DFAW vs KNOW: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

Dimensional World Equity ETF

DFAWANYSE Arca

Fundamentals First ETF

KNOWDCboe

Overlap

0.0%by weight

Expense ratio

DFAW −0.87pt a year

DFAW0.23%KNOW1.10%

Avg volume · 30D

DFAW 43.9×the volume

DFAW98.6KKNOW2.24K

DFAW vs KNOW Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Nov 2, 2026

+15.6%DFAW+16.8%KNOW

Expense ratio: DFAW 0.23%, better; KNOW 1.10%
Fund size: DFAW $1.71B; KNOW $9M
1Y total return: DFAW +15.6%; KNOW +16.8%, better
Yield (12M): DFAW 1.30%, better; KNOW 1.21%
Holdings: DFAW 6; KNOW 89
Avg volume (30D): DFAW 98.6K sh, better; KNOW 2.24K sh
NAV per share: DFAW $82.88; KNOW $12.82
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for DFAW, KNOW, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	DFAW	KNOW
Cost30% weight	A95Higher	F7
Mission25% weight	A100	Not scored
Risk15% weight	A75	A76Higher
Tradability15% weight	A83Higher	F22
Holdings10% weight	D32	A75Higher
Durability5% weight	A79Higher	D33

Rank among Global Active Equity funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. DFAW and KNOW are both graded against the same 44 Global Active Equity funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Global Active Equity⁠

Category · 44 funds

See all 44 ›

DFAW ranks 1st and KNOW 36th of 44 funds in the Global Active Equity Category.

Rank 1AAVGEAvantis All Equity Markets ETFScore 79
Rank 1AAVTMAvantis Total Equity Markets ETF 1Score 79
Rank 1ABDVLiShares Disciplined Volatility Equity Active ETFScore 79
Rank 1ADFAWDimensional World Equity ETFScore 79
Rank 5ABFLXiShares Flexible Equity Active ETFScore 74
Rank 36DCLUBBillionaires Club ETFScore 34
Rank 36DKNOWFundamentals First ETFScore 34
Rank 38DBCGSBancreek Global Select ETFScore 31

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

DFAWADimensional World Equity ETF

KNOWDFundamentals First ETF

In short

DFAW No data

KNOW Mason Capital ran this strategy in private funds for decades before wrapping it in an ETF: roughly 100 global businesses plus a bond sleeve, no single position over 5% at purchase. The fee is 1.10%, above the category norm.

Stated mandate

DFAW No data

KNOW The Fund seeks income and capital growth.

Why people hold it

DFAW No data

KNOW A 5% cap per holding, measured at purchase, and the fund sells down anything that drifts above it. One company's bad news can dent this portfolio, not define it.sec.gov
One ticket covers both sides of a portfolio: 65% to 90% in stocks, 10% to 35% in bonds, US and non-US, any market cap, ADRs for foreign names. Distributions come quarterly.sec.gov
Long-only, low-turnover, buy-and-hold by design. Names come from company filings, industry data and management interviews rather than an index screen.cboe.com sec.gov
About 100 holdings, so every pick has to earn its slot. No index to hug and no derivatives sleeve, just listed stocks and bonds.sec.gov

Worth knowing

DFAW No data

KNOW At 1.10% with no waiver, the fee sits above the category median (42 funds priced). Broad global-equity rivals AVTM (0.22%) and AVGE (0.23%) charge a fraction of it.
A small fund that trades thinly, so spreads can run wide and size can move the price. Limit orders and patience matter more here than with a mega-cap index fund.
Outcomes ride on one team's judgment: no benchmark to track, and the bond sleeve may hold any maturity or credit quality the managers pick.sec.gov

Full DFAW profile⁠

Full KNOW profile⁠

DFAW vs KNOW Holdings

How DFAW and KNOW differ

Overlap by weight

0.0%

Shared holdings make up 0.0% of DFAW and 0.0% of KNOW.

Level by level

Holdings0 in both0.0%
Sector11 Sectors71.5%
Countryby domicile84.5%

Sector

Sector weights in DFAW and KNOW, widest gap first
Sector	More in DFAWMore in KNOW	DFAW	KNOW
Energy	KNOW +13.7 points	5.7%	19.4%
Industrials	KNOW +11.2 points	12.7%	23.9%
Technology	DFAW +9.7 points	27.2%	17.5%
Financials	DFAW +5.9 points	15.8%	9.9%
Consumer Discretionary	DFAW +5.2 points	9.4%	4.2%
Communication	DFAW +3.1 points	6.4%	3.3%
Health Care	DFAW +2.9 points	9.0%	6.1%
Utilities	KNOW +1.8 points	2.0%	3.8%
Consumer Staples	DFAW +1.7 points	4.8%	3.1%
Materials	KNOW +1.6 points	4.8%	6.4%
Real Estate	KNOW +0.2 points	2.2%	2.4%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in DFAW and KNOW, widest gap first
Country	More in DFAWMore in KNOW	DFAW	KNOW
Japan	DFAW +4.3 points	4.5%	0.2%
Canada	KNOW +4.2 points	2.1%	6.3%
France	KNOW +4.0 points	1.1%	5.1%
Switzerland	KNOW +3.3 points	1.7%	5.0%
Mexico	KNOW +1.5 points	0.3%	1.8%
South Korea	DFAW +1.5 points	1.5%	0.0%
Germany	DFAW +1.3 points	1.3%	0.0%
China	DFAW +1.2 points	1.7%	0.5%
Other countries (33)	DFAW +4.7 points	85.8%	81.1%

