MEAR vs. IBMN
MEAR (iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF) and IBMN (iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF) are both Municipal Bonds funds from iShares. MEAR is actively managed, while IBMN is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, MEAR returned 2.43%/yr vs 0.47%/yr for IBMN. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. MEAR charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for IBMN.
Performance
MEAR vs. IBMN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
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%
IBMN
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.00%
- YTD
- 0.00%
- 6M
- 0.00%
- 1Y
- 1.20%
- 3Y*
- 2.44%
- 5Y*
- 0.47%
- 10Y*
- —
MEAR vs. IBMN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 1.06% | 3.76% | 3.40% | 3.93% | 0.10% | 0.05% | 1.18% | 1.91% | 0.34% |
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 MEAR and IBMN is 0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 16, 2018 | 0.20 |
The correlation between MEAR and IBMN shifts across timeframes, from 0.09 (1 year) to 0.25 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
MEAR vs. IBMN — Risk / Return Rank
MEAR
IBMN
MEAR vs. IBMN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) 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.
| MEAR | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.73 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.91 | 1.66 | +0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 7.07 | 6.02 | +1.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 28.99 | 24.21 | +4.78 |
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
| MEAR | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.86 | 2.12 | +1.73 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 2.48 | 0.28 | +2.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.18 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.11 | 0.58 | +0.53 |
Drawdowns
MEAR vs. IBMN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MEAR drawdown since its inception was -2.68%, smaller than the maximum IBMN drawdown of -12.40%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MEAR and IBMN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MEAR | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -2.68% | -12.40% | +9.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.47% | -0.25% | -0.22% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.86% | -1.10% | +0.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.12% | -7.36% | +6.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -2.68% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.05% | +0.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.19% | -1.81% | +1.62% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.11% | 0.10% | +0.01% |
Volatility
MEAR vs. IBMN - Volatility Comparison
iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) has a higher volatility of 0.24% compared to iShares iBonds Dec 2025 Term Muni Bond ETF (IBMN) at 0.00%. This indicates that MEAR'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
| MEAR | IBMN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.24% | 0.00% | +0.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.61% | 0.50% | +0.11% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.86% | 0.71% | +0.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.98% | 1.80% | -0.82% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.52% | 3.89% | -2.37% |
MEAR vs. IBMN - Expense Ratio Comparison
MEAR has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than IBMN's 0.18% 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
MEAR vs. IBMN - Dividend Comparison
MEAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, more than IBMN's 1.14% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% | 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
MEAR and IBMN have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MEAR has higher volatility (0.24%) compared to IBMN (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MEAR dropped -2.68% vs IBMN's -12.40%.
On 5-year performance, MEAR leads with 2.43% 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, MEAR has performed better with a 2.43% 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 0.25% for MEAR.
MEAR has the higher dividend yield at 2.84%, compared with 1.14% for IBMN.
Their fees differ too: 0.25% for MEAR and 0.18% for IBMN.
MEAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.86 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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