CFNLX vs. CFSTX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

CFNLX (Commerce National Tax-Free Intermediate Bond Fund) and CFSTX (Commerce Short Term Government Fund) are both mutual funds - CFNLX is a Municipal Bonds fund managed by Commerce, while CFSTX is a Government Bonds fund managed by Commerce. Over the past 10 years, CFNLX returned 1.62%/yr vs 1.11%/yr for CFSTX. Their 0.60 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. CFNLX charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.68%/yr for CFSTX.

Performance

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Commerce National Tax-Free Intermediate Bond Fund (CFNLX) and Commerce Short Term Government Fund (CFSTX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CFNLX achieves a -0.51% return, which is significantly higher than CFSTX's -0.75% return. Over the past 10 years, CFNLX has outperformed CFSTX with an annualized return of 1.62%, while CFSTX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.11% annualized return.

CFNLX

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: -1.90%
• 6M: -1.47%
• YTD: -0.51%
• 1Y: 3.37%
• 3Y*: 3.09%
• 5Y*: 0.50%
• 10Y*: 1.62%
• ALL TIME*: 3.66%

CFSTX

• 1D: 0.06%
• 1M: -0.43%
• 6M: -1.02%
• YTD: -0.75%
• 1Y: 1.02%
• 3Y*: 3.38%
• 5Y*: 0.73%
• 10Y*: 1.11%
• ALL TIME*: 2.39%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
CFNLX Commerce National Tax-Free Intermediate Bond Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
CFSTX Commerce Short Term Government Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CFNLX Commerce National Tax-Free Intermediate Bond Fund	-0.51%	6.09%	0.70%	4.83%	-7.39%	0.40%	4.68%	6.81%	0.80%	4.81%
CFSTX Commerce Short Term Government Fund	-0.75%	5.25%	3.12%	4.28%	-6.59%	-1.19%	3.09%	3.56%	1.01%	0.84%

Correlation

The correlation between CFNLX and CFSTX is 0.57, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.57
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.58
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.56
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.54
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 20, 1996	0.60

The correlation between CFNLX and CFSTX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.54 to 0.60 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

CFNLX vs. CFSTX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

CFNLX

CFNLX Risk / Return Rank: 55
CFNLX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
CFNLX Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
CFNLX Omega Ratio Rank: 82
CFNLX Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
CFNLX Martin Ratio Rank: 25

CFSTX

CFSTX Risk / Return Rank: 21
CFSTX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 25
CFSTX Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
CFSTX Omega Ratio Rank: 24
CFSTX Calmar Ratio Rank: 17
CFSTX Martin Ratio Rank: 15

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Commerce National Tax-Free Intermediate Bond Fund (CFNLX) and Commerce Short Term Government Fund (CFSTX). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	CFNLX	CFSTX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.70	0.89	+0.81
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.41	1.35	+1.06
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	1.16	+0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.33	0.88	+0.46
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.68	2.14	+1.54

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CFNLX Sharpe Ratio is 1.70, which is higher than the CFSTX Sharpe Ratio of 0.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CFNLX and CFSTX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CFNLX drawdown since its inception was -12.24%, which is greater than CFSTX's maximum drawdown of -9.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CFNLX and CFSTX.

Drawdown Indicators

	CFNLX	CFSTX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-12.24%	-9.02%	-3.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.06%	-1.87%	-1.19%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-4.65%	-1.87%	-2.78%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-12.24%	-8.97%	-3.27%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-12.24%	-9.02%	-3.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.61%	-1.75%	-0.86%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.56%	-0.97%	-0.59%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.10%	0.76%	+0.34%

Volatility

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Volatility Comparison

Commerce National Tax-Free Intermediate Bond Fund (CFNLX) has a higher volatility of 0.88% compared to Commerce Short Term Government Fund (CFSTX) at 0.38%. This indicates that CFNLX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CFSTX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CFNLX	CFSTX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.88%	0.38%	+0.50%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.02%	1.50%	+0.52%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.41%	1.85%	+0.56%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.31%	2.36%	+0.95%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.36%	1.98%	+1.38%

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Expense Ratio Comparison

CFNLX has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is lower than CFSTX's 0.68% expense ratio.

Dividends

CFNLX vs. CFSTX - Dividend Comparison

CFNLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.60%, more than CFSTX's 2.47% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CFNLX Commerce National Tax-Free Intermediate Bond Fund	2.60%	3.64%	2.36%	2.08%	1.63%	2.43%	1.94%	2.65%	2.38%	2.31%	2.25%	2.19%
CFSTX Commerce Short Term Government Fund	2.47%	2.26%	1.62%	2.05%	1.30%	1.53%	1.99%	2.44%	1.94%	1.61%	1.69%	1.40%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CFNLX and CFSTX in my portfolio?

CFNLX and CFSTX have a correlation of 0.57, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CFNLX or CFSTX?

CFNLX has higher volatility (0.88%) compared to CFSTX (0.38%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CFNLX dropped -12.24% vs CFSTX's -9.02%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CFNLX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.70 vs 0.89), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.