CMF vs. GVI
CMF (iShares California Muni Bond ETF) and GVI (iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CMF is a Single State Muni fund tracking the S&P California AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, while GVI is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Intermediate Government/Credit Bond. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, CMF returned 1.64%/yr vs 1.70%/yr for GVI. At a 0.42 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CMF charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for GVI.
Performance
CMF vs. GVI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CMF achieves a 1.28% return, which is significantly higher than GVI's 0.08% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with CMF having a 1.64% annualized return and GVI not far ahead at 1.70%.
CMF
- 1D
- -0.01%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- 6M
- 0.72%
- YTD
- 1.28%
- 1Y
- 6.40%
- 3Y*
- 3.26%
- 5Y*
- 0.63%
- 10Y*
- 1.64%
GVI
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- -0.10%
- 6M
- 0.06%
- YTD
- 0.08%
- 1Y
- 3.17%
- 3Y*
- 4.49%
- 5Y*
- 0.93%
- 10Y*
- 1.70%
CMF vs. GVI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CMF iShares California Muni Bond ETF | 1.28% | 3.36% | 1.65% | 5.71% | -8.27% | 0.78% | 4.50% | 6.94% | 0.99% | 4.63% |
GVI iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF | 0.08% | 6.66% | 2.92% | 5.15% | -8.28% | -1.90% | 6.38% | 6.54% | 0.77% | 1.83% |
Correlation
The correlation between CMF and GVI is 0.67, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.67 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 5, 2007 | 0.42 |
Over the past year, CMF and GVI have become more correlated (0.67) than their long-term average of 0.42, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
CMF vs. GVI — Risk / Return Rank
CMF
GVI
CMF vs. GVI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares California Muni Bond ETF (CMF) and iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF (GVI). 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.
| CMF | GVI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.37 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.49 | 1.22 | +0.28 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.13 | 1.68 | +0.45 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.01 | 4.53 | +2.47 |
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Drawdowns
CMF vs. GVI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CMF drawdown since its inception was -16.45%, which is greater than GVI's maximum drawdown of -12.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CMF and GVI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CMF | GVI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.45% | -12.93% | -3.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.91% | -1.79% | -1.12% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.22% | -2.56% | -2.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -12.45% | -12.93% | +0.48% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.57% | -12.93% | -1.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.60% | -1.09% | +0.49% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.75% | -1.85% | -2.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.89% | 0.66% | +0.23% |
Volatility
CMF vs. GVI - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares California Muni Bond ETF (CMF) is 0.62%, while iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF (GVI) has a volatility of 0.82%. This indicates that CMF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GVI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CMF | GVI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.62% | 0.82% | -0.20% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.19% | 1.91% | +0.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.78% | 2.48% | +0.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.19% | 3.98% | +0.21% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.08% | 3.53% | +1.55% |
CMF vs. GVI - Expense Ratio Comparison
CMF has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than GVI's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
CMF vs. GVI - Dividend Comparison
CMF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.95%, less than GVI's 3.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CMF iShares California Muni Bond ETF | 2.95% | 2.94% | 2.78% | 2.29% | 1.91% | 1.58% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.17% | 2.09% | 2.21% | 2.55% |
GVI iShares Intermediate Government/Credit Bond ETF | 3.64% | 3.48% | 3.40% | 2.75% | 1.86% | 1.46% | 1.84% | 2.29% | 2.16% | 1.91% | 1.77% | 1.75% |
Frequently Asked Questions
CMF and GVI have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GVI has higher volatility (0.82%) compared to CMF (0.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CMF dropped -16.45% vs GVI's -12.93%.
On 10-year performance, GVI leads with 1.70% vs 1.64% for CMF. On fees, CMF is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, CMF has been the lower-risk option at 0.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, GVI has performed better with a 1.70% return vs 1.64%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
CMF is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for GVI.
GVI has the higher dividend yield at 3.64%, compared with 2.95% for CMF.
CMF is categorized as Single State Muni, while GVI is Short-Term Bond. CMF tracks S&P California AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, while GVI tracks Bloomberg U.S. Intermediate Government/Credit Bond. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for CMF and 0.20% for GVI.
CMF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.23 vs 1.22), 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.
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