DFGBX vs. DFSD
DFGBX (DFA Five Year Global Fixed Income Portfolio) and DFSD (Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF) are both funds - DFGBX is a Global Bonds fund managed by Dimensional, while DFSD is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by Dimensional. Over the past 3 years, DFGBX returned 4.33%/yr vs 5.31%/yr for DFSD. At a 0.50 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DFGBX charges 0.23%/yr vs 0.16%/yr for DFSD.
Performance
DFGBX vs. DFSD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFGBX achieves a 1.55% return, which is significantly higher than DFSD's 0.67% return.
DFGBX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.60%
- YTD
- 1.55%
- 6M
- 1.75%
- 1Y
- 2.58%
- 3Y*
- 4.33%
- 5Y*
- 1.34%
- 10Y*
- 1.29%
DFSD
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 0.67%
- 6M
- 0.81%
- 1Y
- 3.88%
- 3Y*
- 5.31%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
DFGBX vs. DFSD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFGBX DFA Five Year Global Fixed Income Portfolio | 1.55% | 3.13% | 5.37% | 5.00% | -6.63% | 0.17% |
DFSD Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF | 0.67% | 6.59% | 4.60% | 6.09% | -5.87% | -0.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFGBX and DFSD is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 16, 2021 | 0.50 |
The correlation between DFGBX and DFSD shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (3 years) to 0.50 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
DFGBX vs. DFSD — Risk / Return Rank
DFGBX
DFSD
DFGBX vs. DFSD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for DFA Five Year Global Fixed Income Portfolio (DFGBX) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| DFGBX | DFSD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.64 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.39 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.90 | 2.66 | -0.76 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.14 | 10.08 | -4.94 |
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Drawdowns
DFGBX vs. DFSD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFGBX drawdown since its inception was -9.63%, which is greater than DFSD's maximum drawdown of -8.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFGBX and DFSD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFGBX | DFSD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.63% | -8.45% | -1.18% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.38% | -1.47% | +0.09% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.67% | -1.47% | -0.20% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.63% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.63% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.39% | +0.39% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.93% | -2.05% | +1.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.50% | 0.39% | +0.11% |
Volatility
DFGBX vs. DFSD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for DFA Five Year Global Fixed Income Portfolio (DFGBX) is 0.47%, while Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD) has a volatility of 0.64%. This indicates that DFGBX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFSD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFGBX | DFSD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.47% | 0.64% | -0.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.32% | 1.53% | -0.21% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.89% | 1.93% | -0.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.19% | 2.77% | -0.58% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.93% | 2.77% | -0.84% |
DFGBX vs. DFSD - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFGBX has a 0.23% 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%.
Dividends
DFGBX vs. DFSD - Dividend Comparison
DFGBX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.42%, less than DFSD's 3.97% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFGBX DFA Five Year Global Fixed Income Portfolio | 3.42% | 2.91% | 4.69% | 3.61% | 1.63% | 0.73% | 0.03% | 2.30% | 4.74% | 0.89% | 1.16% | 1.72% |
DFSD Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF | 3.97% | 4.12% | 4.81% | 3.89% | 2.12% | 0.11% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DFGBX and DFSD have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DFSD has higher volatility (0.64%) compared to DFGBX (0.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFGBX dropped -9.63% vs DFSD's -8.45%.
DFSD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.02 vs 1.38), 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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