NEAR vs. TAXS
NEAR (iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF) and TAXS (Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NEAR is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by iShares, while TAXS is a Municipal Bonds fund tracking the ICE Short Term Focused Municipal Bond Index. NEAR is actively managed, while TAXS is passively managed. A 0.50 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NEAR charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for TAXS.
Performance
NEAR vs. TAXS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NEAR achieves a 0.73% return, which is significantly lower than TAXS's 1.03% return.
NEAR
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- 0.21%
- YTD
- 0.73%
- 6M
- 0.96%
- 1Y
- 3.76%
- 3Y*
- 5.52%
- 5Y*
- 3.86%
- 10Y*
- 2.85%
TAXS
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- 0.62%
- YTD
- 1.03%
- 6M
- 1.18%
- 1Y
- —
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
NEAR vs. TAXS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 0.73% | 2.07% |
TAXS Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 1.03% | 1.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between NEAR and TAXS is 0.50, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 19, 2025 | 0.50 |
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Return for Risk
NEAR vs. TAXS — Risk / Return Rank
NEAR
TAXS
Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.
NEAR vs. TAXS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR) and Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (TAXS). 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.
| NEAR | TAXS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | — | — | |
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | — | — | |
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.55 | — | — |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.33 | — | — |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.13 | — | — |
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Drawdowns
NEAR vs. TAXS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NEAR drawdown since its inception was -9.61%, which is greater than TAXS's maximum drawdown of -0.84%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEAR and TAXS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NEAR | TAXS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.61% | -0.84% | -8.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.13% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.16% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.32% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.61% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.14% | -0.04% | -0.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.16% | -0.22% | +0.06% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.25% | — | — |
Volatility
NEAR vs. TAXS - Volatility Comparison
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Volatility by Period
| NEAR | TAXS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.49% | — | — |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.06% | — | — |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.39% | 0.99% | +0.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.35% | 0.99% | +0.36% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.50% | 0.99% | +1.51% |
NEAR vs. TAXS - Expense Ratio Comparison
NEAR has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than TAXS's 0.05% 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
NEAR vs. TAXS - Dividend Comparison
NEAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.44%, more than TAXS's 1.82% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 4.44% | 4.54% | 5.00% | 4.59% | 1.78% | 0.76% | 1.53% | 2.69% | 2.25% | 1.52% | 1.07% | 0.85% |
TAXS Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF | 1.82% | 0.74% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NEAR and TAXS have a correlation of 0.50, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, TAXS is cheaper at 0.05% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
TAXS is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for NEAR.
NEAR has the higher dividend yield at 4.44%, compared with 1.82% for TAXS.
NEAR is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while TAXS is Municipal Bonds. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Northern Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for NEAR and 0.05% for TAXS.
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