NUV vs. DFCMX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NUV (Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc.) and DFCMX (DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio) are both Municipal Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, NUV returned 2.43%/yr vs 1.19%/yr for DFCMX. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NUV charges 0.52%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for DFCMX.

Performance

NUV vs. DFCMX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc. (NUV) and DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFCMX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NUV achieves a 1.79% return, which is significantly higher than DFCMX's 0.83% return. Over the past 10 years, NUV has outperformed DFCMX with an annualized return of 2.43%, while DFCMX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.19% annualized return.

NUV

• 1D: -0.55%
• 1M: 0.25%
• YTD: 1.79%
• 6M: 1.60%
• 1Y: 10.54%
• 3Y*: 5.20%
• 5Y*: -0.87%
• 10Y*: 2.43%

DFCMX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.19%
• YTD: 0.83%
• 6M: 1.04%
• 1Y: 2.60%
• 3Y*: 2.61%
• 5Y*: 1.56%
• 10Y*: 1.19%

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

NUV vs. DFCMX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NUV Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc.	1.79%	10.27%	4.04%	3.99%	-14.03%	-3.51%	7.50%	19.75%	-4.83%	10.33%
DFCMX DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio	0.83%	2.55%	2.84%	2.53%	-0.76%	-0.13%	0.67%	1.84%	1.24%	1.07%

Correlation

The correlation between NUV and DFCMX is 0.10, 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	0.10
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.20
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.19
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.15
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 6, 2012	0.14

Return for Risk

NUV vs. DFCMX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NUV

NUV Risk / Return Rank: 36
NUV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 28
NUV Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
NUV Omega Ratio Rank: 28
NUV Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
NUV Martin Ratio Rank: 53

DFCMX

DFCMX Risk / Return Rank: 99
DFCMX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
DFCMX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
DFCMX Omega Ratio Rank: 100
DFCMX Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
DFCMX Martin Ratio Rank: 99

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.

NUV vs. DFCMX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc. (NUV) and DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFCMX). 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.

	NUV	DFCMX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.51	4.46	-2.95
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.23	10.44	-8.21
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	4.85	-3.58
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.52	12.81	-10.29
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.75	43.94	-33.18
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NUV vs. DFCMX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NUV Sharpe Ratio is 1.51, which is lower than the DFCMX Sharpe Ratio of 4.46. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NUV and DFCMX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NUV	DFCMX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.51	4.46	-2.95
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.09	1.75	-1.84
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.24	1.36	-1.13
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.28	1.31	-1.02

Drawdowns

NUV vs. DFCMX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NUV drawdown since its inception was -35.42%, which is greater than DFCMX's maximum drawdown of -2.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUV and DFCMX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NUV	DFCMX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.42%	-2.20%	-33.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.20%	-0.20%	-4.00%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.24%	-0.68%	-8.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.29%	-2.20%	-26.09%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.29%	-2.20%	-26.09%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.86%	0.00%	-7.86%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.99%	-0.26%	-8.73%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.98%	0.06%	+0.92%

Volatility

NUV vs. DFCMX - Volatility Comparison

Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc. (NUV) has a higher volatility of 2.56% compared to DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFCMX) at 0.13%. This indicates that NUV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFCMX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NUV	DFCMX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.56%	0.13%	+2.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.17%	0.41%	+4.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.99%	0.59%	+6.40%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.56%	0.89%	+8.67%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.34%	0.88%	+9.46%

NUV vs. DFCMX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NUV has a 0.52% expense ratio, which is higher than DFCMX's 0.19% expense ratio.

Dividends

NUV vs. DFCMX - Dividend Comparison

NUV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.30%, more than DFCMX's 2.48% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DFCMX DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio	2.48%	2.23%	2.61%	1.70%	0.71%	0.36%	0.87%	1.43%	1.04%	0.87%	0.86%	0.82%
NUV Nuveen Municipal Value Fund Inc.	4.30%	4.30%	4.16%	3.94%	3.91%	3.41%	3.35%	3.48%	4.01%	3.99%	4.10%	3.95%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NUV and DFCMX in my portfolio?

NUV and DFCMX have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NUV or DFCMX?

NUV has higher volatility (2.56%) compared to DFCMX (0.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUV dropped -35.42% vs DFCMX's -2.20%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DFCMX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.46 vs 1.51), 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.