Is DACE a good ETF?
DACE is the Dimensional Australian Core Equity Trust - Active ETF. It tracks the S&P/ASX 300 Index. We classify it under AU, Factor, Value, and Small-Cap. Listed on the ASX since 2006-07-03 (about 20 years ago).
The management fee of 0.28% is reasonable. That's cheaper than the typical 0.34% for similar ETFs. If cost is your priority, MQAE (0.03%), A200 (0.04%), and IOZ (0.05%) cover similar ground for less.
Portfolio turnover is modest at about 20% a year — it reshuffles a meaningful but still limited part of the portfolio annually, which keeps the tax and trading drag manageable.
Strengths
- Low-cost: a 0.28% management fee keeps more of the return in your pocket.
Things to watch
- Cheaper alternatives exist: MQAE, A200, and IOZ.
Good to know
- Australian focus means franked dividends and no currency risk, but heavy concentration in banks and miners.
What DACE's categories mean for you
How each category this ETF belongs to tends to behave across market cycles.
Australian shares. Home-market familiarity, fully franked dividends and no currency risk for local investors — but very concentrated in banks and miners, which dominate the index.
- Market regime
- Sensitive to commodity prices, Chinese demand and domestic interest rates. Generous income, but narrow sector diversification.
- In a portfolio
- A natural core for Australian investors thanks to franking, but should be paired with global exposure so you aren't over-reliant on a handful of banks and resource giants.
Tilts toward academically-backed drivers of return — value, quality, momentum, size or low volatility — aiming to beat plain market-cap weighting over a full cycle.
- Market regime
- Any single factor can underperform the broad market for years before rewarding patient holders. Multi-factor funds smooth this out somewhat.
- In a portfolio
- A long-term tilt that demands discipline: the edge only shows up if you hold through the inevitable lean stretches.
Stocks that look cheap relative to their fundamentals (earnings, book value, cash flow). One of the oldest and best-documented return premiums.
- Market regime
- Rewarded over the very long run and especially in rising-rate, reflation and early-recovery regimes — but endured a long, painful stretch of lagging growth through the 2010s.
- In a portfolio
- A long-term tilt that requires patience and a tolerance for extended underperformance versus the growth side of the market.
Smaller companies, which historically carry a long-run 'size premium' alongside greater volatility and lower liquidity.
- Market regime
- Tends to lead early in economic recoveries and falls hardest in recessions and credit crunches, as smaller firms are more economically sensitive.
- In a portfolio
- A long-horizon satellite tilt for extra growth — expect a bumpier ride than large-cap and broad-market funds.
General information only, generated from the fund's published data — not personal financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Consider your own circumstances or seek licensed advice before investing.