Dimensional Australian Value Trust – Active ETF Guide (DAVA): What Is It All About?

Overview

Dimensional Australian Value Trust – Active ETF (DAVA) is an Australia-focused value strategy designed to capture opportunities in large-cap domestic equities that screen as relatively cheap versus fundamentals. For Australian investors, it sits in the intersection of style exposure and local sharemarket familiarity: the portfolio leans heavily toward banks, resources and energy, which makes its return profile closely tied to the shape of the Australian market.

Category

DAVA is built around the idea that value can be a persistent source of return over time, but in Australia that theme often comes through with a distinctly sector-specific accent. The fund’s largest weights are in Financial Services, which accounts for 44.076% of the portfolio, followed by Basic Materials at 26.142% and Energy at 13.996%. That mix suggests a classic Australian value orientation, with the portfolio concentrated in established cash-generative businesses rather than fast-growing sectors.

In the current Australian market context, a value tilt can feel quite different from a broad market index approach because the local exchange is already dominated by financials and resources. DAVA’s top holdings reflect that reality: Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank, ANZ Group Holdings, Woodside Energy Group, RIO Tinto and Macquarie Group all sit near the top of the portfolio. That means investors are not just buying a style factor, but also making an active bet on the sectors that help define the Australian equity market.

Key facts

Costs

No fee data was supplied in the payload, so this profile cannot state a management cost, TER or ongoing charge. Investors should check the product disclosure materials before making any comparison on price.

Performance

Holdings

The portfolio is led by Westpac Banking Corporation at 9.002%, National Australia Bank at 8.893% and ANZ Group Holdings at 8.239%. Other major positions include Woodside Energy Group at 6.189%, RIO Tinto at 6.167%, Macquarie Group at 5.451%, QBE Insurance Group at 5.162%, BHP Group at 4.049%, Santos at 3.23% and Fortescue at 3.115%. The top 10 holdings together account for 59.498% of the fund, reinforcing its focused value style.

Regions

Sectors

Related ETFs

Compared with more diversified Australian equity ETFs, DAVA appears more concentrated in the market’s traditional value engines and less exposed to sectors such as healthcare and technology. It also looks meaningfully different from growth-leaning or equal-weight style products because its top 10 holdings make up 59.498% of the fund. That concentration can amplify the effect of stock selection, sector cycles and commodity-linked moves.

Risks

Who it may suit

DAVA may suit Australian investors who want targeted exposure to domestic value shares and are comfortable with a portfolio that leans heavily into banks, miners and energy producers. It may also appeal to investors looking for a satellite holding alongside a broader core portfolio, rather than as a standalone all-in-one Australian equity solution.

Key risks

The main risk is concentration. A large share of the fund is tied to Financial Services, and the top holdings are dominated by a relatively small set of major Australian companies. That can leave the portfolio more exposed to changes in bank earnings, credit conditions, resource prices and energy markets. Style risk also matters: when growth shares lead the market, value strategies can lag. With no benchmark index field supplied, investors should focus on the stated category and portfolio characteristics rather than trying to infer a precise tracked index.

FAQ