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DFAC vs STRN

Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF

DFACANYSE Arca

SMART Trend 25 ETF

STRNCNYSE Arca

Overlap

Expense ratio

DFAC −0.42pt a year

DFAC0.17%STRN0.59%

Avg volume · 30D

DFAC 151.2×the volume

DFAC2MSTRN13.3K

DFAC vs STRN Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

+16.1%DFAC+15.8%STRN

Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026. DFAC +16.1%. STRN +15.8%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−10%0%30%Oct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
Expense ratio
DFAC 0.17%, better
STRN 0.59%
Fund size
DFAC $87.7B
STRN $32M
1Y total return
DFAC +16.1%, better
STRN +15.8%
Yield (12M)
DFAC 0.88%
STRN No data
Holdings
DFAC 2553
STRN 30
Avg volume (30D)
DFAC 2M sh, better
STRN 13.3K sh
NAV per share
DFAC $44.87
STRN $26.23
52W range

ETF.net Grade

DFAC: Cost 94, Risk 66, Mission 100, Tradability 87, Holdings 87, Durability 97. STRN: Cost 57, Risk 26, Mission not scored, Tradability 38, Holdings 46, Durability 38.
Pillar letters and Scores for DFAC, STRN, with each pillar’s weight
PillarDFACSTRN
Cost30% weightA94HigherB57
Mission25% weightA100Not scored
Risk15% weightB66HigherD26
Tradability15% weightA87HigherD38
Holdings10% weightA87HigherC46
Durability5% weightA97HigherD38

Rank among US Active Equity funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. DFAC and STRN are both graded against the same 121 US Active Equity funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

US Active Equity⁠

Category · 121 funds
See all 121 ›

DFAC ranks 3rd and STRN 73rd of 121 funds in the US Active Equity Category.

  1. Rank 1AAVLCAvantis U.S. Large Cap Equity ETFScore 87
  2. Rank 2ADFAUDimensional US Core Equity Market ETFScore 86
  3. Rank 3ADFACDimensional US Core Equity 2 ETFScore 85
  4. Rank 4ADYNFiShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETFScore 83
  5. Rank 73CAIEQAmplify AI Powered Equity ETFScore 44
  6. Rank 73CSTRNSMART Trend 25 ETFScore 44
  7. Rank 73CSUREAdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETFScore 44

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

DFACADimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF

STRNCSMART Trend 25 ETF

In short

DFAC Dimensional's whole-market workhorse: roughly 2,600 US stocks in one ticker, run by managers who weigh federal tax consequences before they trade, at a fee closer to index funds than to active ones.

STRN A retirement advisor's momentum model, boxed into an ETF: 25 U.S. large caps ranked on the prior four quarters of price trend, benchmarked against the S&P 500. Concentrated by design, not by accident.

Stated mandate

DFAC The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation while considering federal income-tax implications in its investment decisions.

STRN The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Why people hold it

  • DFAC 0.17% a year for an actively run fund, well under the median fee among active US equity ETFs.
  • About 2,600 US stocks under one ticker, so it holds the market broadly rather than a narrow slice of it.
  • Federal income-tax implications sit inside the stated objective, not in a footnote, so they factor into what managers buy and sell.
  • A multi-billion-dollar fund with a track record running back to 2007 and one of the strongest implementations in its peer group.
  • STRN The process is legible: narrow the universe to a top half, keep the top quarter on trailing four-quarter price momentum and trend, then hold 25 U.S.-listed large caps.sec.gov
  • At 0.59% a year it runs below the typical active U.S. equity fund (0.65% median) despite a hands-on, quant-ranked portfolio.
  • Packages large-cap models the firm built for advisory clients into an exchange-listed wrapper, opened to smaller accounts.natlawreview.com

Worth knowing

  • DFAC Actively managed, so there's no published index to check it against. Holdings and tilts shift at the managers' discretion.
  • Dimensional's own DFAU runs a US core equity mandate for 0.12%, a slightly lighter fee for a similar shelf.
  • All stocks, all US: the mandate is capital appreciation from equities, so it takes the market's full swings, and cash arrives quarterly.
  • STRN Non-diversified with about 25 names, so a single top holding swings the fund far more than it would inside a broad index.sec.gov
  • Ranking on recent price trend means it leans into what has already been working and swaps names as market leadership rotates. Turnover comes with the design.sec.gov
  • A 2025 launch with a small asset base and thin trading: spreads can widen, and the live record is still short.

Full DFAC profile⁠

Full STRN profile⁠

DFAC vs STRN Holdings

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

DFAC vs STRN Cost

Overpaying STRN vs DFAC

$8,089

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • DFAC 0.17%

    $3,546

  • STRN 0.59%

    $11,635

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • DFAC 0.17%
  • STRN 0.59%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2.5K$5K$7.5K$10K$12.5K051015202530STRN $11,635DFAC $3,546

Year by year

YearDFACSTRNOverpaying
10$310$1,058$748
20$1,211$4,051$2,840
30$3,546$11,635$8,089

Expense ratio

  • 0.17%DFAC, cheaper
  • 0.59%STRN
  • Middle half of US Active Equity funds
  • Median 0.68%

DFAC 8th cheapest of 121 funds

STRN 54th cheapest of 121 funds

DFAC vs STRN Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
DFAC 0.88%
STRN No data
Payout (12M)
DFAC $0.39
STRN No data
Last payment
DFAC $0.10
STRN $0.04
Ex-dividend
DFAC Sep 22, 2026
STRN Dec 23, 2025
Paid on
DFAC Sep 24, 2026
STRN Dec 24, 2025
Frequency
DFAC Quarterly
STRN Irregular

Distribution history

Per share, 2021 to 2026, same scale for both

DFACQuarterly · 22 paymentsAll DFAC payments⁠
One bar per payment. 22 payments from 2021 to 2026 YTD. Jun 22, 2021 $0.06; Sep 21, 2021 $0.08; Dec 16, 2021 $0.11; Mar 22, 2022 $0.06; Jun 22, 2022 $0.09; Sep 20, 2022 $0.09; Dec 20, 2022 $0.12; Mar 21, 2023 $0.06; Jun 21, 2023 $0.09; Sep 19, 2023 $0.10; Dec 19, 2023 $0.10; Mar 19, 2024 $0.07; Jun 18, 2024 $0.10; Sep 17, 2024 $0.09; Dec 17, 2024 $0.10; Mar 25, 2025 $0.08; Jun 24, 2025 $0.11; Sep 23, 2025 $0.11; Dec 16, 2025 $0.09; Mar 24, 2026 $0.10; Jun 23, 2026 $0.11; Sep 22, 2026 $0.10. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.1020232026YTD
STRNIrregular · 1 paymentAll STRN payments⁠
One bar per payment. 1 payment from 2021 to 2026 YTD. Dec 23, 2025 $0.04. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.1020232026YTD

DFAC vs STRN Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
DFAC 12.6%STRN 26.6%since Sep 2025
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
DFAC 1.32STRN 0.70since Sep 2025
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
DFAC −23.1%STRN −15.4%since Aug 2025
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
DFAC 0.99STRN 1.83

DFAC and STRN in the news

All news⁠

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