NUSCvsDFASETF Comparison
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NuShares ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) and Dimensional US Small Cap ETF (DFAS) belong to the same industry segment: US Small Cap. NUSC's top 3 sector exposures are Finance, Technology and Industrials. In contrast, DFAS's top sector exposures are Finance, Industrials and Healthcare. NUSC is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.31%, versus 0.26% for DFAS. NUSC is up 11.54% year-to-date (YTD) with -$140M in YTD flows. DFAS performs better with 16.25% YTD performance, and +$1.34B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of NUSC and DFAS below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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NUSC vs DFAS performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/10/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | NUSC DFAS | -5.21%-3.13% | +1.01%+2.70% | +11.54%+16.25% | +15.70%+19.31% | +42.43%+53.95% | +27.09%+49.32% |
| Flows | NUSC DFAS | -$592K+$114M | -$54M+$526M | -$140M+$1.34B | -$99M+$1.95B | -$126M+$5.49B | +$84M+$7.44B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | NUSC DFAS | +14.31%+12.85% | +16.80%+15.77% | +19.64%+19.37% | +21.18%+20.66% |
| Max drawdown | NUSC DFAS | -6.62%-4.64% | -10.10%-9.26% | -26.88%-26.11% | -28.74%-26.11% |
| Max drawdown duration | NUSC DFAS | 25d24d | 53d66d | 379d373d | 1073d373d |
Trading data
NUSC | DFAS | |
Last sale 9/11/2026 at 2:43 PM | $50.11 | $80.63 |
| Previous close 09/10/2026 | $49.80 | $80.01 |
| Consolidated volume 09/10/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of August 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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DFAS
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexNUSC | DFAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 9/11/2026 at 2:43 PM
Live
Closed
NUSC | DFAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $50.11 | $80.63 |
| 1D performance | +0.62% | +0.77% |
| AuM | $1.26 B | $15.36 B |
| E/R | 0.31% | 0.26% |
Characteristics
NUSC | DFAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Active |
| Provider | Nuveen | Dimensional |
| Benchmark | MSCI TIAA ESG USA Small-Cap Index | - |
| N° of holdings | 398 | 2014 |
| Asset class | Equities | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 13, 2016 | June 14, 2021 |
| ESG | Yes | No |
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Exposure
Countries
NUSC
USA
92.98%
Other
7.02%
DFAS
USA
95.89%
Other
4.11%
Sectors
NUSC
Finance
23.78%
Technology
17.86%
Industrials
14.22%
Healthcare
13.48%
Other
30.66%
DFAS
Finance
22.36%
Industrials
14.66%
Healthcare
12.51%
Technology
12.03%
Consumer Cyclical.
7.79%
Non-Energy Materi.
7.68%
Other
22.98%
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Diversification
NUSC
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
14.13%
DFAS
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
3.65%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
NUSC
ATI, Inc.
1.26%
TD SYNNEX Corp.
1.08%
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
1.07%
Viatris, Inc.
1.07%
nVent Electric Plc
1.06%
East West Bancorp, Inc.
1.04%
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.
0.96%
AGNC Investment Corp.
0.90%
Service Corp. International
0.87%
Popular, Inc.
0.85%
Arrow Electronics, Inc.
0.83%
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
0.83%
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.
0.80%
Murphy USA, Inc.
0.76%
Medpace Holdings, Inc.
0.75%
DFAS
HF Sinclair Corp.
0.29%
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc
0.28%
IES Holdings, Inc.
0.26%
Elanco Animal Health, Inc.
0.26%
WESCO International, Inc.
0.25%
BorgWarner, Inc.
0.25%
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.
0.24%
APA Corp.
0.24%
Invesco Ltd.
0.24%
TTM Technologies, Inc.
0.23%
Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc.
0.23%
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.
0.22%
Arrow Electronics, Inc.
0.22%
Aramark
0.22%
First Horizon Corp. (Tennessee)
0.22%
Frequently asked questions about NUSC and DFAS
How have the NUSC and DFAS ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 10, 2026, NUSC is up 11.54% year-to-date (YTD), while DFAS has returned 16.25%. That puts DFAS better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: NUSC or DFAS?
Year-to-date, the NUSC ETF saw -$140M in flows, compared to +$1.34B for DFAS.
Which ETF is more volatile: NUSC or DFAS?
Over the past year, NUSC had a volatility of 16.8%, while DFAS experienced 15.77%.
Which ETF is bigger: NUSC or DFAS?
As of September 10, 2026, NUSC holds $1.26 B in assets under management (AUM), while DFAS manages $15.36 B.
What sectors do the NUSC and DFAS ETFs invest in?
NUSC leans toward sectors like Finance, Technology and Industrials. Meanwhile, DFAS focuses on Finance, Industrials and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the NUSC ETF and DFAS ETF?
NUSC top holdings include ATI, Inc., TD SYNNEX Corp. and Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.. DFAS holds in its top three: HF Sinclair Corp., Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc and IES Holdings, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: NUSC or DFAS?
NUSC holds 401 securities with 14.13% of its assets in the top 15. DFAS has 2053 securities and a top 15 weight of 3.65%.
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Latest news about NUSC & DFAS
Small Caps and Value Stocks Continue to Rally Amid Market Rotation
July 22, 2024
DFAS
Dimensional Fund Advisors Celebrates 3-Year ETF Anniversary
November 8, 2023
DFAS
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