SPAB vs. CMBS

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF (SPAB) and iShares CMBS ETF (CMBS).

SPAB and CMBS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SPAB is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. It was launched on May 23, 2007. CMBS is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. CMBS (ERISA Only) Index. It was launched on Feb 14, 2012. Both SPAB and CMBS 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

SPAB vs. CMBS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF (SPAB) and iShares CMBS ETF (CMBS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SPAB vs. CMBS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SPAB SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF	0.13%	7.25%	1.25%	5.56%	-13.04%	-1.77%	7.39%	8.67%	-0.18%	3.71%
CMBS iShares CMBS ETF	-0.13%	7.67%	4.27%	5.06%	-11.21%	-1.82%	7.86%	7.94%	0.77%	2.95%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SPAB achieves a 0.13% return, which is significantly higher than CMBS's -0.13% return. Over the past 10 years, SPAB has underperformed CMBS with an annualized return of 1.64%, while CMBS has yielded a comparatively higher 2.16% annualized return.

SPAB

• 1D: 0.27%
• 1M: -1.75%
• YTD: 0.13%
• 6M: 1.09%
• 1Y: 4.38%
• 3Y*: 3.62%
• 5Y*: 0.21%
• 10Y*: 1.64%

CMBS

• 1D: -0.14%
• 1M: -2.04%
• YTD: -0.13%
• 6M: 1.07%
• 1Y: 5.15%
• 3Y*: 5.24%
• 5Y*: 1.01%
• 10Y*: 2.16%

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

SPAB vs. CMBS - Expense Ratio Comparison

SPAB has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than CMBS's 0.25% 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%.

CMBS

iShares CMBS ETF

SPAB

SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF

Return for Risk

SPAB vs. CMBS — Risk / Return Rank

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

SPAB

SPAB Risk / Return Rank: 60
SPAB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 60
SPAB Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
SPAB Omega Ratio Rank: 50
SPAB Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
SPAB Martin Ratio Rank: 55

CMBS

CMBS Risk / Return Rank: 74
CMBS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
CMBS Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
CMBS Omega Ratio Rank: 65
CMBS Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
CMBS Martin Ratio Rank: 76

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.

SPAB vs. CMBS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF (SPAB) and iShares CMBS ETF (CMBS). 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.

	SPAB	CMBS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.03	1.32	-0.29
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.47	1.98	-0.51
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.23	-0.05
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.82	2.05	-0.23
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.08	7.83	-2.75
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SPAB vs. CMBS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SPAB Sharpe Ratio is 1.03, which is comparable to the CMBS Sharpe Ratio of 1.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SPAB and CMBS, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SPAB	CMBS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.03	1.32	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.04	0.19	-0.16
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.30	0.38	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	0.43	+0.07

Correlation

The correlation between SPAB and CMBS is 0.52, 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

SPAB vs. CMBS - Dividend Comparison

SPAB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.98%, more than CMBS's 3.52% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPAB SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF	3.98%	3.97%	3.86%	3.34%	2.59%	2.11%	2.43%	2.92%	2.96%	2.67%	2.63%	2.59%
CMBS iShares CMBS ETF	3.52%	3.45%	3.31%	2.97%	2.65%	2.46%	2.83%	2.74%	2.70%	2.50%	2.29%	2.31%

Drawdowns

SPAB vs. CMBS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SPAB drawdown since its inception was -18.56%, which is greater than CMBS's maximum drawdown of -15.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPAB and CMBS.

Drawdown Indicators

	SPAB	CMBS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.56%	-15.87%	-2.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.52%	-2.44%	-0.08%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.96%	-15.87%	-2.09%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-18.56%	-15.87%	-2.69%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.43%	-2.04%	-0.39%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.09%	-2.97%	-0.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.90%	0.64%	+0.26%

Volatility

SPAB vs. CMBS - Volatility Comparison

SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF (SPAB) has a higher volatility of 1.58% compared to iShares CMBS ETF (CMBS) at 1.50%. This indicates that SPAB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CMBS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SPAB	CMBS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.58%	1.50%	+0.08%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.51%	2.63%	-0.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.29%	3.92%	+0.37%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.91%	5.29%	+0.62%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.54%	5.77%	-0.23%