SWNTX vs. FCAL
SWNTX (Schwab Tax-Free Bond Fund™) and FCAL (First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF) are both Municipal Bonds funds. Over the past 5 years, SWNTX returned 0.15%/yr vs 0.23%/yr for FCAL. Their 0.55 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. SWNTX charges 0.48%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for FCAL.
Performance
SWNTX vs. FCAL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SWNTX achieves a -0.06% return, which is significantly lower than FCAL's 0.60% return.
SWNTX
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- -1.91%
- 6M
- -0.88%
- YTD
- -0.06%
- 1Y
- 4.19%
- 3Y*
- 2.68%
- 5Y*
- 0.15%
- 10Y*
- 1.42%
- ALL TIME*
- 4.01%
FCAL
- 1D
- -0.09%
- 1M
- -1.95%
- 6M
- -0.18%
- YTD
- 0.60%
- 1Y
- 5.33%
- 3Y*
- 3.06%
- 5Y*
- 0.23%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 2.42%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $639.26K | $623.11K | $916.60K | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
SWNTX vs. FCAL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SWNTX Schwab Tax-Free Bond Fund™ | -0.06% | 4.20% | 1.57% | 5.09% | -8.57% | 0.37% | 4.45% | 6.55% | 0.88% | 0.77% |
FCAL First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF | 0.60% | 3.19% | 1.90% | 6.08% | -9.50% | 3.26% | 3.51% | 9.32% | 0.31% | 4.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between SWNTX and FCAL is 0.69, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.69 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.65 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 27, 2017 | 0.55 |
The correlation between SWNTX and FCAL shifts across timeframes, from 0.55 (all time) to 0.69 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SWNTX vs. FCAL — Risk / Return Rank
SWNTX
FCAL
SWNTX vs. FCAL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab Tax-Free Bond Fund™ (SWNTX) and First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF (FCAL). 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.
| SWNTX | FCAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.07 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.48 | 1.45 | +0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.74 | 2.24 | -0.49 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.27 | 7.69 | -2.43 |
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Drawdowns
SWNTX vs. FCAL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SWNTX drawdown since its inception was -13.26%, smaller than the maximum FCAL drawdown of -14.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SWNTX and FCAL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SWNTX | FCAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.26% | -14.81% | +1.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.88% | -2.57% | -0.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.75% | -5.46% | +0.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -13.26% | -14.28% | +1.02% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -13.26% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.15% | -1.95% | -0.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.88% | -3.30% | +1.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.95% | 0.75% | +0.20% |
Volatility
SWNTX vs. FCAL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Schwab Tax-Free Bond Fund™ (SWNTX) is 0.86%, while First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF (FCAL) has a volatility of 1.03%. This indicates that SWNTX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FCAL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SWNTX | FCAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.86% | 1.03% | -0.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.05% | 2.32% | -0.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.54% | 2.82% | -0.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.51% | 4.25% | -0.74% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.58% | 5.22% | -1.64% |
SWNTX vs. FCAL - Expense Ratio Comparison
SWNTX has a 0.48% expense ratio, which is lower than FCAL's 0.50% expense ratio.
Dividends
SWNTX vs. FCAL - Dividend Comparison
SWNTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.21%, less than FCAL's 3.43% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FCAL First Trust California Municipal High Income ETF | 3.43% | 3.22% | 2.99% | 2.74% | 2.38% | 2.03% | 2.11% | 2.68% | 2.99% | 1.30% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SWNTX Schwab Tax-Free Bond Fund™ | 3.21% | 3.78% | 3.20% | 2.54% | 1.73% | 1.62% | 2.34% | 2.58% | 2.41% | 2.21% | 3.14% | 2.71% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SWNTX and FCAL have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FCAL has higher volatility (1.03%) compared to SWNTX (0.86%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SWNTX dropped -13.26% vs FCAL's -14.81%.
FCAL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 1.98), 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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