VFMV vs. DFCF
VFMV (Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF) and DFCF (Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VFMV is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund actively managed by Vanguard, while DFCF is a Intermediate Core Bond fund actively managed by Dimensional. Both are actively managed. Over the past 3 years, VFMV returned 13.97%/yr vs 4.72%/yr for DFCF. At a 0.27 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VFMV charges 0.13%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for DFCF.
Performance
VFMV vs. DFCF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFMV achieves a 7.46% return, which is significantly higher than DFCF's -0.06% return.
VFMV
- 1D
- -0.49%
- 1M
- 0.03%
- YTD
- 7.46%
- 6M
- 7.72%
- 1Y
- 11.60%
- 3Y*
- 13.97%
- 5Y*
- 9.52%
- 10Y*
- —
DFCF
- 1D
- -0.07%
- 1M
- -0.75%
- YTD
- -0.06%
- 6M
- 0.27%
- 1Y
- 5.55%
- 3Y*
- 4.72%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VFMV vs. DFCF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFMV Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | 7.46% | 10.52% | 16.91% | 8.86% | -5.73% | 2.83% |
DFCF Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF | -0.06% | 7.89% | 1.86% | 6.94% | -14.48% | 0.23% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFMV and DFCF is 0.41, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 17, 2021 | 0.27 |
The correlation between VFMV and DFCF shifts across timeframes, from 0.27 (all time) to 0.41 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VFMV vs. DFCF — Risk / Return Rank
VFMV
DFCF
VFMV vs. DFCF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV) 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.
| VFMV | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.14 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.25 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.94 | 2.00 | -0.06 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.57 | 5.98 | +1.60 |
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
| VFMV | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.32 | 1.42 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.68 | 0.02 | +0.66 |
Drawdowns
VFMV vs. DFCF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFMV drawdown since its inception was -33.64%, which is greater than DFCF's maximum drawdown of -19.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFMV and DFCF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFMV | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.64% | -19.56% | -14.08% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.00% | -2.79% | -3.21% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.35% | -5.05% | -5.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.41% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.00% | -1.88% | -0.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.63% | -8.02% | +4.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.53% | 0.93% | +0.60% |
Volatility
VFMV vs. DFCF - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV) has a higher volatility of 2.21% compared to Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) at 1.34%. This indicates that VFMV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| VFMV | DFCF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.21% | 1.34% | +0.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.37% | 2.94% | +3.43% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.83% | 3.94% | +4.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.75% | 6.46% | +5.29% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.25% | 6.46% | +7.79% |
VFMV vs. DFCF - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFMV has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is lower than DFCF's 0.17% 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
VFMV vs. DFCF - Dividend Comparison
VFMV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.95%, less than DFCF's 4.33% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFCF Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF | 4.33% | 4.48% | 4.61% | 4.51% | 3.27% | 0.16% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VFMV Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | 1.95% | 2.12% | 1.46% | 2.20% | 2.08% | 1.31% | 2.14% | 2.43% | 2.29% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFMV and DFCF have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VFMV has higher volatility (2.21%) compared to DFCF (1.34%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFMV dropped -33.64% vs DFCF's -19.56%.
On 3-year performance, VFMV leads with 13.97% vs 4.72% for DFCF. On fees, VFMV is cheaper at 0.13% per year. On volatility, DFCF has been the lower-risk option at 1.34%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, VFMV has performed better with a 13.97% return vs 4.72%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VFMV is cheaper with a 0.13% expense ratio, compared with 0.17% for DFCF.
DFCF has the higher dividend yield at 4.33%, compared with 1.95% for VFMV.
VFMV is categorized as Mid Cap Blend Equities, while DFCF is Intermediate Core Bond. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Dimensional. Their fees differ too: 0.13% for VFMV and 0.17% for DFCF.
DFCF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.42 vs 1.32), 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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