VWALX vs. USMSX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VWALX) and JPMorgan Ultra-Short Municipal Fund (USMSX).
VWALX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 12, 2001. USMSX is managed by JPMorgan. It was launched on May 31, 2016.
Performance
VWALX vs. USMSX - Performance Comparison
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VWALX vs. USMSX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VWALX Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares | -0.64% | 5.06% | 4.08% | 8.45% | -11.69% | 3.42% | 5.49% | 9.58% | 1.38% | 7.96% |
USMSX JPMorgan Ultra-Short Municipal Fund | 0.19% | 2.87% | 3.09% | 3.21% | -0.90% | -0.15% | 0.77% | 1.90% | 1.01% | 0.69% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VWALX achieves a -0.64% return, which is significantly lower than USMSX's 0.19% return.
VWALX
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -2.87%
- YTD
- -0.64%
- 6M
- 1.07%
- 1Y
- 4.06%
- 3Y*
- 4.50%
- 5Y*
- 1.49%
- 10Y*
- 3.04%
USMSX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.30%
- YTD
- 0.19%
- 6M
- 0.82%
- 1Y
- 2.49%
- 3Y*
- 2.80%
- 5Y*
- 1.67%
- 10Y*
- —
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VWALX vs. USMSX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VWALX has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than USMSX's 0.45% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VWALX vs. USMSX — Risk / Return Rank
VWALX
USMSX
VWALX vs. USMSX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VWALX) and JPMorgan Ultra-Short Municipal Fund (USMSX). 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.
| VWALX | USMSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.89 | 3.75 | -2.86 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.22 | 6.76 | -5.54 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 3.27 | -2.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.97 | 6.48 | -5.51 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.02 | 34.69 | -31.67 |
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
| VWALX | USMSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.89 | 3.75 | -2.86 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 | 2.39 | -2.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.66 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.06 | 1.86 | -0.79 |
Correlation
The correlation between VWALX and USMSX is 0.32, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
VWALX vs. USMSX - Dividend Comparison
VWALX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.15%, more than USMSX's 2.36% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VWALX Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares | 4.15% | 5.04% | 4.47% | 3.59% | 3.44% | 3.04% | 3.40% | 4.03% | 3.85% | 3.77% | 3.86% | 3.75% |
USMSX JPMorgan Ultra-Short Municipal Fund | 2.36% | 2.42% | 2.84% | 2.35% | 0.70% | 0.05% | 0.57% | 1.28% | 1.01% | 0.59% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
VWALX vs. USMSX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VWALX drawdown since its inception was -17.24%, which is greater than USMSX's maximum drawdown of -2.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VWALX and USMSX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VWALX | USMSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -17.24% | -2.09% | -15.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.63% | -0.40% | -5.23% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.24% | -2.03% | -15.21% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -17.24% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.87% | -0.30% | -2.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.18% | -0.22% | -1.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.81% | 0.07% | +1.74% |
Volatility
VWALX vs. USMSX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VWALX) has a higher volatility of 1.19% compared to JPMorgan Ultra-Short Municipal Fund (USMSX) at 0.22%. This indicates that VWALX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USMSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VWALX | USMSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.19% | 0.22% | +0.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.96% | 0.40% | +1.56% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.71% | 0.69% | +5.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.76% | 0.70% | +4.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.62% | 0.74% | +3.88% |