DFIHX vs. PULS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

DFIHX (DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio) and PULS (PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF) are both Ultrashort Bond funds. Over the past 5 years, DFIHX returned 2.76%/yr vs 4.12%/yr for PULS. At a 0.19 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DFIHX charges 0.13%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for PULS.

Performance

DFIHX vs. PULS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX) and PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF (PULS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DFIHX achieves a 1.52% return, which is significantly lower than PULS's 1.73% return.

DFIHX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.30%
• YTD: 1.52%
• 6M: 1.83%
• 1Y: 3.65%
• 3Y*: 4.46%
• 5Y*: 2.76%
• 10Y*: 1.98%

PULS

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.36%
• YTD: 1.73%
• 6M: 2.09%
• 1Y: 4.70%
• 3Y*: 5.61%
• 5Y*: 4.12%
• 10Y*: —

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

DFIHX vs. PULS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio	1.52%	3.41%	5.41%	4.98%	-1.19%	-0.19%	0.62%	2.44%	1.65%
PULS PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF	1.73%	4.97%	6.12%	6.26%	1.52%	0.48%	1.47%	2.97%	1.71%

Correlation

The correlation between DFIHX and PULS is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.17
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.13
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.26
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2018	0.19

The correlation between DFIHX and PULS shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (3 years) to 0.26 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

DFIHX vs. PULS — Risk / Return Rank

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

DFIHX

DFIHX Risk / Return Rank: 99
DFIHX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
DFIHX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
DFIHX Omega Ratio Rank: 100
DFIHX Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
DFIHX Martin Ratio Rank: 99

PULS

PULS Risk / Return Rank: 100
PULS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
PULS Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
PULS Omega Ratio Rank: 100
PULS Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
PULS Martin Ratio Rank: 100

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.

DFIHX vs. PULS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX) and PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF (PULS). 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.

	DFIHX	PULS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	5.17	11.41	-6.24
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	8.94	32.91	-23.97
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	7.53	7.59	-0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	9.49	52.47	-42.98
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	57.84	318.56	-260.71
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

DFIHX vs. PULS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DFIHX Sharpe Ratio is 5.17, which is lower than the PULS Sharpe Ratio of 11.41. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DFIHX and PULS, 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

	DFIHX	PULS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.17	11.41	-6.24
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	2.78	5.92	-3.14
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	2.50	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.52	2.51	-0.99

Drawdowns

DFIHX vs. PULS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DFIHX drawdown since its inception was -2.53%, smaller than the maximum PULS drawdown of -5.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFIHX and PULS.

Drawdown Indicators

	DFIHX	PULS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-2.53%	-5.85%	+3.32%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.39%	-0.09%	-0.30%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-0.49%	-0.34%	-0.15%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-2.26%	-0.79%	-1.47%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-2.26%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.15%	-0.09%	-0.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.06%	0.01%	+0.05%

Volatility

DFIHX vs. PULS - Volatility Comparison

DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX) has a higher volatility of 0.16% compared to PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF (PULS) at 0.11%. This indicates that DFIHX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PULS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	DFIHX	PULS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.16%	0.11%	+0.05%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.43%	0.30%	+0.13%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.72%	0.41%	+0.31%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	1.00%	0.70%	+0.30%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.80%	1.33%	-0.53%

DFIHX vs. PULS - Expense Ratio Comparison

DFIHX has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is lower than PULS's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

DFIHX vs. PULS - Dividend Comparison

DFIHX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.58%, less than PULS's 4.58% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio	3.58%	3.26%	4.99%	3.37%	1.07%	0.00%	0.62%	2.12%	1.85%	1.13%	0.66%	0.51%
PULS PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF	4.58%	4.78%	5.62%	5.48%	2.30%	1.19%	1.85%	2.69%	1.87%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DFIHX and PULS in my portfolio?

DFIHX and PULS have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DFIHX or PULS?

DFIHX has higher volatility (0.16%) compared to PULS (0.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFIHX dropped -2.53% vs PULS's -5.85%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PULS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (11.41 vs 5.17), 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.