.13% | 2.17% | 2.12% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DFALX and VFSIX have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DFALX has higher volatility (4.14%) compared to VFSIX (0.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFALX dropped -59.76% vs VFSIX's -9.21%.
VFSIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 1.83), 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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