Dimensional Fund Advisors's investment philosophy is not just an approach to investing, but "a religion," writes Jason Kephart for Investment News.

In a feature about the Austin, Texas-based fund firm, Kephart highlighted DFA's screening process as a key part of ensuring that its advisors preserve the company's passive-and-active mix investment philosophy and buy-and-hold mantra. DFA's strategy focuses on the theory that, over time, small-caps and value stocks have the best risk-return ratios.

Kephart playfully refers to jokes about the "cult"-like nature of the company, including comparison's to DFA's extensive advisor training as "Kool-aid".

“We are pretty passionate about it,” president Harold Evensky of Evensky & Katz Wealth Management tells Kephart. Evensky & Katz allocates part of its equity portfolios to DFA Funds. “I joke about the "Kool-Aid,' but I've drank it, and I believe in it.”

As testament to the company's strict adherence to its main strategy, DFA's mutual fund assets have grown to $160 billion, from $110 billion in 2008, according to Lipper Inc. Over the 12-month period ended April 30, DFA had more than $14 billion of net inflows, the fourth-best in the industry behind Vanguard, Pimco and J.P. Morgan Asset Management. 

Edited by: Irene Park


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