DFREX vs. DFAR
Compare and contrast key facts about DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I (DFREX) and Dimensional US Real Estate ETF (DFAR).
DFREX is managed by Dimensional. It was launched on Jan 5, 1993. DFAR is an actively managed fund by Dimensional. It was launched on Feb 23, 2022.
Performance
DFREX vs. DFAR - Performance Comparison
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DFREX vs. DFAR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFREX DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I | 1.79% | 1.52% | 5.52% | 11.20% | -14.41% |
DFAR Dimensional US Real Estate ETF | 3.46% | 1.31% | 5.25% | 11.04% | -14.30% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFREX achieves a 1.79% return, which is significantly lower than DFAR's 3.46% return.
DFREX
- 1D
- 0.37%
- 1M
- -7.68%
- YTD
- 1.79%
- 6M
- -0.53%
- 1Y
- 0.96%
- 3Y*
- 6.01%
- 5Y*
- 3.57%
- 10Y*
- 4.83%
DFAR
- 1D
- 1.55%
- 1M
- -6.28%
- YTD
- 3.46%
- 6M
- 0.97%
- 1Y
- 2.53%
- 3Y*
- 6.36%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
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DFREX vs. DFAR - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFREX has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is lower than DFAR's 0.19% 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%.
Return for Risk
DFREX vs. DFAR — Risk / Return Rank
DFREX
DFAR
DFREX vs. DFAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I (DFREX) and Dimensional US Real Estate ETF (DFAR). 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.
| DFREX | DFAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.12 | 0.16 | -0.04 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.28 | 0.32 | -0.05 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.04 | 1.04 | -0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.14 | 0.30 | -0.16 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.54 | 1.16 | -0.62 |
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
| DFREX | DFAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.12 | 0.16 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.24 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 0.06 | +0.30 |
Correlation
The correlation between DFREX and DFAR is 1.00, 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
DFREX vs. DFAR - Dividend Comparison
DFREX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, less than DFAR's 2.98% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFREX DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I | 2.84% | 2.84% | 2.97% | 3.59% | 6.24% | 2.56% | 3.36% | 2.23% | 4.88% | 1.89% | 2.83% | 2.86% |
DFAR Dimensional US Real Estate ETF | 2.98% | 2.97% | 2.89% | 3.06% | 1.69% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
DFREX vs. DFAR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFREX drawdown since its inception was -74.36%, which is greater than DFAR's maximum drawdown of -32.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFREX and DFAR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFREX | DFAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -74.36% | -32.27% | -42.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.22% | -12.10% | -0.12% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.11% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.49% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.98% | -6.75% | -2.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.39% | -14.76% | +3.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.11% | 3.13% | -0.02% |
Volatility
DFREX vs. DFAR - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I (DFREX) is 4.12%, while Dimensional US Real Estate ETF (DFAR) has a volatility of 4.48%. This indicates that DFREX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFREX | DFAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.12% | 4.48% | -0.36% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.12% | 9.28% | -0.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.10% | 16.06% | +0.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.68% | 19.32% | -0.64% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.30% | 19.32% | +0.98% |