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STAX vs VSDM

Nomura Tax-Free USA Short Term ETF

STAXCNYSE Arca

Vanguard Short Duration Tax-Exempt Bond ETF

VSDMACboe

Overlap

No data

Expense ratio

VSDM −0.17pt a year

STAX0.29%VSDM0.12%

Avg volume · 30D

VSDM 58.1×the volume

STAX4.44KVSDM258K

STAX vs VSDM Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

+1.6%STAX+2.0%VSDM

Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026. STAX +1.6%. VSDM +2.0%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−0.5%0%0.5%1%Oct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
Expense ratio
STAX 0.29%
VSDM 0.12%, better
Fund size
STAX $11M
VSDM $1.2B
1Y total return
STAX +1.6%
VSDM +2.0%, better
Yield (12M)
STAX 3.48%, better
VSDM 3.12%
Holdings
STAX 82
VSDM 3315
Avg volume (30D)
STAX 4.44K sh
VSDM 258K sh, better
NAV per share
STAX $25.15
VSDM $75.79
52W range

ETF.net Grade

STAX: Cost 24, Risk 40, Mission 100, Tradability 9, Holdings 39, Durability 28. VSDM: Cost 85, Risk 48, Mission 100, Tradability 78, Holdings 75, Durability 62.
Pillar letters and Scores for STAX, VSDM, with each pillar’s weight
PillarSTAXVSDM
Cost30% weightF24A85Higher
Mission25% weightA100A100
Risk15% weightC40C48Higher
Tradability15% weightF9A78Higher
Holdings10% weightD39A75Higher
Durability5% weightD28B62Higher

Rank among Short-Duration Municipal Bonds funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. STAX and VSDM are both graded against the same 27 Short-Duration Municipal Bonds funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Short-Duration Municipal Bonds⁠

Category · 27 funds
See all 27 ›

VSDM ranks 2nd and STAX 27th of 27 funds in the Short-Duration Municipal Bonds Category.

  1. Rank 1AVTESVanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETFScore 81
  2. Rank 2ASUBiShares Short-Term National Muni Bond ETFScore 80
  3. Rank 2AVSDMVanguard Short Duration Tax-Exempt Bond ETFScore 80
  4. Rank 4ATAXSNorthern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETFScore 77
  5. Rank 26CBKMSBNY Mellon Municipal Short Duration ETFScore 51
  6. Rank 27CSTAXNomura Tax-Free USA Short Term ETFScore 44

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

STAXCNomura Tax-Free USA Short Term ETF

VSDMAVanguard Short Duration Tax-Exempt Bond ETF

In short

STAX Actively managed munis at the short end of the curve: federally tax-free income paid monthly, with capital preservation written into the mandate. A small, young fund in a category ruled by giant index trackers.

VSDM No data

Stated mandate

STAX The fund seeks current interest income exempt from federal income tax while attempting to preserve capital through investments in short-term municipal obligations.

VSDM No data

Why people hold it

  • STAX Active, not indexed: a manager picks the short-term municipal bonds, chasing income exempt from federal tax while attempting to preserve capital.
  • Pays monthly, so the tax-exempt income shows up on a regular cadence rather than quarterly.
  • 0.29% a year, roughly what the typical muni bond ETF charges, and that buys an active manager rather than an index rulebook.

VSDM No data

Worth knowing

  • STAX Index beta is far cheaper: VTEB charges 0.03% and MUB 0.05%, versus 0.29% here. They track broad muni benchmarks across the maturity curve instead of trading actively.
  • A small fund that trades thinly, which can widen the gap between bid and ask at the moment you place an order.
  • Launched in December 2023, so there is limited history behind the manager's approach compared with long-running muni funds.

VSDM No data

Full STAX profile⁠

Full VSDM profile⁠

STAX vs VSDM Holdings

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

STAX vs VSDM Cost

Overpaying STAX vs VSDM

$3,432

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • STAX 0.29%

    $5,952

  • VSDM 0.12%

    $2,520

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • STAX 0.29%
  • VSDM 0.12%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2K$4K$6K051015202530STAX $5,952VSDM $2,520

Year by year

YearSTAXVSDMOverpaying
10$527$220$307
20$2,044$859$1,185
30$5,952$2,520$3,432

Expense ratio

  • 0.29%STAX
  • 0.12%VSDM, cheaper
  • Middle half of Short-Duration Municipal Bonds funds
  • Median 0.21%

VSDM 5th cheapest of 27 funds

STAX 21st cheapest of 27 funds

STAX vs VSDM Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
STAX 3.48%, better
VSDM 3.12%
Payout (12M)
STAX $0.87
VSDM $2.37
Last payment
STAX $0.08
VSDM $0.19
Ex-dividend
STAX Oct 30, 2026
VSDM Oct 1, 2026
Paid on
STAX Pays Nov 5, 2026
VSDM Oct 5, 2026
Frequency
STAX Monthly
VSDM Monthly

Distribution history

Per share, 2024 to 2026, same scale for both

STAXMonthly · 34 paymentsAll STAX payments⁠
One bar per payment. 34 payments from 2024 to 2026 YTD. Jan 31, 2024 $0.13; Feb 29, 2024 $0.06; Mar 28, 2024 $0.07; Apr 30, 2024 $0.07; May 31, 2024 $0.06; Jun 28, 2024 $0.07; Jul 31, 2024 $0.07; Aug 30, 2024 $0.07; Sep 30, 2024 $0.07; Oct 31, 2024 $0.07; Nov 29, 2024 $0.06; Dec 23, 2024 $0.07; Jan 31, 2025 $0.06; Feb 28, 2025 $0.07; Mar 31, 2025 $0.06; Apr 30, 2025 $0.07; May 30, 2025 $0.07; Jun 30, 2025 $0.07; Jul 31, 2025 $0.06; Aug 29, 2025 $0.07; Sep 30, 2025 $0.07; Oct 31, 2025 $0.07; Nov 28, 2025 $0.07; Dec 24, 2025 $0.07; Jan 30, 2026 $0.07; Feb 27, 2026 $0.07; Mar 31, 2026 $0.06; Apr 30, 2026 $0.07; May 29, 2026 $0.07; Jun 30, 2026 $0.06; Jul 31, 2026 $0.06; Aug 31, 2026 $0.06; Sep 30, 2026 $0.07; Oct 30, 2026 $0.08. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.252026YTD
VSDMMonthly · 22 paymentsAll VSDM payments⁠
One bar per payment. 22 payments from 2024 to 2026 YTD. Dec 24, 2024 $0.26; Feb 3, 2025 $0.20; Mar 3, 2025 $0.20; Apr 1, 2025 $0.16; May 1, 2025 $0.19; Jun 2, 2025 $0.20; Jul 1, 2025 $0.19; Aug 1, 2025 $0.19; Sep 2, 2025 $0.20; Oct 1, 2025 $0.20; Nov 3, 2025 $0.20; Dec 1, 2025 $0.20; Dec 18, 2025 $0.20; Feb 2, 2026 $0.19; Mar 2, 2026 $0.20; Apr 1, 2026 $0.20; May 1, 2026 $0.20; Jun 1, 2026 $0.20; Jul 1, 2026 $0.20; Aug 3, 2026 $0.20; Sep 1, 2026 $0.20; Oct 1, 2026 $0.19. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.252026YTD

STAX vs VSDM Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
STAX 2.1%since Dec 2023VSDM 2.9%since Dec 2024
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
STAX −0.61since Dec 2023VSDM −0.26since Dec 2024
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
STAX −2.7%since Nov 2023VSDM −2.8%since Nov 2024
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
STAX 0.07VSDM 0.09

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