Outside the US: DFAW 69% developed, 31% emerging. KNOW 79% developed, 21% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

DFAW100.0%
KNOW23.4%

Securities held

DFAW5
KNOW87

Asset class

DFAW: Equity
KNOW: Multi-Asset

Holdings

Only in DFAW5
In both0
Only in KNOW87

Only in DFAW

5 securities, 99.9% of DFAW by weight

Dfa Invt Dimensions53.95%
Dfa Intl Core Eqty 2 Etf18.26%
Dfa Us Core Equity 1 Etf17.92%
Dfa Em Core Equity 2 Etf8.19%
Dfa Gbl Real Estate Etf1.63%

Only in KNOW

87 securities, 93.9% of KNOW by weight

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd2.36%
Alphabet Inc2.16%
Kla Corp2.02%
Novartis AG1.86%
Lam Research Corp1.86%
WW Grainger Inc1.83%
iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF1.79%
iShares iBonds Dec 2030 Term Corporate ETF1.77%
iShares iBonds Dec 2031 Term Corporate ETF1.77%
iShares iBonds Dec 2032 Term Corporate ETF1.76%
Linde PLC1.74%
Atmos Energy Corp1.69%
Dollarama Inc1.66%
Plumas Bancorp1.65%
Snap-on Inc1.61%
Enterprise Products Partners LP1.60%
Western Midstream Partners LP1.60%
Energy Transfer LP1.59%
TotalEnergies SE1.55%
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico SAB de CV1.45%
Hubbell Inc1.44%
Chesapeake Utilities Corp1.42%
Automatic Data Processing Inc1.40%
Parker-Hannifin Corp1.38%
SpareBank 1 Sor-Norge ASA1.37%
Toromont Industries Ltd1.36%
Sherwin-Williams Co/The1.34%
Wintrust Financial Corp1.33%
Schneider Electric SE1.30%
Tanger Inc1.29%
Climb Global Solutions Inc1.29%
iShares iBonds Dec 2033 Term Corporate ETF1.25%
Agilysys Inc1.25%
iShares iBonds Dec 2027 Term Corporate ETF1.25%
ITT Inc1.24%
iShares iBonds Dec 2028 Term Corporate ETF1.23%
Paychex Inc1.22%
Givaudan SA1.18%
Kinder Morgan Inc1.18%
McDonald's Corp1.17%
iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Corporate ETF1.16%
Global Partners LP/MA1.16%
Cie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA1.08%
CME Group Inc1.06%
Gaztransport Et Technigaz SA1.04%
Nordson Corp1.01%
Garmin Ltd0.94%
Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc0.93%
Dorchester Minerals LP0.93%
Ecolab Inc0.92%

Weight gaps

DFAW and KNOW share no securities.

All 6 DFAW holdings⁠All 99 KNOW 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.

DFAW vs KNOW Cost

Overpaying KNOW vs DFAW

$15,532

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

DFAW 0.23%
$4,759
KNOW 1.10%
$20,291

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

DFAW 0.23%
KNOW 1.10%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	DFAW	KNOW	Overpaying
10	$419	$1,931	$1,512
20	$1,630	$7,225	$5,595
30	$4,759	$20,291	$15,532

Expense ratio

0.23%DFAW, cheaper
1.10%KNOW

DFAW0.23%KNOW1.10%

0.22%1.19%

Middle half of Global Active Equity funds
Median 0.69%

DFAW 2nd cheapest of 44 funds

KNOW 41st cheapest of 44 funds

DFAW vs KNOW Dividends

Last 12 months to Nov 2, 2026

Yield (12M): DFAW 1.30%, better; KNOW 1.21%
Payout (12M): DFAW $1.08; KNOW $0.16
Last payment: DFAW $0.26; KNOW $0.03
Ex-dividend: DFAW Sep 22, 2026; KNOW Sep 22, 2026
Paid on: DFAW Sep 24, 2026; KNOW Sep 23, 2026
Frequency: DFAW Quarterly; KNOW Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2023 to 2026, same scale for both

DFAWQuarterly · 12 paymentsAll DFAW payments⁠

KNOWQuarterly · 11 paymentsAll KNOW payments⁠

DFAW vs KNOW Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: DFAW 11.8%KNOW 10.7%since Mar 2024
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: DFAW 1.37KNOW 0.60since Mar 2024
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: DFAW −16.9%since Sep 2023KNOW −16.0%since Feb 2024
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: DFAW 0.91KNOW 0.58; Market = 1

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