Case study: Dimensional Fund Advisors

Refer to the attached pdf for the case, and answer the following questions (each answer less than 300 words) 1. If DFA believes its size and BE/ME strategies are tied to systematic risk, then how do they justify these strategies as sound investments for their clients? Specifically, if DFA believes in efficient markets, how do they justify their own existence? 2. What are some of the trading costs associated with small, value stocks? How does DFA manage these potential trading frictions? [login to view URL] the mid-1980s, small stocks have underperformed large stocks. Is this an embarrassment to DFA? Why or why not? Does this indicate that rational or behavioral explanations for size are more likely? (Explain your reasoning.) Based on this evidence, should DFA abandon its small stock strategy? What if small stocks continue to underperform large stocks for another decade? What would you tell your clients about the poor performance of the size strategy?