NUAG vs. DFCF
NUAG (Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) and DFCF (Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF) are both Intermediate Core Bond funds. NUAG is passively managed, while DFCF is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, NUAG returned 4.89%/yr vs 4.79%/yr for DFCF. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. NUAG charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for DFCF.
Performance
NUAG vs. DFCF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUAG achieves a 0.50% return, which is significantly higher than DFCF's 0.37% return.
NUAG
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- 0.41%
- YTD
- 0.50%
- 6M
- 0.32%
- 1Y
- 5.90%
- 3Y*
- 4.89%
- 5Y*
- 0.47%
- 10Y*
- —
DFCF
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- YTD
- 0.37%
- 6M
- 0.21%
- 1Y
- 5.78%
- 3Y*
- 4.79%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
NUAG vs. DFCF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUAG Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.50% | 7.37% | 2.02% | 7.52% | -13.97% | 0.43% |
DFCF Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF | 0.37% | 7.89% | 1.86% | 6.94% | -14.48% | 0.23% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUAG and DFCF is 0.95 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 17, 2021 | 0.95 |
The correlation between NUAG and DFCF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.94 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
NUAG vs. DFCF — Risk / Return Rank
NUAG
DFCF
NUAG vs. DFCF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUAG) and Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF). 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.
| NUAG | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.34 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.25 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.33 | 2.08 | +0.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.06 | 6.32 | +0.73 |
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
| NUAG | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.65 | 1.46 | +0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.04 | +0.27 |
Drawdowns
NUAG vs. DFCF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUAG drawdown since its inception was -19.79%, roughly equal to the maximum DFCF drawdown of -19.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUAG and DFCF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUAG | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.79% | -19.56% | -0.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.54% | -2.79% | +0.25% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.61% | -5.05% | -0.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.19% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.23% | -1.46% | +0.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.95% | -8.04% | +3.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.84% | 0.92% | -0.08% |
Volatility
NUAG vs. DFCF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NUAG) is 1.15%, while Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) has a volatility of 1.36%. This indicates that NUAG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFCF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUAG | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.15% | 1.36% | -0.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.59% | 2.90% | -0.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.58% | 3.99% | -0.41% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.01% | 6.46% | -0.45% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.49% | 6.46% | -0.97% |
NUAG vs. DFCF - Expense Ratio Comparison
NUAG has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than DFCF's 0.17% 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%.
Dividends
NUAG vs. DFCF - Dividend Comparison
NUAG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.50%, more than DFCF's 4.31% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFCF Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF | 4.31% | 4.48% | 4.61% | 4.51% | 3.27% | 0.16% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
NUAG Nuveen Enhanced Yield U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 4.50% | 4.43% | 4.44% | 3.95% | 3.60% | 2.27% | 2.93% | 3.54% | 3.79% | 3.38% | 0.48% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.95, NUAG and DFCF move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
DFCF has higher volatility (1.36%) compared to NUAG (1.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUAG dropped -19.79% vs DFCF's -19.56%.
On 3-year performance, NUAG leads with 4.89% vs 4.79% for DFCF. On fees, DFCF is cheaper at 0.17% per year. On volatility, NUAG has been the lower-risk option at 1.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, NUAG has performed better with a 4.89% return vs 4.79%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DFCF is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for NUAG.
NUAG has the higher dividend yield at 4.50%, compared with 4.31% for DFCF.
They also come from different issuers: Nuveen and Dimensional. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for NUAG and 0.17% for DFCF.
NUAG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.65 vs 1.46), 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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