FWD vs. DFAI

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about AB Disruptors ETF (FWD) and Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF (DFAI).

FWD and DFAI are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FWD is an actively managed fund by AllianceBernstein. It was launched on Mar 21, 2023. DFAI is an actively managed fund by Dimensional. It was launched on Nov 17, 2020.

Performance

FWD vs. DFAI - Performance Comparison

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

FWD vs. DFAI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
FWD AB Disruptors ETF	3.97%	32.00%	29.23%	25.66%
DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF	2.50%	34.04%	4.68%	12.90%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FWD achieves a 3.97% return, which is significantly higher than DFAI's 2.50% return.

FWD

• 1D: 5.03%
• 1M: -7.40%
• YTD: 3.97%
• 6M: 7.40%
• 1Y: 54.36%
• 3Y*: 28.49%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

DFAI

• 1D: 2.96%
• 1M: -7.52%
• YTD: 2.50%
• 6M: 8.18%
• 1Y: 28.07%
• 3Y*: 16.13%
• 5Y*: 9.44%
• 10Y*: —

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

FWD vs. DFAI - Expense Ratio Comparison

FWD has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than DFAI's 0.18% expense ratio.

FWD

AB Disruptors ETF

DFAI

Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF

Return for Risk

FWD vs. DFAI — Risk / Return Rank

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

FWD

FWD Risk / Return Rank: 91
FWD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
FWD Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
FWD Omega Ratio Rank: 88
FWD Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
FWD Martin Ratio Rank: 93

DFAI

DFAI Risk / Return Rank: 87
DFAI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
DFAI Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
DFAI Omega Ratio Rank: 88
DFAI Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
DFAI Martin Ratio Rank: 86

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.

FWD vs. DFAI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AB Disruptors ETF (FWD) 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.

	FWD	DFAI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.89	1.69	+0.20
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.51	2.32	+0.19
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.35	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.94	2.46	+1.48
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.30	9.75	+3.55
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FWD vs. DFAI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FWD Sharpe Ratio is 1.89, which is comparable to the DFAI Sharpe Ratio of 1.69. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FWD and DFAI, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FWD	DFAI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.89	1.69	+0.20
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.60	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.24	0.73	+0.51

Correlation

The correlation between FWD and DFAI is 0.65, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

FWD vs. DFAI - Dividend Comparison

FWD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.11%, less than DFAI's 2.41% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
FWD AB Disruptors ETF	0.11%	0.11%	1.89%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF	2.41%	2.45%	2.72%	2.64%	2.72%	2.06%	0.09%

Drawdowns

FWD vs. DFAI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FWD drawdown since its inception was -29.02%, which is greater than DFAI's maximum drawdown of -27.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FWD and DFAI.

Drawdown Indicators

	FWD	DFAI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-29.02%	-27.44%	-1.58%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.50%	-10.95%	-2.55%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-27.44%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.65%	-7.61%	-1.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.23%	-5.21%	+0.98%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.00%	2.76%	+1.24%

Volatility

FWD vs. DFAI - Volatility Comparison

AB Disruptors ETF (FWD) has a higher volatility of 11.26% compared to Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF (DFAI) at 7.35%. This indicates that FWD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFAI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FWD	DFAI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.26%	7.35%	+3.91%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.48%	10.56%	+8.92%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	28.86%	16.70%	+12.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.63%	15.81%	+8.82%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.63%	15.66%	+8.97%