COLTX vs. BIAEX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

COLTX (Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund) and BIAEX (Brown Advisory Tax Exempt Bond Fund) are both Municipal Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, COLTX returned 1.98%/yr vs 2.12%/yr for BIAEX. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. COLTX charges 0.73%/yr vs 0.46%/yr for BIAEX.

Performance

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (COLTX) and Brown Advisory Tax Exempt Bond Fund (BIAEX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, COLTX achieves a 2.32% return, which is significantly higher than BIAEX's 1.66% return. Over the past 10 years, COLTX has underperformed BIAEX with an annualized return of 1.98%, while BIAEX has yielded a comparatively higher 2.12% annualized return.

COLTX

• 1D: 0.25%
• 1M: 1.04%
• YTD: 2.32%
• 6M: 2.72%
• 1Y: 8.67%
• 3Y*: 4.48%
• 5Y*: 0.67%
• 10Y*: 1.98%

BIAEX

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: 0.85%
• YTD: 1.66%
• 6M: 2.10%
• 1Y: 7.74%
• 3Y*: 4.38%
• 5Y*: 1.13%
• 10Y*: 2.12%

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

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
COLTX Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund	2.32%	3.86%	3.47%	6.60%	-12.56%	3.01%	3.37%	8.15%	0.19%	6.15%
BIAEX Brown Advisory Tax Exempt Bond Fund	1.66%	5.50%	2.08%	6.43%	-9.75%	2.39%	3.65%	7.48%	2.19%	4.12%

Correlation

The correlation between COLTX and BIAEX is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.85
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 2, 2012	0.82

The correlation between COLTX and BIAEX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

COLTX vs. BIAEX — Risk / Return Rank

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

COLTX

COLTX Risk / Return Rank: 66
COLTX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
COLTX Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
COLTX Omega Ratio Rank: 84
COLTX Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
COLTX Martin Ratio Rank: 46

BIAEX

BIAEX Risk / Return Rank: 75
BIAEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
BIAEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
BIAEX Omega Ratio Rank: 95
BIAEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
BIAEX Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (COLTX) and Brown Advisory Tax Exempt Bond Fund (BIAEX). 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.

	COLTX	BIAEX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.41	3.05	-0.64
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.84	4.96	-1.12
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.56	1.77	-0.21
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.77	2.72	+0.05
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.57	9.47	+0.10
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current COLTX Sharpe Ratio is 2.41, which is comparable to the BIAEX Sharpe Ratio of 3.05. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of COLTX and BIAEX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	COLTX	BIAEX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.41	3.05	-0.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13	0.33	-0.20
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40	0.59	-0.19
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.95	0.52	+0.43

Drawdowns

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum COLTX drawdown since its inception was -18.07%, which is greater than BIAEX's maximum drawdown of -13.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for COLTX and BIAEX.

Drawdown Indicators

	COLTX	BIAEX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.07%	-13.89%	-4.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.11%	-2.82%	-0.29%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.08%	-4.48%	-3.60%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.07%	-13.89%	-4.18%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-18.07%	-13.89%	-4.18%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.41%	+0.41%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.63%	-2.83%	+0.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.90%	0.81%	+0.09%

Volatility

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Volatility Comparison

Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (COLTX) has a higher volatility of 1.38% compared to Brown Advisory Tax Exempt Bond Fund (BIAEX) at 0.88%. This indicates that COLTX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BIAEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	COLTX	BIAEX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.38%	0.88%	+0.50%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.59%	1.87%	+0.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.60%	2.51%	+1.09%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.24%	3.40%	+1.84%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.98%	3.60%	+1.38%

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Expense Ratio Comparison

COLTX has a 0.73% expense ratio, which is higher than BIAEX's 0.46% expense ratio.

Dividends

COLTX vs. BIAEX - Dividend Comparison

COLTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.74%, which matches BIAEX's 3.75% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BIAEX Brown Advisory Tax Exempt Bond Fund	3.75%	3.79%	3.67%	3.15%	2.00%	2.57%	2.75%	3.01%	3.27%	2.30%	0.00%	0.00%
COLTX Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund	3.74%	4.91%	3.66%	3.15%	3.05%	3.20%	3.27%	4.60%	3.80%	3.86%	4.15%	4.13%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both COLTX and BIAEX in my portfolio?

COLTX and BIAEX have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, COLTX or BIAEX?

COLTX has higher volatility (1.38%) compared to BIAEX (0.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, COLTX dropped -18.07% vs BIAEX's -13.89%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BIAEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.05 vs 2.41), 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.