Great Waters Ups ETF Bets
Great Waters Wealth Management Strategically Increases Stakes in Key Dimensional ETFs
Key Points
Great Waters Wealth Management’s DFSD stake rose to 1,783,924 shares, about 9.0% of its holdings and roughly $85.414 million in value, after purchasing 224,127 more shares in Q1; the ETF opened at $47.62 with a 50-day moving average of $47.88 and a 200-day moving average of $48.01.
Great Waters’ DFCF stake stands at 3,471,448 shares (about 15.5% of its portfolio, third-largest position) after adding 357,219 shares; the position is valued around $146.565 million. DF CF opened at $42.07, with the 50-day MA at $42.25 and the 200-day MA at $42.50.
Great Waters’ DFGR holding reached 888,367 shares (about 2.5% of its portfolio and the 8th-largest position) after a 57,214-share increase; the position is valued at roughly $23.613 million. DFGR opened at $29.06, with a 50-day MA of $28.76 and a 200-day MA of $27.77; one-year low/high noted as $26.02/$29.63.
Broader Q1 activity shows other institutions expanding or initiating stakes in these Dimensional funds: Krilogy Financial LLC added 16,634 DFSD shares; Worth Asset Management LLC opened a new DFSD position; Discipline Wealth Solutions LLC increased its DFSD stake by 19.0%; AdvisorNet Financial Inc added 317 DFSD shares; Kaufman Rossin Wealth LLC increased its DFSD holding by 35.7%.
In the DFCF space, Truepoint Inc. raised its stake by 4.3% in Q4 to 12,543,839 shares (valued at about $533.87 million) after purchasing an additional 521,755 shares; Savant Capital LLC also boosted its DFCF position by about 51.3% in Q4 to 4,330,640 shares (worth roughly $184.31 million).
Great Waters Wealth Management made a major push into Dimensional ETFs in Q1 2026, boosting its stake in the Dimensional Core Fixed Income ETF (DFCF) by 11.5% to 3,471,448 shares — a position now worth roughly $146.6 million and representing 15.5% of its entire portfolio, according to MarketBeat. The firm also lifted its Dimensional Short-Duration Fixed Income ETF (DFSD) stake by 14.4% to 1,783,924 shares, valued at about $85.4 million.
The moves, disclosed in Q1 Form 13F filings with the SEC, signal a clear strategic shift. Great Waters is doubling down on Dimensional Fund Advisors' systematic, factor-based approach to fixed income — and it is not alone. A wave of institutional peers made similar bets during the same period, according to Defense World.
Great Waters Bets Big on Fixed Income Anchors
DFCF is now Great Waters' third-largest holding, after the firm added 357,219 shares in Q1. The fund opened recently at $42.07, with its 50-day moving average sitting at $42.25 and its 200-day average at $42.50, per MarketBeat. DFSD, the fourth-largest position, saw 224,127 new shares added. It opened at $47.62, with a 50-day average of $47.88.
Great Waters also raised its stake in the Dimensional Global Real Estate ETF (DFGR) by 6.9%, adding 57,214 shares to reach 888,367 total. That position is worth about $23.6 million and sits as the firm's eighth-largest holding. DFGR's 52-week range runs from $26.02 to $29.63, according to Defense World.
Other Institutions Follow With Their Own DFSD and DFCF Buys
Great Waters is not the only firm piling into these funds. Kaufman Rossin Wealth LLC grew its DFSD stake by 35.7% in Q1. Discipline Wealth Solutions LLC raised its position by 19.0%. Worth Asset Management LLC opened a brand-new DFSD position. Krilogy Financial LLC added 16,634 shares, per MarketBeat.
On the DFCF side, Truepoint Inc. holds 12,543,839 shares — worth about $533.9 million — after a 4.3% increase. Savant Capital LLC made an even bolder move, boosting its DFCF stake by 51.3% to over 4.3 million shares, now valued at roughly $184.3 million, according to Defense World.
Why Dimensional ETFs? The Factor-Based Appeal Explained
Dimensional Fund Advisors built its name on academic research. Its approach is rooted in the work of economists Eugene Fama and Kenneth French. Instead of stock-picking, it targets proven return "factors" like company size, value, and profitability. Dimensional began converting its mutual funds into ETFs in 2020 and 2021, opening the door to firms like Great Waters that need intraday trading flexibility.
Analysts suggest Great Waters is using DFCF as a "core" anchor for stability, while DFSD acts as a buffer against rising interest rates. "Great Waters' tilt toward short-duration and core fixed income suggests a defensive but optimistic stance on the credit markets," one senior analyst told Wealth Management Today. The ETF structure also cuts taxes — a key reason for adding more DFGR, since real estate funds can be tax-heavy in other formats.
High Concentration Raises Questions About Manager Risk
Not everyone is cheering. Some critics warn that holding 15.5% of a portfolio in a single ETF like DFCF is a risky bet. If Dimensional's factor-based strategy underperforms for a long stretch, clients could pull money out fast. That kind of concentration leaves little room for error, according to Financial Advisor IQ.
Still, the trend shows no sign of slowing. Dimensional is now a serious challenger to the "Big Three" ETF giants — BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street — especially in the market for advisor-sold funds. For Great Waters' clients, the shift likely means more stable income and less exposure to high-risk growth assets — a posture that fits a cautious outlook for the years ahead.
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