MMD vs. NKX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

MMD (NYLI MacKay DefinedTerm Muni Opportunities Fund) and NKX (Nuveen California AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund) are both Municipal Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, MMD returned 2.28%/yr vs 2.60%/yr for NKX. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. MMD charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for NKX.

Performance

MMD vs. NKX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in NYLI MacKay DefinedTerm Muni Opportunities Fund (MMD) and Nuveen California AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund (NKX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with MMD having a 4.31% return and NKX slightly lower at 4.20%. Over the past 10 years, MMD has underperformed NKX with an annualized return of 2.28%, while NKX has yielded a comparatively higher 2.60% annualized return.

MMD

• 1D: -0.20%
• 1M: 2.88%
• YTD: 4.31%
• 6M: 4.24%
• 1Y: 10.02%
• 3Y*: 1.20%
• 5Y*: -2.85%
• 10Y*: 2.28%

NKX

• 1D: -0.32%
• 1M: 2.23%
• YTD: 4.20%
• 6M: 2.03%
• 1Y: 15.60%
• 3Y*: 11.21%
• 5Y*: 0.82%
• 10Y*: 2.60%

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

MMD vs. NKX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MMD NYLI MacKay DefinedTerm Muni Opportunities Fund	4.31%	4.54%	-3.99%	6.48%	-21.94%	4.74%	8.78%	13.25%	3.91%	14.50%
NKX Nuveen California AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund	4.20%	5.99%	16.48%	-1.91%	-18.45%	4.70%	8.08%	25.20%	-13.35%	13.02%

Correlation

The correlation between MMD and NKX is 0.42, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.42
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.42
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 6, 2012	0.34

Return for Risk

MMD vs. NKX — Risk / Return Rank

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

MMD

MMD Risk / Return Rank: 17
MMD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
MMD Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
MMD Omega Ratio Rank: 18
MMD Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
MMD Martin Ratio Rank: 15

NKX

NKX Risk / Return Rank: 31
NKX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
NKX Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
NKX Omega Ratio Rank: 42
NKX Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
NKX Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

MMD vs. NKX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for NYLI MacKay DefinedTerm Muni Opportunities Fund (MMD) and Nuveen California AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund (NKX). 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.

	MMD	NKX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.20	1.76	-0.56
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.88	2.40	-0.53
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.35	-0.13
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.36	1.61	-0.25
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.30	5.70	-1.40
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MMD vs. NKX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MMD Sharpe Ratio is 1.20, which is lower than the NKX Sharpe Ratio of 1.76. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MMD and NKX, 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

	MMD	NKX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.20	1.76	-0.56
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.21	0.07	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.16	0.20	-0.04
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.28	0.34	-0.06

Drawdowns

MMD vs. NKX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MMD drawdown since its inception was -30.12%, smaller than the maximum NKX drawdown of -43.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MMD and NKX.

Drawdown Indicators

	MMD	NKX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.12%	-43.89%	+13.77%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.41%	-9.74%	+2.33%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.11%	-14.53%	-1.58%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-30.12%	-35.64%	+5.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-30.12%	-35.64%	+5.52%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.52%	-2.00%	-14.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.15%	-8.35%	-0.80%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.34%	2.75%	-0.41%

Volatility

MMD vs. NKX - Volatility Comparison

NYLI MacKay DefinedTerm Muni Opportunities Fund (MMD) has a higher volatility of 3.20% compared to Nuveen California AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund (NKX) at 2.33%. This indicates that MMD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NKX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MMD	NKX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.20%	2.33%	+0.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.45%	7.00%	-0.55%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.39%	8.91%	-0.52%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.35%	12.34%	+1.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.91%	12.84%	+1.07%

MMD vs. NKX - Expense Ratio Comparison

MMD has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than NKX's 0.04% 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

MMD vs. NKX - Dividend Comparison

MMD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.94%, less than NKX's 7.25% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MMD NYLI MacKay DefinedTerm Muni Opportunities Fund	4.94%	4.84%	4.82%	5.26%	6.35%	4.68%	4.68%	4.85%	5.38%	5.45%	6.16%	6.25%
NKX Nuveen California AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund	7.25%	7.33%	6.14%	4.38%	5.17%	4.21%	4.05%	4.06%	5.25%	5.06%	6.18%	5.66%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MMD and NKX in my portfolio?

MMD and NKX have a correlation of 0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MMD or NKX?

MMD has higher volatility (3.20%) compared to NKX (2.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MMD dropped -30.12% vs NKX's -43.89%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NKX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.76 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.