TFI vs. MEAR
TFI (SPDR Nuveen Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond ETF) and MEAR (iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF) are both Municipal Bonds funds. TFI is passively managed, while MEAR is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, TFI returned 1.51%/yr vs 1.78%/yr for MEAR. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. TFI charges 0.23%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for MEAR.
Performance
TFI vs. MEAR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TFI achieves a 1.19% return, which is significantly higher than MEAR's 1.06% return. Over the past 10 years, TFI has underperformed MEAR with an annualized return of 1.51%, while MEAR has yielded a comparatively higher 1.78% annualized return.
TFI
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- 0.63%
- YTD
- 1.19%
- 6M
- 1.64%
- 1Y
- 6.67%
- 3Y*
- 2.99%
- 5Y*
- -0.07%
- 10Y*
- 1.51%
MEAR
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- YTD
- 1.06%
- 6M
- 1.30%
- 1Y
- 3.29%
- 3Y*
- 3.58%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 1.78%
TFI vs. MEAR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TFI SPDR Nuveen Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond ETF | 1.19% | 3.62% | -0.01% | 5.62% | -10.17% | 0.25% | 5.82% | 7.41% | 0.52% | 5.50% |
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 1.06% | 3.76% | 3.40% | 3.93% | 0.10% | 0.05% | 1.18% | 1.91% | 1.63% | 1.12% |
Correlation
The correlation between TFI and MEAR is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 6, 2015 | 0.20 |
The correlation between TFI and MEAR shifts across timeframes, from 0.20 (all time) to 0.31 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
TFI vs. MEAR — Risk / Return Rank
TFI
MEAR
TFI vs. MEAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Nuveen Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond ETF (TFI) and iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR). 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.
| TFI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.48 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.50 | 1.91 | -0.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.40 | 7.07 | -4.67 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.91 | 28.99 | -21.08 |
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
| TFI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.38 | 3.86 | -1.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.02 | 2.48 | -2.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 | 1.18 | -0.87 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 1.11 | -0.60 |
Drawdowns
TFI vs. MEAR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TFI drawdown since its inception was -15.49%, which is greater than MEAR's maximum drawdown of -2.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TFI and MEAR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TFI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -15.49% | -2.68% | -12.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.79% | -0.47% | -2.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.81% | -0.86% | -5.95% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.41% | -1.12% | -14.29% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -15.49% | -2.68% | -12.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.21% | 0.00% | -1.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.97% | -0.19% | -2.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.85% | 0.11% | +0.74% |
Volatility
TFI vs. MEAR - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Nuveen Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond ETF (TFI) has a higher volatility of 0.90% compared to iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) at 0.24%. This indicates that TFI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MEAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TFI | MEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.90% | 0.24% | +0.66% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.10% | 0.61% | +1.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.82% | 0.86% | +1.96% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.31% | 0.98% | +3.33% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.00% | 1.52% | +3.48% |
TFI vs. MEAR - Expense Ratio Comparison
TFI has a 0.23% expense ratio, which is lower than MEAR'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%.
Dividends
TFI vs. MEAR - Dividend Comparison
TFI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.48%, more than MEAR's 2.84% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 2.84% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 3.30% | 0.88% | 0.30% | 0.90% | 1.57% | 1.36% | 1.01% | 0.81% | 0.53% |
TFI SPDR Nuveen Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond ETF | 3.48% | 3.32% | 3.01% | 2.41% | 1.87% | 1.71% | 1.91% | 2.14% | 2.26% | 2.16% | 2.39% | 2.40% |
Frequently Asked Questions
TFI and MEAR have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
TFI has higher volatility (0.90%) compared to MEAR (0.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TFI dropped -15.49% vs MEAR's -2.68%.
On 10-year performance, MEAR leads with 1.78% vs 1.51% for TFI. On fees, TFI is cheaper at 0.23% per year. On volatility, MEAR has been the lower-risk option at 0.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, MEAR has performed better with a 1.78% return vs 1.51%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
TFI is cheaper with a 0.23% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for MEAR.
TFI has the higher dividend yield at 3.48%, compared with 2.84% for MEAR.
They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.23% for TFI and 0.25% for MEAR.
MEAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.86 vs 2.38), 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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