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DFSU vs ESGU

Dimensional US Sustainability Core 1 ETF

DFSUANYSE Arca

iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF

ESGUANasdaq

Overlap

Expense ratio

Same figure. Both funds show the same value, so neither comes out ahead.

DFSU0.15%ESGU0.15%

Avg volume · 30D

ESGU 3.9×the volume

DFSU99.3KESGU389K

3Y return · a year

ESGU +1.0pt

DFSU+22.1%ESGU+23.1%

DFSU vs ESGU Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

+11.2%DFSU+11.5%ESGU

Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026. DFSU +11.2%. ESGU +11.5%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−5%0%5%15%Oct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
Expense ratio
DFSU 0.15%
ESGU 0.15%
Fund size
DFSU $2.37B
ESGU $17.8B
1Y total return
DFSU +11.2%
ESGU +11.5%, better
Yield (12M)
DFSU 0.84%
ESGU 0.94%, better
Holdings
DFSU 1972
ESGU 271
Avg volume (30D)
DFSU 99.3K sh
ESGU 389K sh, better
NAV per share
DFSU $47.48
ESGU $165.22
52W range

ETF.net Grade

DFSU: Cost 68, Risk 53, Mission 100, Tradability 68, Holdings 72, Durability 70. ESGU: Cost 68, Risk 50, Mission 97, Tradability 92, Holdings 59, Durability 95.
Pillar letters and Scores for DFSU, ESGU, with each pillar’s weight
PillarDFSUESGU
Cost30% weightB68B68
Mission25% weightA100HigherA97
Risk15% weightC53HigherC50
Tradability15% weightB68A92Higher
Holdings10% weightA72HigherB59
Durability5% weightA70A95Higher

Rank among US ESG & Values Index funds

Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. DFSU and ESGU are both graded against the same 47 US ESG & Values Index funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

US ESG & Values Index⁠

Category · 47 funds
See all 47 ›

ESGU ranks 4th and DFSU 5th of 47 funds in the US ESG & Values Index Category.

  1. Rank 1AKLMNInvesco MSCI North America Climate ETFScore 82
  2. Rank 2AEFIVState Street SPDR S&P 500 ESG ETFScore 79
  3. Rank 3ASNPEXtrackers S&P 500 Scored & Screened ETFScore 78
  4. Rank 4AESGUiShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETFScore 76
  5. Rank 5ADFSUDimensional US Sustainability Core 1 ETFScore 74
  6. Rank 5ASUSLiShares ESG MSCI USA Leaders ETFScore 74

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

DFSUADimensional US Sustainability Core 1 ETF

ESGUAiShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF

In short

DFSU Most US ESG funds are the S&P 500 with the worst offenders removed. DFSU is Dimensional's whole-market version: roughly 1,900 stocks, actively tilted toward cheap and profitable companies, with heavy carbon emitters cut or dialed down.

ESGU Screening out companies is easy; keeping the market's shape while you do it is the hard part. ESGU's index optimizes toward stronger ESG characteristics while targeting risk and return similar to the broad MSCI USA Index.

Stated mandate

DFSU The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation through an actively managed portfolio of U.S. companies, with sustainability considerations influencing security weights.

ESGU Seeks to track an index of large- and mid-cap U.S. companies selected for favorable environmental, social and governance (ESG) characteristics while seeking risk/return similar to the MSCI USA Index.

Why people hold it

  • DFSU Costs 0.15% a year against a 0.25% median for its ESG peer group. That is index-fund pricing on an actively managed portfolio.
  • Roughly 1,900 holdings reach into small and mid caps. Screened S&P 500 rivals like SNPE, EFIV and XVV stop at large caps.
  • The screen leads with carbon: the advisor can underweight, sell or exclude companies it views as high emitters or as holding fossil fuel reserves.sec.gov
  • Dimensional runs it actively with profitability and value tilts, the same research plumbing as its non-ESG core funds. One of the stronger builds in its cohort.
  • ESGU Not a screen-and-drop portfolio: the index optimizes toward better ESG characteristics while targeting risk and return similar to the broad MSCI USA Index.ishares.com
  • 0.15% a year, below the typical fund in its US ESG group, spread across roughly 300 large- and mid-cap names rather than a narrow shortlist.
  • Running since 2016, a multi-billion-dollar iShares fund that pays quarterly and sits in the top quartile of a crowded US ESG peer group.

