Dimensional Funds PLC Semi-Annual Report and Accounts 31 May 2012 Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority 1 No marketing notification has been submitted in Germany for the following sub-funds of Dimensional Funds PLC: European Core Equity Fund Sterling Inflation Linked Intermediate Duration Fixed Income Fund Sterling Inflation Linked Long Duration Fixed Income Fund U.S. Value Fund Sterling Ultra Short Fixed Income Fund Multi-Factor Conservative Fund Multi-Factor Balanced Fund Accordingly, these sub-funds must not be publicly marketed in Germany. 1 DIMENSIONAL FUNDS PLC Table of Contents Page General Information..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Investment Manager’s Reports .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Balance Sheet ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Profit and Loss Account............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Statement of Changes in Net Assets Attributable to Holders of Redeemable Shares .............................................................................................................. 20 Portfolio of Investments............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Notes to the Financial Statements............................................................................................................................................................................................ 160 Statement of Portfolio Changes ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 204 1 DIMENSIONAL FUNDS PLC General Information Board of Directors: Administrator: Peter Blessing (Irish)* BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (International) Limited David G. Booth (American) Riverside Two Dermot S.L. Butler (Canadian)* Sir John Rogerson’s Quay Andrew Cain (British) Grand Canal Dock Richard Eustice (American) Dublin 2 David R. Martin (American) Ireland Catherine L. Newell (American) Eduardo Repetto (American) David Salisbury (British) All directors are non-executive. Investment Manager: Custodian: Dimensional Fund Advisors Limited BNY Mellon Trust Company (Ireland) Limited 20 Triton Street Guild House Regent’s Place Guild Street London, NW1 3BF IFSC England Dublin 1 Ireland Investment Sub-Advisor: Stockbrokers: (Emerging Markets Value Fund, Euro Inflation Linked Intermediate Davy Stockbrokers Duration Fixed Income Fund, Euro Ultra Short Fixed Income Fund, 49 Dawson Street Global Core Equity Fund, Global Short Fixed Income Fund, Global Dublin 2 Small Companies Fund, Global Targeted Value Fund, Multi-Factor Ireland Balanced Fund, Multi-Factor Conservative Fund, Multi-Factor Equity Fund, Sterling Inflation Linked Intermediate Duration Fixed Income Fund, Sterling Ultra Short Fixed Income Fund and U.S. Small Companies Fund) Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Palisades West 6300 Bee Cave Road, Building 1 Austin, TX 78746 USA Investment Sub-Advisor: Legal Advisers in Ireland: (Emerging Markets Value Fund, Global Core Equity Fund, Global A&L Goodbody Small Companies Fund, Global Targeted Value Fund, Multi-Factor International Financial Services Centre Balanced Fund, Multi-Factor Conservative Fund, Multi-Factor North Wall Quay Equity Fund, Pacific Basin Small Companies Fund and Pacific Dublin 1 Basin Value Fund ) Ireland DFA Australia Limited Level 43, Gateway 1 Macquarie Place Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Independent Auditors: Secretary: PricewaterhouseCoopers Goodbody Secretarial Limited One Spencer Dock 25/28 North Wall Quay North Wall Quay Dublin 1 Dublin 1 Ireland Ireland Registered Office: 25/28 North Wall Quay Dublin 1 Ireland * Independent directors. 2 DIMENSIONAL FUNDS PLC Investment Manager’s Reports Emerging Markets Value Fund The Fund has been invested in a broad range of companies with high book-to-market ratios across the emerging markets region and as at 31 May 2012 had holdings in approximately 1,900 companies. This reflects our approach of seeking to deliver highly diversified exposure to emerging markets value companies. The weighted average market capitalisation of the holdings in the fund at 31 May 2012 was approximately $15,400 million compared to approximately $31,400 million for the MSCI Emerging Markets Value Index. The weighted average book-to-market ratio of the holdings in the fund at 31 May 2012 was approximately 1.15 compared to approximately 0.87 for the MSCI Emerging Markets Value Index. This reflects our intentional bias towards companies with high book-to-market ratios as research has shown that over longer time periods, shares of such companies tend to have higher expected returns than companies with low book-to-market ratios. The dividend yield of the fund at 31 May 2012 was approximately 2.77% which compares to approximately 3.34% for the MSCI Emerging Markets Value Index. Over the six months to 31 May 2012, the total return of the fund in U.S. Dollars (the Base Currency of the fund) was -4.8%. This compares to a total return of -1.8% for the MSCI Emerging Markets Value Index. Total return over the last six months and from inception for each class is shown in the Performance Information table. The portfolio is fully invested and seeks to capture the returns of emerging markets value companies. Fair value adjustments and the time of valuation of currency can create differences between the performance of the fund versus the benchmark. Euro Inflation Linked Intermediate Duration Fixed Income Fund The fund has been invested in EUR inflation linked issues of Eurozone governments with maturities between three and twenty years. As at 31 May 2012, the fund held 9 unique issues and had an average credit rating of AAA. At 31 May 2012, the average maturity of the fund was approximately 9.55 years, resulting in a duration of approximately 8.72. The real yield to maturity at this time was approximately 0.68%. For the six months ended 31 May 2012, the total return was 9.92%. This compares to a return of the blended Barclays Capital French and German Government EMU HICP Linked 5-15 Year Bond indices of 9.83%. Total return over the period and from inception for each class is shown in the Performance Information table. European Small Companies Fund The fund has been invested in a broad range of small companies across the European region and as at 31 May 2012 had holdings in approximately 1,500 companies. This reflects our approach of seeking to deliver highly diversified exposure to European small companies. The weighted average market capitalisation of the holdings in the fund at 31 May 2012 was approximately €1,300 million compared to approximately €1,500 million for the MSCI Europe Small Cap Net Index. This reflects our intentional bias towards companies with smaller market capitalisations as research has shown that over longer time periods, shares of such companies tend to have higher expected returns than the shares of companies with larger market capitalisations. The weighted average book-to-market ratio of the holdings in the fund at 31 May 2012 was approximately 0.85 compared to approximately 0.79 for the MSCI Europe Small Cap Index. The dividend yield of the fund at 31 May 2012 was approximately 3.41% which compares to approximately 3.13% for the MSCI Europe Small Cap Net Index. Over the six months to 31 May 2012, the total return of the fund in Euro (the Base Currency of the fund) was 6.4%, the total return of the U.S. Dollar class was -2.1%. This compares to Euro and U.S. Dollar total returns of 7.8% and -0.8% respectively, for the MSCI Europe Small Cap Net Index. Total return over the last six months and from inception for each class is shown in the Performance Information table. The portfolio is fully invested and seeks to capture the returns of European small companies. Fair value adjustments and the time of valuation of currency can create differences between the performance of the fund versus the benchmark. Euro Ultra Short Fixed Income Fund The fund is invested in a broad range of high quality fixed income issues with maturities at or below two years. As at 31 May 2012, the fund was diversified across 40 unique issuers from 10 different countries as well as supranational organisations, and had an average credit rating of AA+. There were 51 unique securities, all of which were denominated in Euro. At 31 May 2012, the average maturity of the fund was approximately 0.96 years resulting in a duration of approximately 0.91. The yield to maturity at this time was approximately 0.72%. For the six months ended 31 May 2012, the total return in Euro was 1.29%. This compares to a return of EUR One Month Libor of 0.40%. Total return over the period and from inception for each class is shown in the Performance Information