CBTAX vs. LSMSX

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Six Circles Tax Aware Bond Fund (CBTAX) and Western Asset SMASh Series TF Fund (LSMSX).

CBTAX is managed by Six Circles. It was launched on May 18, 2020. LSMSX is managed by Franklin Templeton. It was launched on Dec 22, 2015.

Performance

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Six Circles Tax Aware Bond Fund (CBTAX) and Western Asset SMASh Series TF Fund (LSMSX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
CBTAX Six Circles Tax Aware Bond Fund	-0.57%	4.13%	2.38%	6.35%	-7.47%	0.89%	5.02%
LSMSX Western Asset SMASh Series TF Fund	-0.27%	3.22%	2.22%	7.96%	-10.03%	4.11%	8.84%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CBTAX achieves a -0.57% return, which is significantly lower than LSMSX's -0.27% return.

CBTAX

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: -2.51%
• YTD: -0.57%
• 6M: 0.83%
• 1Y: 3.71%
• 3Y*: 3.21%
• 5Y*: 1.15%
• 10Y*: —

LSMSX

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: -2.62%
• YTD: -0.27%
• 6M: 1.22%
• 1Y: 3.63%
• 3Y*: 3.26%
• 5Y*: 1.12%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Expense Ratio Comparison

CBTAX has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is higher than LSMSX's 0.01% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

CBTAX

Six Circles Tax Aware Bond Fund

LSMSX

Western Asset SMASh Series TF Fund

Return for Risk

CBTAX vs. LSMSX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CBTAX

CBTAX Risk / Return Rank: 44
CBTAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
CBTAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
CBTAX Omega Ratio Rank: 72
CBTAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
CBTAX Martin Ratio Rank: 30

LSMSX

LSMSX Risk / Return Rank: 26
LSMSX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 26
LSMSX Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
LSMSX Omega Ratio Rank: 44
LSMSX Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
LSMSX Martin Ratio Rank: 19

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Six Circles Tax Aware Bond Fund (CBTAX) and Western Asset SMASh Series TF Fund (LSMSX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	CBTAX	LSMSX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.94	0.67	+0.27
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.24	0.89	+0.36
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.20	+0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.91	0.71	+0.21
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.31	1.98	+1.33
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CBTAX Sharpe Ratio is 0.94, which is higher than the LSMSX Sharpe Ratio of 0.67. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CBTAX and LSMSX, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CBTAX	LSMSX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.94	0.67	+0.27
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34	0.25	+0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	0.58	-0.04

Correlation

The correlation between CBTAX and LSMSX is 0.85, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Dividend Comparison

CBTAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.24%, less than LSMSX's 3.97% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CBTAX Six Circles Tax Aware Bond Fund	3.24%	3.49%	3.28%	2.68%	1.57%	0.88%	0.49%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
LSMSX Western Asset SMASh Series TF Fund	3.97%	3.83%	4.30%	3.37%	2.38%	2.73%	2.33%	2.55%	2.34%	0.90%

Drawdowns

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CBTAX drawdown since its inception was -12.12%, smaller than the maximum LSMSX drawdown of -15.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CBTAX and LSMSX.

Drawdown Indicators

	CBTAX	LSMSX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-12.12%	-15.00%	+2.88%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.30%	-6.21%	+1.91%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-12.12%	-15.00%	+2.88%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.51%	-2.62%	+0.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.82%	-2.88%	+0.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.19%	2.21%	-1.02%

Volatility

CBTAX vs. LSMSX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Six Circles Tax Aware Bond Fund (CBTAX) is 0.89%, while Western Asset SMASh Series TF Fund (LSMSX) has a volatility of 1.10%. This indicates that CBTAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than LSMSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CBTAX	LSMSX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.89%	1.10%	-0.21%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.37%	1.60%	-0.23%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.23%	5.78%	-1.55%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.38%	4.44%	-1.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.18%	4.52%	-1.34%