ITM vs. MUST
ITM (VanEck Intermediate Muni ETF) and MUST (Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ITM is a Municipal Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg AMT-Free Intermediate Continuous, while MUST is a Money Market fund tracking the Bloomberg Beta Advantage Multi-Sector Municipal Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ITM returned 0.50%/yr vs 0.80%/yr for MUST. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ITM charges 0.24%/yr vs 0.23%/yr for MUST.
Performance
ITM vs. MUST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ITM achieves a 0.69% return, which is significantly lower than MUST's 1.45% return.
ITM
- 1D
- 0.24%
- 1M
- 0.81%
- YTD
- 0.69%
- 6M
- 1.44%
- 1Y
- 7.45%
- 3Y*
- 3.73%
- 5Y*
- 0.50%
- 10Y*
- 1.96%
MUST
- 1D
- 0.49%
- 1M
- 1.18%
- YTD
- 1.45%
- 6M
- 1.84%
- 1Y
- 6.55%
- 3Y*
- 3.77%
- 5Y*
- 0.80%
- 10Y*
- —
ITM vs. MUST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITM VanEck Intermediate Muni ETF | 0.69% | 5.34% | 0.73% | 5.69% | -9.33% | 0.21% | 5.87% | 8.46% | 3.64% |
MUST Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF | 1.45% | 4.92% | 0.37% | 6.23% | -8.82% | 1.93% | 6.67% | 8.35% | 2.72% |
Correlation
The correlation between ITM and MUST is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 11, 2018 | 0.51 |
The correlation between ITM and MUST shifts across timeframes, from 0.43 (1 year) to 0.57 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ITM vs. MUST — Risk / Return Rank
ITM
MUST
ITM vs. MUST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Intermediate Muni ETF (ITM) and Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF (MUST). 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.
| ITM | MUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.64 | 1.27 | +1.36 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.82 | 1.85 | +1.97 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.56 | 1.24 | +0.32 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.11 | 2.29 | -0.19 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.79 | 6.31 | +0.49 |
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
| ITM | MUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.64 | 1.27 | +1.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 | 0.15 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.44 | 0.54 | -0.10 |
Drawdowns
ITM vs. MUST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ITM drawdown since its inception was -24.75%, which is greater than MUST's maximum drawdown of -13.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITM and MUST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ITM | MUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.75% | -13.83% | -10.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.43% | -3.01% | -0.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.68% | -6.08% | +0.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.11% | -13.83% | -1.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.75% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.24% | -1.09% | -0.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.98% | -3.41% | +0.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.06% | 1.10% | -0.04% |
Volatility
ITM vs. MUST - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for VanEck Intermediate Muni ETF (ITM) is 1.01%, while Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF (MUST) has a volatility of 1.80%. This indicates that ITM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MUST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ITM | MUST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.01% | 1.80% | -0.79% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.19% | 3.62% | -1.43% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.85% | 5.18% | -2.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.31% | 5.44% | -1.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 7.10% | 5.60% | +1.50% |
ITM vs. MUST - Expense Ratio Comparison
ITM has a 0.24% expense ratio, which is higher than MUST's 0.23% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
ITM vs. MUST - Dividend Comparison
ITM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.92%, less than MUST's 3.33% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITM VanEck Intermediate Muni ETF | 2.92% | 2.86% | 2.73% | 2.40% | 1.92% | 1.70% | 2.13% | 2.44% | 2.33% | 2.21% | 2.29% | 2.28% |
MUST Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF | 3.33% | 3.28% | 3.13% | 2.51% | 1.76% | 1.62% | 2.33% | 2.70% | 0.55% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ITM and MUST have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MUST has higher volatility (1.80%) compared to ITM (1.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITM dropped -24.75% vs MUST's -13.83%.
On 5-year performance, MUST leads with 0.80% vs 0.50% for ITM. On fees, MUST is cheaper at 0.23% per year. On volatility, ITM has been the lower-risk option at 1.01%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, MUST has performed better with a 0.80% return vs 0.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
MUST is cheaper with a 0.23% expense ratio, compared with 0.24% for ITM.
MUST has the higher dividend yield at 3.33%, compared with 2.92% for ITM.
ITM is categorized as Municipal Bonds, while MUST is Money Market. ITM tracks Bloomberg AMT-Free Intermediate Continuous, while MUST tracks Bloomberg Beta Advantage Multi-Sector Municipal Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Ameriprise Financial. Their fees differ too: 0.24% for ITM and 0.23% for MUST.
ITM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.64 vs 1.27), 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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