IBTJ vs. FTABX
IBTJ (iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF) and FTABX (Fidelity Tax-Free Bond Fund) are both funds - IBTJ is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE 2029 Maturity US Treasury Index, while FTABX is a Municipal Bonds fund actively managed by Fidelity. IBTJ is passively managed, while FTABX is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, IBTJ returned -0.10%/yr vs 1.01%/yr for FTABX. At a 0.42 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IBTJ charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for FTABX.
Performance
IBTJ vs. FTABX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IBTJ achieves a -0.19% return, which is significantly lower than FTABX's 1.70% return.
IBTJ
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- 0.04%
- YTD
- -0.19%
- 6M
- -0.06%
- 1Y
- 2.85%
- 3Y*
- 3.61%
- 5Y*
- -0.10%
- 10Y*
- —
FTABX
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- 1.65%
- YTD
- 1.70%
- 6M
- 2.08%
- 1Y
- 7.36%
- 3Y*
- 4.43%
- 5Y*
- 1.01%
- 10Y*
- 2.30%
IBTJ vs. FTABX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBTJ iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF | -0.19% | 6.89% | 1.82% | 4.49% | -12.45% | -3.57% | 4.03% |
FTABX Fidelity Tax-Free Bond Fund | 1.70% | 5.60% | 1.54% | 7.51% | -10.74% | 2.20% | 1.33% |
Correlation
The correlation between IBTJ and FTABX is 0.48, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 28, 2020 | 0.42 |
The correlation between IBTJ and FTABX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.42 to 0.52 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IBTJ vs. FTABX — Risk / Return Rank
IBTJ
FTABX
IBTJ vs. FTABX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF (IBTJ) and Fidelity Tax-Free Bond Fund (FTABX). 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.
| IBTJ | FTABX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.51 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.67 | -0.46 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.77 | 2.38 | -0.61 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.64 | 8.09 | -3.45 |
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Drawdowns
IBTJ vs. FTABX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IBTJ drawdown since its inception was -20.19%, which is greater than FTABX's maximum drawdown of -16.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBTJ and FTABX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IBTJ | FTABX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.19% | -16.14% | -4.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.62% | -3.11% | +1.49% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.43% | -5.99% | +1.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.21% | -16.14% | -1.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -16.14% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.39% | -0.51% | -5.88% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.70% | -2.12% | -7.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.62% | 0.91% | -0.29% |
Volatility
IBTJ vs. FTABX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF (IBTJ) is 0.71%, while Fidelity Tax-Free Bond Fund (FTABX) has a volatility of 0.75%. This indicates that IBTJ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FTABX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IBTJ | FTABX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.71% | 0.75% | -0.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.64% | 2.12% | -0.48% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.40% | 2.74% | -0.34% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.72% | 4.16% | +1.56% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.98% | 4.29% | +1.69% |
IBTJ vs. FTABX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IBTJ has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than FTABX's 0.25% 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
IBTJ vs. FTABX - Dividend Comparison
IBTJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.81%, more than FTABX's 3.20% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTABX Fidelity Tax-Free Bond Fund | 3.20% | 4.18% | 2.81% | 2.90% | 2.16% | 2.27% | 2.64% | 2.94% | 3.01% | 3.49% | 4.22% | 3.29% |
IBTJ iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Treasury ETF | 3.81% | 3.78% | 3.95% | 3.48% | 1.86% | 0.74% | 0.61% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IBTJ and FTABX have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FTABX has higher volatility (0.75%) compared to IBTJ (0.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBTJ dropped -20.19% vs FTABX's -16.14%.
FTABX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.70 vs 1.20), 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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