DUSG vs. DFAI

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

DUSG (Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Growth ETF) and DFAI (Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - DUSG is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Dimensional, while DFAI is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund actively managed by Dimensional. Both are actively managed. Their 0.63 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. DUSG charges 0.32%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for DFAI.

Performance

DUSG vs. DFAI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Growth ETF (DUSG) and Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF (DFAI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

DUSG

• 1D: 1.93%
• 1M: 3.13%
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

DFAI

• 1D: 0.99%
• 1M: 2.67%
• 6M: 7.10%
• YTD: 13.59%
• 1Y: 26.92%
• 3Y*: 19.04%
• 5Y*: 10.35%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 12.48%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF	$85.30M	$74.68M	$63.96M
DUSG Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Growth ETF	$522.27K	$298.89K	$124.88K

DUSG vs. DFAI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
DUSG Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Growth ETF	7.14%
DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF	5.62%

Correlation

The correlation between DUSG and DFAI is 0.63, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 6, 2026	0.63

DUSG vs. DFAI - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	DUSG	DFAI
Industrials	25.2%	19.1%
Technology	18.2%	11.1%
Consumer Cyclical	16.6%	8.6%
Healthcare	12.4%	8.8%
Financial Services	9.0%	23.1%
Basic Materials	6.1%	8.4%
Consumer Defensive	5.4%	6.4%
Energy	3.5%	5.8%
Communication Services	2.9%	3.6%
Utilities	0.4%	3.8%
Real Estate	0.3%	1.4%

Return for Risk

DUSG vs. DFAI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

DUSG

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

DFAI

DFAI Risk / Return Rank: 69
DFAI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
DFAI Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
DFAI Omega Ratio Rank: 70
DFAI Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
DFAI Martin Ratio Rank: 70

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

DUSG vs. DFAI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Growth ETF (DUSG) and Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF (DFAI). 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.

	DUSG	DFAI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	1.85	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	2.59	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.33	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	2.47	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	9.72	—

Drawdowns

DUSG vs. DFAI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DUSG drawdown since its inception was -4.19%, smaller than the maximum DFAI drawdown of -27.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DUSG and DFAI.

Drawdown Indicators

	DUSG	DFAI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.19%	-27.44%	+23.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-10.95%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-13.25%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-27.44%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.31%	-5.01%	+3.70%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	2.78%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	DUSG	DFAI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	4.12%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	12.61%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.82%	14.65%	+0.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.82%	16.01%	-1.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.82%	15.69%	-0.87%

DUSG vs. DFAI - Expense Ratio Comparison

DUSG has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than DFAI's 0.18% expense ratio.

Dividends

DUSG vs. DFAI - Dividend Comparison

DUSG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.14%, less than DFAI's 2.27% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF	2.27%	2.45%	2.72%	2.64%	2.72%	2.06%	0.09%
DUSG Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Growth ETF	0.14%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DUSG and DFAI in my portfolio?

DUSG and DFAI have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, DUSG or DFAI?

On fees, DFAI is cheaper at 0.18% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, DUSG or DFAI?

DFAI is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for DUSG.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, DUSG or DFAI?

DFAI has the higher dividend yield at 2.27%, compared with 0.14% for DUSG.

What is the main difference between DUSG and DFAI?

DUSG is categorized as Small Cap Growth Equities, while DFAI is Foreign Large Cap Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.32% for DUSG and 0.18% for DFAI.