Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD) Performance
DFSD total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +0.6% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +1.1% total return
- 3 years
- +4.9% a year
- Since first price
- +2.3% a year since 2021
DFSD trailing returns vs AGG, TLT, SPY
| Period | DFSD total return | Price only | U.S. bonds (AGG) | 20+ yr Treasuries (TLT) | S&P 500 (SPY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.8% | +0.4% | +0.9% | +1.5% | −1.0% |
| 3 months | +0.1% | −1.0% | −0.4% | −1.0% | +3.2% |
| 6 months | −0.1% | −2.6% | −1.5% | −3.8% | +7.8% |
| YTD | +0.6% | −2.6% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 1 year | +1.1% | −3.3% | −1.1% | −6.9% | +14.4% |
| 3 years | +15.5%+4.9%/yr | +0.6% | +16.6%+5.2%/yr | +9.7%+3.1%/yr | +87.4%+23.3%/yr |
| Since inceptionNov 16, 2021 | +12.0%+2.3%/yr | −6.7% | — | — | — |
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: DFSD vs AGG
From Nov 16, 2021: DFSD grew to $11,196, AGG to $9,927.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
DFSD returns by calendar year
3 of 4 full years positive. Best 2025 (+6.6%), worst 2022 (−5.9%). 2026 is year to date.
DFSD annual returns table
| Year | DFSD | Largest drop | AGG | TLT | SPY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +0.6% | −1.7% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 2025 | +6.6% | −1.3% | +7.2% | +4.3% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +4.6% | −0.7% | +1.3% | −8.1% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +6.1% | −1.3% | +5.7% | +2.8% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −5.9% | −8.2% | −13.0% | −31.2% | −18.2% |
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.
DFSD largest drawdowns
Now 0.7% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 18, 2021 | −8.5% | Oct 20, 2022 | Feb 1, 2024 | 11 months | 2.2 years |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 5% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
DFSD risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +4.7% | +2.2% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 2.0% | 2.8% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.11 | -0.61 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.15 | -0.72 |
| Best month | +1.6% | +1.6% |
| Worst month | −1.3% | −2.0% |
| Best 12 months | +7.8% | +7.8% |
| Worst 12 months | +0.8% | −6.1% |
| Positive months | 81% | 67% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.08 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.48 | — |
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.
DFSD rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 48 | −6.1% | +5.1% | +7.8% | 90% |
| 3-year (a year) | 24 | +1.5% | +5.1% | +6.0% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
DFSD performance overview
Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD) returned +1.1% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +2.3% a year, turning $10,000 into about $11,196. Over the same year U.S. bonds (AGG) returned −1.1%.
The deepest decline was −8.5%, from Nov 18, 2021 to Oct 20, 2022, and it took 1.3 years to get back to the old high. DFSD finished 3 of its 4 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2025 (+6.6%) and the worst 2022 (−5.9%). Volatility has been 2.8% a year.
Related: DFSD chart, DFSD holdings, DFSD dividends, DFSD bond profile. See the DFSD overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
DFSD performance FAQ
What is the DFSD return over the past year?
DFSD returned +1.1% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 3.3%.
How much would $10,000 invested in DFSD be worth?
$10,000 invested in DFSD at its first recorded close on November 16, 2021 would be worth about $11,196 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for DFSD?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −5.9%. The best was 2025 at +6.6%.
What is the biggest drawdown of DFSD?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −8.5% between November 18, 2021 and October 20, 2022. It recovered to the old high on February 1, 2024, 1.3 years after the bottom.
How volatile is DFSD?
Over the past 3 years DFSD had an annualized volatility of 2.0% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.11 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).