Dimensional International Small Cap ETF (DFIS) Performance
DFIS total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +9.3% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +13.2% total return
- 3 years
- +22.2% a year
- Since first price
- +10.3% a year since 2022
DFIS trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | DFIS total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −3.4% | −3.4% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +1.2% | +0.7% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +1.9% | +0.2% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +9.3% | +7.4% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +13.2% | +10.7% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +82.3%+22.2%/yr | +69.9% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionMar 24, 2022 | +56.4%+10.3%/yr | +41.5% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: DFIS vs SPY
From Mar 24, 2022: DFIS grew to $15,641, SPY to $17,918.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
DFIS returns by calendar year
3 of 3 full years positive. Best 2025 (+37.5%), worst 2024 (+3.8%). 2026 is year to date.
DFIS annual returns table
| Year | DFIS | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +9.3% | −12.4% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +37.5% | −13.5% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +3.8% | −9.5% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +15.2% | −13.5% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
DFIS largest drawdowns
Now 6.1% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2022 | −27.2% | Oct 12, 2022 | Mar 6, 2024 | 6 months | 1.9 years |
| Mar 19, 2025 | −13.5% | Apr 7, 2025 | Apr 28, 2025 | 19 days | 40 days |
| Feb 27, 2026 | −12.4% | Mar 20, 2026 | Aug 5, 2026 | 21 days | 5 months |
| Sep 26, 2024 | −10.8% | Jan 13, 2025 | Mar 18, 2025 | 4 months | 6 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
DFIS risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +21.0% | +11.3% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.0% | 17.3% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.13 | 0.48 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.89 | 0.71 |
| Best month | +8.6% | +12.0% |
| Worst month | −9.0% | −11.1% |
| Best 12 months | +49.1% | +49.1% |
| Worst 12 months | +3.8% | −5.9% |
| Positive months | 67% | 61% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.67 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.59 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
DFIS rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 44 | −5.9% | +15.1% | +49.1% | 95% |
| 3-year (a year) | 20 | +3.5% | +17.6% | +22.4% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2022. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
DFIS performance overview
Dimensional International Small Cap ETF (DFIS) returned +13.2% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2022 it has returned +10.3% a year, turning $10,000 into about $15,641. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −27.2%, from Mar 29, 2022 to Oct 12, 2022, and it took 1.4 years to get back to the old high. DFIS finished 3 of its 3 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2025 (+37.5%) and the worst 2024 (+3.8%). Volatility has been 17.3% a year.
Related: DFIS chart, DFIS holdings, DFIS dividends. See the DFIS overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
DFIS performance FAQ
What is the DFIS return over the past year?
DFIS returned +13.2% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 10.7%.
How much would $10,000 invested in DFIS be worth?
$10,000 invested in DFIS at its first recorded close on March 24, 2022 would be worth about $15,641 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for DFIS?
The worst calendar year was 2024, with a total return of +3.8%. The best was 2025 at +37.5%.
What is the biggest drawdown of DFIS?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −27.2% between March 29, 2022 and October 12, 2022. It recovered to the old high on March 6, 2024, 1.4 years after the bottom.
How volatile is DFIS?
Over the past 3 years DFIS had an annualized volatility of 14.0% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.13 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).