Worth knowing

  • DFSU Moderately traded, not a liquidity monster. Spreads can run wider than the mega-sized ESG index funds, so entry and exit costs are worth checking.
  • Sustainability is the advisor's judgment call, not a published index rulebook. Exclusions and weights can shift without a public methodology change.sec.gov
  • Cheaper shelf-mates exist: ESGV, XVV and SNPE all price under 0.10%. The broader, active portfolio is what the extra buys.
  • ESGU Cheaper seats in the same row: XVV at 0.08%, ESGV at 0.09%, SNPE and EFIV at 0.10%, against 0.15% here.
  • Market-like risk is the stated goal, so exclusions are lighter than a purist ESG fund and the holdings end up looking a lot like the broad US market.ishares.com
  • MSCI's ratings decide who makes the cut, so the portfolio reflects one provider's definition of ESG, not an industry standard.ishares.com

Full DFSU profile⁠

Full ESGU profile⁠

DFSU vs ESGU 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.

DFSU vs ESGU Cost

Same expense ratio

$3,137

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

  • DFSU 0.15%

    $3,137

  • ESGU 0.15%

    $3,137

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • DFSU 0.15%
  • ESGU 0.15%
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$1K$2K$3K$4K051015202530DFSU $3,137ESGU $3,137

Year by year

YearDFSUESGU
10$274$274
20$1,071$1,071
30$3,137$3,137

Expense ratio

  • 0.15%DFSU
  • 0.15%ESGU
  • Middle half of US ESG & Values Index funds
  • Median 0.25%

DFSU 13th cheapest of 47 funds

ESGU 13th cheapest of 47 funds

DFSU vs ESGU Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
DFSU 0.84%
ESGU 0.94%, better
Payout (12M)
DFSU $0.40
ESGU $1.55
Last payment
DFSU $0.10
ESGU $0.38
Ex-dividend
DFSU Sep 22, 2026
ESGU Sep 15, 2026
Paid on
DFSU Sep 24, 2026
ESGU Sep 18, 2026
Frequency
DFSU Quarterly
ESGU Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

DFSUQuarterly · 16 paymentsAll DFSU payments⁠
One bar per payment. 16 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Dec 20, 2022 $0.05; Mar 21, 2023 $0.04; Jun 21, 2023 $0.06; Sep 19, 2023 $0.10; Dec 19, 2023 $0.12; Mar 19, 2024 $0.05; Jun 18, 2024 $0.08; Sep 17, 2024 $0.09; Dec 17, 2024 $0.13; Mar 25, 2025 $0.08; Jun 24, 2025 $0.10; Sep 23, 2025 $0.10; 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$0.502017202020232026YTD
ESGUQuarterly · 41 paymentsAll ESGU payments⁠
One bar per payment. 41 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Mar 24, 2017 $0.32; Jun 27, 2017 $0.24; Sep 26, 2017 $0.18; Dec 19, 2017 $0.31; Mar 22, 2018 $0.18; Jun 26, 2018 $0.24; Sep 26, 2018 $0.24; Dec 17, 2018 $0.30; Dec 28, 2018 $0.04; Mar 20, 2019 $0.22; Jun 17, 2019 $0.29; Sep 24, 2019 $0.11; Dec 16, 2019 $0.31; Dec 30, 2019 $0.01; Mar 25, 2020 $0.26; Jun 15, 2020 $0.25; Sep 23, 2020 $0.28; Dec 14, 2020 $0.29; Mar 25, 2021 $0.27; Jun 10, 2021 $0.25; Sep 24, 2021 $0.32; Dec 13, 2021 $0.31; Mar 24, 2022 $0.32; Jun 9, 2022 $0.28; Sep 26, 2022 $0.39; Dec 13, 2022 $0.35; Mar 23, 2023 $0.47; Jun 7, 2023 $0.30; Sep 26, 2023 $0.40; Dec 20, 2023 $0.34; Mar 21, 2024 $0.38; Jun 11, 2024 $0.29; Sep 25, 2024 $0.44; Dec 17, 2024 $0.41; Mar 18, 2025 $0.33; Jun 16, 2025 $0.32; Sep 16, 2025 $0.37; Dec 16, 2025 $0.46; Mar 17, 2026 $0.37; Jun 15, 2026 $0.34; Sep 15, 2026 $0.38. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.502017202020232026YTD

DFSU vs ESGU Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
DFSU 13.0%ESGU 12.8%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
DFSU 1.27ESGU 1.35, better
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
DFSU −19.9%since Nov 2022ESGU −26.1%
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
DFSU 1.04ESGU 1.04Same figure. Both funds show the same value, so neither comes out ahead.

DFSU and ESGU in the news

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