FCAL vs. IBMN
FCAL (First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF) and IBMN (iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF) are both Municipal Bonds funds. FCAL is actively managed, while IBMN is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FCAL returned 0.81%/yr vs 0.47%/yr for IBMN. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FCAL charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for IBMN.
Performance
FCAL vs. IBMN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
FCAL
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- 0.78%
- YTD
- 1.89%
- 6M
- 2.30%
- 1Y
- 7.09%
- 3Y*
- 3.78%
- 5Y*
- 0.81%
- 10Y*
- —
IBMN
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.00%
- YTD
- 0.00%
- 6M
- 0.00%
- 1Y
- 1.20%
- 3Y*
- 2.44%
- 5Y*
- 0.47%
- 10Y*
- —
FCAL vs. IBMN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FCAL First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF | 1.89% | 3.19% | 1.90% | 6.08% | -9.50% | 3.26% | 3.51% | 9.32% | 2.46% |
IBMN iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF | 0.00% | 2.49% | 2.33% | 2.42% | -4.43% | -0.41% | 4.83% | 6.87% | 2.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between FCAL and IBMN is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 16, 2018 | 0.41 |
Over the past year, the correlation between FCAL and IBMN has dropped to 0.14 - well below their long-term average of 0.41, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
FCAL vs. IBMN — Risk / Return Rank
FCAL
IBMN
FCAL vs. IBMN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF (FCAL) and iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF (IBMN). 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.
| FCAL | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.39 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.59 | 1.66 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.76 | 6.02 | -3.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.35 | 24.21 | -13.86 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FCAL | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.62 | 2.12 | +0.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 | 0.28 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.58 | -0.09 |
Drawdowns
FCAL vs. IBMN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FCAL drawdown since its inception was -14.81%, which is greater than IBMN's maximum drawdown of -12.40%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FCAL and IBMN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FCAL | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.81% | -12.40% | -2.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.57% | -0.25% | -2.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.46% | -1.10% | -4.36% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.44% | -7.36% | -7.08% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.24% | -0.05% | -0.19% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.35% | -1.81% | -1.54% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.69% | 0.10% | +0.59% |
Volatility
FCAL vs. IBMN - Volatility Comparison
First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF (FCAL) has a higher volatility of 0.96% compared to iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF (IBMN) at 0.00%. This indicates that FCAL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IBMN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FCAL | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.96% | 0.00% | +0.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.12% | 0.50% | +1.62% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.72% | 0.71% | +2.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.26% | 1.80% | +2.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.25% | 3.89% | +1.36% |
FCAL vs. IBMN - Expense Ratio Comparison
FCAL has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than IBMN's 0.18% expense ratio.
Dividends
FCAL vs. IBMN - Dividend Comparison
FCAL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.32%, more than IBMN's 1.14% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FCAL First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF | 3.32% | 3.22% | 2.99% | 2.74% | 2.38% | 2.03% | 2.11% | 2.68% | 2.99% | 1.30% |
IBMN iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF | 1.14% | 2.03% | 2.03% | 1.72% | 0.97% | 0.70% | 1.11% | 1.65% | 0.23% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FCAL and IBMN have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FCAL has higher volatility (0.96%) compared to IBMN (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FCAL dropped -14.81% vs IBMN's -12.40%.
On 5-year performance, FCAL leads with 0.81% vs 0.47% for IBMN. On fees, IBMN is cheaper at 0.18% per year. On volatility, IBMN has been the lower-risk option at 0.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, FCAL has performed better with a 0.81% return vs 0.47%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IBMN is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for FCAL.
FCAL has the higher dividend yield at 3.32%, compared with 1.14% for IBMN.
They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for FCAL and 0.18% for IBMN.
FCAL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.62 vs 2.12), 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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