MLN vs. BLV
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV).
MLN and BLV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. MLN is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg AMT-Free Long Continuous. It was launched on Jan 2, 2008. BLV is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007. Both MLN and BLV are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
MLN vs. BLV - Performance Comparison
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MLN vs. BLV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLN VanEck Long Muni ETF | 0.10% | 1.82% | 1.54% | 8.05% | -17.20% | 2.20% | 6.22% | 10.72% | -0.77% | 8.19% |
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | -0.32% | 6.44% | -3.65% | 7.35% | -26.95% | -2.89% | 16.13% | 18.99% | -4.17% | 10.74% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MLN achieves a 0.10% return, which is significantly higher than BLV's -0.32% return. Over the past 10 years, MLN has outperformed BLV with an annualized return of 1.55%, while BLV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.20% annualized return.
MLN
- 1D
- 0.35%
- 1M
- -1.74%
- YTD
- 0.10%
- 6M
- 1.65%
- 1Y
- 4.19%
- 3Y*
- 2.56%
- 5Y*
- -0.92%
- 10Y*
- 1.55%
BLV
- 1D
- 0.36%
- 1M
- -3.51%
- YTD
- -0.32%
- 6M
- -0.68%
- 1Y
- 2.33%
- 3Y*
- 1.01%
- 5Y*
- -3.05%
- 10Y*
- 1.20%
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MLN vs. BLV - Expense Ratio Comparison
MLN has a 0.24% expense ratio, which is higher than BLV's 0.03% 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%.
Return for Risk
MLN vs. BLV — Risk / Return Rank
MLN
BLV
MLN vs. BLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV). 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.
| MLN | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.62 | 0.24 | +0.38 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.82 | 0.38 | +0.44 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.05 | +0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.78 | 0.43 | +0.35 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.06 | 1.04 | +1.01 |
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
| MLN | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.62 | 0.24 | +0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.13 | -0.24 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.18 | 0.10 | +0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.37 | -0.05 |
Correlation
The correlation between MLN and BLV is 0.45, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
MLN vs. BLV - Dividend Comparison
MLN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.78%, less than BLV's 4.73% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLN VanEck Long Muni ETF | 3.78% | 3.73% | 3.59% | 3.19% | 2.67% | 2.52% | 2.69% | 2.98% | 3.09% | 2.91% | 3.16% | 3.38% |
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 4.73% | 4.67% | 5.09% | 4.06% | 4.17% | 3.37% | 6.12% | 3.57% | 4.07% | 3.63% | 4.16% | 4.37% |
Drawdowns
MLN vs. BLV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MLN drawdown since its inception was -28.36%, smaller than the maximum BLV drawdown of -38.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MLN and BLV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MLN | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.36% | -38.29% | +9.93% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.88% | -6.89% | +1.01% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.46% | -36.27% | +11.81% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.46% | -38.29% | +13.83% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.25% | -24.59% | +16.34% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.71% | -9.37% | +3.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.24% | 2.84% | -0.60% |
Volatility
MLN vs. BLV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN) is 1.95%, while Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) has a volatility of 3.54%. This indicates that MLN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MLN | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.95% | 3.54% | -1.59% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.81% | 5.50% | -2.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 6.83% | 9.77% | -2.94% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.28% | 12.98% | -5.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.88% | 11.99% | -3.11% |