FLMI vs. MEAR
FLMI (Franklin Liberty Federal Intermediate Tax-Free Bond Opportunities ETF) and MEAR (iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF) are both Municipal Bonds funds. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, FLMI returned 2.20%/yr vs 2.43%/yr for MEAR. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FLMI charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for MEAR.
Performance
FLMI vs. MEAR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FLMI achieves a 2.31% return, which is significantly higher than MEAR's 1.06% return.
FLMI
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- 0.94%
- YTD
- 2.31%
- 6M
- 2.59%
- 1Y
- 8.28%
- 3Y*
- 6.02%
- 5Y*
- 2.20%
- 10Y*
- —
MEAR
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- YTD
- 1.06%
- 6M
- 1.30%
- 1Y
- 3.29%
- 3Y*
- 3.58%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 1.78%
FLMI vs. MEAR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLMI Franklin Liberty Federal Intermediate Tax-Free Bond Opportunities ETF | 2.31% | 5.89% | 4.91% | 7.89% | -10.23% | 4.06% | 6.11% | 6.71% | 0.29% | -0.02% |
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 1.06% | 3.76% | 3.40% | 3.93% | 0.10% | 0.05% | 1.18% | 1.91% | 1.63% | -0.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between FLMI and MEAR is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 6, 2017 | 0.21 |
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Return for Risk
FLMI vs. MEAR — Risk / Return Rank
FLMI
MEAR
FLMI vs. MEAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Liberty Federal Intermediate Tax-Free Bond Opportunities ETF (FLMI) and iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR). 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.
| FLMI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.17 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.61 | 1.91 | -0.30 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.87 | 7.07 | -4.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.34 | 28.99 | -18.66 |
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
| FLMI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.69 | 3.86 | -1.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.50 | 2.48 | -1.98 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 1.18 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 1.11 | -0.46 |
Drawdowns
FLMI vs. MEAR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FLMI drawdown since its inception was -14.66%, which is greater than MEAR's maximum drawdown of -2.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLMI and MEAR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FLMI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.66% | -2.68% | -11.98% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.90% | -0.47% | -2.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.31% | -0.86% | -4.45% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.66% | -1.12% | -13.54% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -2.68% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.33% | 0.00% | -0.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.82% | -0.19% | -2.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.80% | 0.11% | +0.69% |
Volatility
FLMI vs. MEAR - Volatility Comparison
Franklin Liberty Federal Intermediate Tax-Free Bond Opportunities ETF (FLMI) has a higher volatility of 1.00% compared to iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) at 0.24%. This indicates that FLMI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MEAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FLMI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.00% | 0.24% | +0.76% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.03% | 0.61% | +1.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.09% | 0.86% | +2.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.45% | 0.98% | +3.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.72% | 1.52% | +3.20% |
FLMI vs. MEAR - Expense Ratio Comparison
FLMI has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than MEAR's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
FLMI vs. MEAR - Dividend Comparison
FLMI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.87%, more than MEAR's 2.84% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLMI Franklin Liberty Federal Intermediate Tax-Free Bond Opportunities ETF | 3.87% | 3.89% | 4.08% | 3.71% | 3.08% | 2.22% | 2.09% | 2.71% | 2.41% | 0.34% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 2.84% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 3.30% | 0.88% | 0.30% | 0.90% | 1.57% | 1.36% | 1.01% | 0.81% | 0.53% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FLMI and MEAR have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FLMI has higher volatility (1.00%) compared to MEAR (0.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLMI dropped -14.66% vs MEAR's -2.68%.
On 5-year performance, MEAR leads with 2.43% vs 2.20% for FLMI. On fees, MEAR is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, MEAR has been the lower-risk option at 0.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, MEAR has performed better with a 2.43% return vs 2.20%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
MEAR is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.30% for FLMI.
FLMI has the higher dividend yield at 3.87%, compared with 2.84% for MEAR.
They also come from different issuers: Franklin Templeton and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for FLMI and 0.25% for MEAR.
MEAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.86 vs 2.69), 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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