WTMY vs. SHYM

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

WTMY (WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal ETF) and SHYM (iShares Short Duration High Yield Muni Active ETF) are both High Yield Muni funds. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, WTMY returned 6.14% vs 5.18% for SHYM. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.35% expense ratio.

Performance

WTMY vs. SHYM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal ETF (WTMY) and iShares Short Duration High Yield Muni Active ETF (SHYM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WTMY achieves a 1.07% return, which is significantly lower than SHYM's 1.93% return.

WTMY

• 1D: 0.10%
• 1M: 0.62%
• YTD: 1.07%
• 6M: 1.31%
• 1Y: 6.14%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SHYM

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.89%
• YTD: 1.93%
• 6M: 2.33%
• 1Y: 5.18%
• 3Y*: 6.00%
• 5Y*: 0.99%
• 10Y*: —

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

WTMY vs. SHYM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
WTMY WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal ETF	1.07%	3.68%
SHYM iShares Short Duration High Yield Muni Active ETF	1.93%	1.55%

Correlation

The correlation between WTMY and SHYM is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.36
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 4, 2025	0.38

Return for Risk

WTMY vs. SHYM — Risk / Return Rank

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

WTMY

WTMY Risk / Return Rank: 68
WTMY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
WTMY Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
WTMY Omega Ratio Rank: 90
WTMY Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
WTMY Martin Ratio Rank: 43

SHYM

SHYM Risk / Return Rank: 51
SHYM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
SHYM Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
SHYM Omega Ratio Rank: 57
SHYM Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
SHYM Martin Ratio Rank: 48

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.

WTMY vs. SHYM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal ETF (WTMY) and iShares Short Duration High Yield Muni Active ETF (SHYM). 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.

	WTMY	SHYM	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.45	1.74	+0.71
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.68	2.54	+1.14
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.57	1.35	+0.22
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.27	2.33	-0.05
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.83	7.86	-1.04
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WTMY vs. SHYM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WTMY Sharpe Ratio is 2.45, which is higher than the SHYM Sharpe Ratio of 1.74. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WTMY and SHYM, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	WTMY	SHYM	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.45	1.74	+0.71
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.14	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.15	0.27	+0.89

Drawdowns

WTMY vs. SHYM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WTMY drawdown since its inception was -3.67%, smaller than the maximum SHYM drawdown of -22.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WTMY and SHYM.

Drawdown Indicators

	WTMY	SHYM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.67%	-22.55%	+18.88%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.71%	-2.23%	-0.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-8.06%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-22.55%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.02%	0.00%	-1.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.80%	-6.76%	+5.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.90%	0.66%	+0.24%

Volatility

WTMY vs. SHYM - Volatility Comparison

WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal ETF (WTMY) has a higher volatility of 0.93% compared to iShares Short Duration High Yield Muni Active ETF (SHYM) at 0.77%. This indicates that WTMY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SHYM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WTMY	SHYM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.93%	0.77%	+0.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.85%	1.81%	+0.04%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.54%	2.99%	-0.45%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.57%	7.07%	-3.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.57%	6.95%	-3.38%

WTMY vs. SHYM - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both WTMY and SHYM have an expense ratio of 0.35%.

Dividends

WTMY vs. SHYM - Dividend Comparison

WTMY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.43%, less than SHYM's 4.30% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
SHYM iShares Short Duration High Yield Muni Active ETF	4.30%	4.55%	4.35%	4.35%	4.01%	2.97%
WTMY WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal ETF	3.43%	2.56%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WTMY and SHYM in my portfolio?

WTMY and SHYM have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WTMY or SHYM?

WTMY has higher volatility (0.93%) compared to SHYM (0.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WTMY dropped -3.67% vs SHYM's -22.55%.

Which ETF is better, WTMY or SHYM?

On 1-year performance, WTMY leads with 6.14% vs 5.18% for SHYM. Both ETFs have the same 0.35% expense ratio. On volatility, SHYM has been the lower-risk option at 0.77%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, WTMY or SHYM?

Over the 1-year period, WTMY has performed better with a 6.14% return vs 5.18%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, WTMY or SHYM?

WTMY and SHYM have the same expense ratio: 0.35% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, WTMY or SHYM?

SHYM has the higher dividend yield at 4.30%, compared with 3.43% for WTMY.

What is the main difference between WTMY and SHYM?

They also come from different issuers: WisdomTree and iShares.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

WTMY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.45 vs 1.74), 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.