VanEck Short Muni ETF
$17.16+0.01 (+0.04%)
- 0.07%
- $394M
- +2.0%
- 2.82%
- 179K sh
- low $16.82high $17.53
The ETF.net SMB Grade
A
Score 74 out of 100
- 5 of 28
Score 74 of 100 falls in the A band. A is 70 or higher, B 55 to under 70, C 40 to under 55, D 25 to under 40, F under 25.
Cost
The fund’s net expense ratio, ranked against its category.A91 out of 100Rank 3 of 28Mission
Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.A100 out of 100Rank 1 of 27Risk
How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.C50 out of 100Rank 13 of 27Tradability
How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.C40 out of 100Rank 19 of 28Holdings
How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.B57 out of 100Rank 14 of 28Durability
Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.B65 out of 100Rank 11 of 28
Our read on SMB
In short
AA muni fund built for the short end: VanEck has run this AMT-free, short-maturity national portfolio since 2008, and it charges 0.07%, a fraction of what the typical muni bond ETF costs.
Stated mandate
The fund seeks to track the price and yield performance of the ICE Short AMT-Free Broad National Municipal Index before fees and expenses.
Why people hold it
Worth knowing
SMB Performance
Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.
SMB$10,195
Returns run to the Oct 30, 2026 close, with cash distributions reinvested. Each period starts on the same date that many months or years earlier. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.
| Period | SMB |
|---|---|
| Year to date | +0.9% |
| 1 month | +1.9% |
| 3 months | +0.5% |
| 1 year | +2.0% |
| 3 years | +3.7% |
| 5 years | +1.3% |
| 10 years | +1.5% |
Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.
| Year | Return bar | SMB |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | +0.9% | |
| 2025 | +4.6% | |
| 2024 | +2.4% | |
| 2023 | +3.1% | |
| 2022 | −4.5% | |
| 2021 | +0.1% | |
| 2020 | +3.3% |
SMB in the news
SMB Dividends
- 2.82%
- $0.48
- $0.04 per share
- Monthly
SMB Risk
- 2.5%
How it’s calculated: standard deviation
The sample standard deviation of monthly total returns, multiplied by the square root of 12.
Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Total returns include reinvested distributions.
- −0.33
How it’s calculated: Sharpe ratio
Subtract each month’s Treasury-bill return from the fund’s monthly total return.
Divide the average of those excess returns by their sample standard deviation, then multiply by the square root of 12.
Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Each month uses the Treasury yield quoted at the end of the previous month.
- −7.1%
How it’s calculated: maximum drawdown
The largest percentage decline from an earlier peak, using total returns with reinvested distributions.
Uses up to five years through the last close, with at least 12 months required.
- 0.33
How it’s calculated: beta
The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.
FMP measures it over up to five years of monthly returns.
SMB Cost
Overpaying vs VTES, tied cheapest in Short-Duration Municipal Bonds
$420
On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.
SMB 0.07%
$1,480
VTES 0.05% Tied cheapest
$1,060
Cost over time
Year by year
| Year | SMB | VTES | Overpaying |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $128 | $92 | $36 |
| 20 | $503 | $360 | $143 |
| 30 | $1,480 | $1,060 | $420 |
Other funds in Short-Duration Municipal Bonds
- AVSDMVanguard Short Duration Tax-Exempt Bond ETFExpense ratio 0.12%1 year return +2.0%
- ATAXSNorthern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETFExpense ratio 0.05%1 year return +2.6%
- AGUMIGoldman Sachs Ultra Short Municipal Income ETFExpense ratio 0.16%1 year return +3.0%
- AJMSTJPMorgan Ultra-Short Municipal Income ETFExpense ratio 0.18%1 year return +2.8%
- ASHMState Street SPDR Nuveen ICE Short Term Municipal Bond ETFExpense ratio 0.20%1 year return +1.6%
