ICSH vs. DFIHX
ICSH (iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF) and DFIHX (DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio) are both Ultrashort Bond funds. Over the past 10 years, ICSH returned 2.77%/yr vs 1.97%/yr for DFIHX. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ICSH charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for DFIHX.
Performance
ICSH vs. DFIHX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with ICSH having a 1.43% return and DFIHX slightly lower at 1.42%. Over the past 10 years, ICSH has outperformed DFIHX with an annualized return of 2.77%, while DFIHX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.97% annualized return.
ICSH
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.18%
- YTD
- 1.43%
- 6M
- 1.75%
- 1Y
- 4.30%
- 3Y*
- 5.15%
- 5Y*
- 3.67%
- 10Y*
- 2.77%
DFIHX
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.10%
- YTD
- 1.42%
- 6M
- 1.73%
- 1Y
- 3.55%
- 3Y*
- 4.43%
- 5Y*
- 2.74%
- 10Y*
- 1.97%
ICSH vs. DFIHX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 1.43% | 4.96% | 5.52% | 5.58% | 0.97% | 0.16% | 1.61% | 3.17% | 2.25% | 1.63% |
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio | 1.42% | 3.41% | 5.41% | 4.98% | -1.19% | -0.19% | 0.62% | 2.44% | 1.87% | 0.94% |
Correlation
The correlation between ICSH and DFIHX is 0.04, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 16, 2013 | 0.12 |
The correlation between ICSH and DFIHX shifts across timeframes, from 0.04 (1 year) to 0.24 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ICSH vs. DFIHX — Risk / Return Rank
ICSH
DFIHX
ICSH vs. DFIHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH) and DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX). 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.
| ICSH | DFIHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +6.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +18.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 6.56 | 6.40 | +0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 43.67 | 9.23 | +34.44 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 288.81 | 55.98 | +232.83 |
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
| ICSH | DFIHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.01 | 4.97 | +6.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 7.62 | 2.75 | +4.87 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 2.63 | 2.49 | +0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.93 | 1.52 | +0.41 |
Drawdowns
ICSH vs. DFIHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ICSH drawdown since its inception was -3.94%, which is greater than DFIHX's maximum drawdown of -2.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ICSH and DFIHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ICSH | DFIHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -3.94% | -2.53% | -1.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.10% | -0.39% | +0.29% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.10% | -0.49% | +0.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.73% | -2.26% | +1.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -3.94% | -2.26% | -1.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.02% | -0.10% | +0.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.08% | -0.15% | +0.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.01% | 0.06% | -0.05% |
Volatility
ICSH vs. DFIHX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH) is 0.15%, while DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX) has a volatility of 0.19%. This indicates that ICSH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFIHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ICSH | DFIHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.15% | 0.19% | -0.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.30% | 0.44% | -0.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.39% | 0.72% | -0.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.48% | 1.00% | -0.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.06% | 0.80% | +0.26% |
ICSH vs. DFIHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ICSH has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than DFIHX's 0.13% 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
ICSH vs. DFIHX - Dividend Comparison
ICSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.34%, more than DFIHX's 3.59% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio | 3.59% | 3.26% | 4.99% | 3.37% | 1.07% | 0.00% | 0.62% | 2.12% | 1.85% | 1.13% | 0.66% | 0.51% |
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 4.34% | 4.55% | 5.24% | 4.78% | 1.66% | 0.42% | 1.21% | 2.61% | 2.20% | 1.36% | 0.88% | 0.54% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ICSH and DFIHX have a correlation of 0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DFIHX has higher volatility (0.19%) compared to ICSH (0.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ICSH dropped -3.94% vs DFIHX's -2.53%.
ICSH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (11.01 vs 4.97), 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.
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