PortfoliosLab logo
PortfoliosLab logo
Tools
Portfolios
Screeners
Discussions
VMLTX vs. DFCMX
Performance
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

VMLTX vs. DFCMX

Last updated May 12, 2025

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares (VMLTX) and DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFCMX).

VMLTX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Aug 31, 1987. DFCMX is managed by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP. It was launched on Apr 1, 2007.

Scroll down to visually compare performance, riskiness, drawdowns, and other indicators and decide which better suits your portfolio: VMLTX or DFCMX.

Correlation

The correlation between VMLTX and DFCMX is 0.26, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Performance

VMLTX vs. DFCMX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares (VMLTX) and DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio (DFCMX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Loading data...

Key characteristics

Daily Std Dev

VMLTX:

0.85%

DFCMX:

0.78%

Max Drawdown

VMLTX:

0.00%

DFCMX:

0.00%

Current Drawdown

VMLTX:

0.00%

DFCMX:

0.00%

Returns By Period

VMLTX

YTD

N/A

1M

N/A

6M

N/A

1Y

N/A

5Y*

N/A

10Y*

N/A

DFCMX

YTD

N/A

1M

N/A

6M

N/A

1Y

N/A

5Y*

N/A

10Y*

N/A

*Annualized

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

VMLTX vs. DFCMX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VMLTX has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than DFCMX's 0.19% 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%.

DFCMX
DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio
VMLTX
Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares

Risk-Adjusted Performance

VMLTX vs. DFCMX — Risk-Adjusted Performance Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
VMLTX
The Risk-Adjusted Performance Rank of VMLTX is 8888
Overall Rank
The Sharpe Ratio Rank of VMLTX is 8787
Sharpe Ratio Rank
The Sortino Ratio Rank of VMLTX is 8585
Sortino Ratio Rank
The Omega Ratio Rank of VMLTX is 8989
Omega Ratio Rank
The Calmar Ratio Rank of VMLTX is 9090
Calmar Ratio Rank
The Martin Ratio Rank of VMLTX is 8888
Martin Ratio Rank
DFCMX
The Risk-Adjusted Performance Rank of DFCMX is 9898
Overall Rank
The Sharpe Ratio Rank of DFCMX is 9999
Sharpe Ratio Rank
The Sortino Ratio Rank of DFCMX is 9898
Sortino Ratio Rank
The Omega Ratio Rank of DFCMX is 9999
Omega Ratio Rank
The Calmar Ratio Rank of DFCMX is 9797
Calmar Ratio Rank
The Martin Ratio Rank of DFCMX is 9898
Martin Ratio Rank
The risk-adjusted ranks indicate the investment's position relative to the market. A rank closer to 100 signifies top-performing investments, while a rank closer to 0 might suggest underperformance, based on the selected ratio. The values are calculated based on the past 12 months of returns.

VMLTX vs. DFCMX - Risk-Adjusted Performance Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares (VMLTX) 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.

No data
No data
No data
No data
No data

Loading data...

Dividends

VMLTX vs. DFCMX - Dividend Comparison

VMLTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.64%, less than DFCMX's 2.72% yield.

TTM20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
VMLTX
Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Investor Shares		2.64%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%
DFCMX
DFA California Short Term Municipal Bond Portfolio		2.72%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%

Drawdowns

VMLTX vs. DFCMX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VMLTX drawdown since its inception was 0.00%, which is greater than DFCMX's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VMLTX and DFCMX. For additional features, visit the drawdowns tool.

Loading data...

Volatility

VMLTX vs. DFCMX - Volatility Comparison

Loading data...