DFCF vs. DFSD

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) and Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD).

DFCF and DFSD are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. DFCF is an actively managed fund by Dimensional. It was launched on Nov 15, 2021. DFSD is an actively managed fund by Dimensional. It was launched on Nov 15, 2021.

Performance

DFCF vs. DFSD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) and Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

DFCF vs. DFSD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
DFCF Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF	-0.10%	7.89%	1.86%	6.94%	-14.48%	0.23%
DFSD Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF	0.17%	6.59%	4.60%	6.09%	-5.87%	-0.02%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DFCF achieves a -0.10% return, which is significantly lower than DFSD's 0.17% return.

DFCF

• 1D: 0.33%
• 1M: -1.93%
• YTD: -0.10%
• 6M: 0.91%
• 1Y: 4.99%
• 3Y*: 4.41%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

DFSD

• 1D: 0.31%
• 1M: -0.89%
• YTD: 0.17%
• 6M: 1.29%
• 1Y: 4.79%
• 3Y*: 5.25%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

DFCF vs. DFSD - Expense Ratio Comparison

DFCF has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is higher than DFSD's 0.16% 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%.

DFCF

Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF

DFSD

Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF

Return for Risk

DFCF vs. DFSD — Risk / Return Rank

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

DFCF

DFCF Risk / Return Rank: 61
DFCF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
DFCF Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
DFCF Omega Ratio Rank: 53
DFCF Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
DFCF Martin Ratio Rank: 59

DFSD

DFSD Risk / Return Rank: 93
DFSD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
DFSD Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
DFSD Omega Ratio Rank: 94
DFSD Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
DFSD 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.

DFCF vs. DFSD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) and Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD). 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.

	DFCF	DFSD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.07	2.13	-1.06
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.49	3.12	-1.63
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.45	-0.25
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.77	3.25	-1.48
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.55	13.49	-7.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

DFCF vs. DFSD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DFCF Sharpe Ratio is 1.07, which is lower than the DFSD Sharpe Ratio of 2.13. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DFCF and DFSD, 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

	DFCF	DFSD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.07	2.13	-1.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.02	0.91	-0.88

Correlation

The correlation between DFCF and DFSD is 0.81, 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

DFCF vs. DFSD - Dividend Comparison

DFCF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.50%, more than DFSD's 3.94% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
DFCF Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF	4.50%	4.48%	4.61%	4.51%	3.27%	0.16%
DFSD Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF	3.94%	4.12%	4.81%	3.89%	2.12%	0.11%

Drawdowns

DFCF vs. DFSD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DFCF drawdown since its inception was -19.56%, which is greater than DFSD's maximum drawdown of -8.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFCF and DFSD.

Drawdown Indicators

	DFCF	DFSD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.56%	-8.45%	-11.11%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.90%	-1.47%	-1.43%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.93%	-0.89%	-1.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.30%	-2.13%	-6.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.93%	0.35%	+0.58%

Volatility

DFCF vs. DFSD - Volatility Comparison

Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) has a higher volatility of 1.85% compared to Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD) at 0.94%. This indicates that DFCF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFSD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	DFCF	DFSD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.85%	0.94%	+0.91%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.72%	1.33%	+1.39%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.68%	2.26%	+2.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.54%	2.80%	+3.74%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.54%	2.80%	+3.74%