HYMAX vs. PRFHX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

HYMAX (Lord Abbett High Income Municipal Bond Fund) and PRFHX (T. Rowe Price Tax Free High Yield Fund) are both High Yield Muni funds. Over the past 10 years, HYMAX returned 2.90%/yr vs 3.06%/yr for PRFHX. A 0.76 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. HYMAX charges 0.77%/yr vs 0.63%/yr for PRFHX.

Performance

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Lord Abbett High Income Municipal Bond Fund (HYMAX) and T. Rowe Price Tax Free High Yield Fund (PRFHX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HYMAX achieves a 2.83% return, which is significantly lower than PRFHX's 2.99% return. Over the past 10 years, HYMAX has underperformed PRFHX with an annualized return of 2.90%, while PRFHX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.06% annualized return.

HYMAX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.06%
• YTD: 2.83%
• 6M: 3.16%
• 1Y: 7.09%
• 3Y*: 5.23%
• 5Y*: 0.15%
• 10Y*: 2.90%

PRFHX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.97%
• YTD: 2.99%
• 6M: 3.78%
• 1Y: 10.91%
• 3Y*: 6.47%
• 5Y*: 1.81%
• 10Y*: 3.06%

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

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
HYMAX Lord Abbett High Income Municipal Bond Fund	2.83%	2.94%	5.89%	6.85%	-17.27%	6.11%	3.50%	11.83%	3.82%	7.39%
PRFHX T. Rowe Price Tax Free High Yield Fund	2.99%	5.53%	7.00%	7.65%	-14.41%	6.09%	3.40%	9.03%	0.66%	7.31%

Correlation

The correlation between HYMAX and PRFHX is 0.80, 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	0.80
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 31, 2004	0.76

The correlation between HYMAX and PRFHX shifts across timeframes, from 0.76 (all time) to 0.90 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

HYMAX vs. PRFHX — Risk / Return Rank

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

HYMAX

HYMAX Risk / Return Rank: 57
HYMAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
HYMAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
HYMAX Omega Ratio Rank: 75
HYMAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
HYMAX Martin Ratio Rank: 36

PRFHX

PRFHX Risk / Return Rank: 92
PRFHX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
PRFHX Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
PRFHX Omega Ratio Rank: 96
PRFHX Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
PRFHX Martin Ratio Rank: 84

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.

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Lord Abbett High Income Municipal Bond Fund (HYMAX) and T. Rowe Price Tax Free High Yield Fund (PRFHX). 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.

	HYMAX	PRFHX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.09	3.47	-1.39
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.37	5.68	-2.30
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	1.84	-0.36
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.67	4.21	-1.54
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.67	15.64	-7.97
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HYMAX Sharpe Ratio is 2.09, which is lower than the PRFHX Sharpe Ratio of 3.47. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HYMAX and PRFHX, 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

	HYMAX	PRFHX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.09	3.47	-1.39
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.03	0.37	-0.34
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.55	0.66	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.67	1.29	-0.62

Drawdowns

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HYMAX drawdown since its inception was -39.42%, which is greater than PRFHX's maximum drawdown of -24.76%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HYMAX and PRFHX.

Drawdown Indicators

	HYMAX	PRFHX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.42%	-24.76%	-14.66%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.78%	-2.75%	-0.03%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.51%	-6.91%	-0.60%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.85%	-18.81%	-4.04%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-22.85%	-18.81%	-4.04%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.24%	0.00%	-1.24%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.16%	-2.77%	-3.39%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.97%	0.73%	+0.24%

Volatility

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Volatility Comparison

Lord Abbett High Income Municipal Bond Fund (HYMAX) has a higher volatility of 1.24% compared to T. Rowe Price Tax Free High Yield Fund (PRFHX) at 1.13%. This indicates that HYMAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PRFHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HYMAX	PRFHX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.24%	1.13%	+0.11%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.55%	2.37%	+0.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.56%	3.33%	+0.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.16%	4.89%	+0.27%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.29%	4.64%	+0.65%

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Expense Ratio Comparison

HYMAX has a 0.77% expense ratio, which is higher than PRFHX's 0.63% expense ratio.

Dividends

HYMAX vs. PRFHX - Dividend Comparison

HYMAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.80%, less than PRFHX's 5.47% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HYMAX Lord Abbett High Income Municipal Bond Fund	4.80%	5.58%	4.04%	3.81%	2.88%	2.78%	3.46%	4.11%	4.01%	4.08%	4.55%	4.64%
PRFHX T. Rowe Price Tax Free High Yield Fund	5.47%	5.46%	4.75%	4.19%	2.81%	3.01%	3.47%	3.52%	3.71%	3.64%	3.88%	4.02%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both HYMAX and PRFHX in my portfolio?

HYMAX and PRFHX have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, HYMAX or PRFHX?

HYMAX has higher volatility (1.24%) compared to PRFHX (1.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HYMAX dropped -39.42% vs PRFHX's -24.76%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PRFHX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.47 vs 2.09), 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.