DFREX vs. USRT
Compare and contrast key facts about DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I (DFREX) and iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT).
DFREX is managed by Dimensional. It was launched on Jan 5, 1993. USRT is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index. It was launched on May 4, 2007.
Performance
DFREX vs. USRT - Performance Comparison
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DFREX vs. USRT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFREX DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I | 1.79% | 1.52% | 5.52% | 11.20% | -24.93% | 41.88% | -5.03% | 28.12% | -3.01% | 4.25% |
USRT iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 4.27% | 2.44% | 8.58% | 13.64% | -24.43% | 43.26% | -8.06% | 25.98% | -4.67% | 5.27% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFREX achieves a 1.79% return, which is significantly lower than USRT's 4.27% return. Over the past 10 years, DFREX has underperformed USRT with an annualized return of 4.83%, while USRT has yielded a comparatively higher 5.42% annualized 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%
USRT
- 1D
- 1.42%
- 1M
- -6.02%
- YTD
- 4.27%
- 6M
- 2.38%
- 1Y
- 5.82%
- 3Y*
- 8.72%
- 5Y*
- 5.12%
- 10Y*
- 5.42%
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DFREX vs. USRT - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFREX has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is higher than USRT's 0.08% 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%.
Return for Risk
DFREX vs. USRT — Risk / Return Rank
DFREX
USRT
DFREX vs. USRT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I (DFREX) and iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT). 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 | USRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.12 | 0.35 | -0.23 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.28 | 0.59 | -0.31 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.04 | 1.08 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.14 | 0.53 | -0.40 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.54 | 2.23 | -1.69 |
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 | USRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.12 | 0.35 | -0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 | 0.27 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.24 | 0.26 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 0.17 | +0.19 |
Correlation
The correlation between DFREX and USRT is 0.93, 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. USRT - Dividend Comparison
DFREX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, less than USRT's 2.89% 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% |
USRT iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF | 2.89% | 3.07% | 2.85% | 3.18% | 3.46% | 2.27% | 3.12% | 3.34% | 5.66% | 3.44% | 3.98% | 3.59% |
Drawdowns
DFREX vs. USRT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFREX drawdown since its inception was -74.36%, which is greater than USRT's maximum drawdown of -69.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFREX and USRT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFREX | USRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -74.36% | -69.91% | -4.45% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.22% | -12.95% | +0.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.11% | -31.03% | -2.08% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.49% | -44.38% | +2.89% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.98% | -6.38% | -2.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.39% | -13.08% | +1.69% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.11% | 3.09% | +0.02% |
Volatility
DFREX vs. USRT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for DFA Real Estate Securities Portfolio Class I (DFREX) is 4.12%, while iShares Core U.S. REIT ETF (USRT) has a volatility of 4.44%. This indicates that DFREX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USRT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFREX | USRT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.12% | 4.44% | -0.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.12% | 9.21% | -0.09% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.10% | 16.84% | -0.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.68% | 18.92% | -0.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.30% | 21.28% | -0.98% |