MINT vs MUB: Performance, Holdings, Fees & Risk

MINT and MUB are ETFs, but they can differ materially in exposure, yield, fees and risk. MINT is PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund, while MUB is iShares National Muni Bond ETF. MUB is broader by holdings count, with 7,053 positions versus 1,017 for MINT. MINT is more concentrated at the top, based on top-10 holdings weight. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has MUB ahead on AIQ Score, 60 versus 53.

Market data as of Oct 21, 2026 market close· Fund characteristics as of Oct 21, 2026
MINT
PIMCO
vs
MUB
IShares
MINT
PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund
Issuer
PIMCO
Inception
2009-11-16
MUB
iShares National Muni Bond ETF
Issuer
IShares
Inception
2007-09-07

What is the main difference between MINT and MUB?

MUB holds 7,053 positions to MINT's 1,017, and 0% of their weight is in the same securities.

Expense ratio
MINT
0.36%
MUB
0.05%
Lower annual fund costMUB
Holdings
MINT
1,017
MUB
7,053
Broader reported basketMUB
1Y return
MINT
+0.1%
MUB
-4.7%
Trailing performanceMINT
Annualized volatility
MINT
1.1%
MUB
3.7%
Lower realized volatilityMINT
MetricMINTMUB
Fund
Expense ratio0.36%0.05%
Holdings1,0177,053
Top-10 concentration12.5%1.3%
Distribution yieldTrailing 12 months4.09%3.34%
Average volume1,768,3628,700,223
Performance
1Y return+0.1%-4.7%
YTD return+0.2%-4.4%
5Y annualized returnTotal return, distributions reinvested+3.8%+0.3%
Risk
Annualized volatility1.1%3.7%
Max drawdown (1Y)-0.6%-7.9%
Max drawdown (5Y)Total return, distributions reinvested-2.3%-11.6%
Beta0.000.10
Sharpe ratio-3.39-2.35
Sortino ratio-2.68-3.02
AlgovestIQ
AIQ Score53/10060/100
AIQ Edge Score5/108/10
Momentum41/10057/100
Risk Resilience66/10088/100

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund vs iShares National Muni Bond ETF

Data as of Oct 21, 2026· market close· Fixed Income — Credit & Aggregate· Coverage 64/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 4/10

MUB leads

MUB leads by 7 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from MINT.

Fragile: 2 of 4 evidence groups support MUB, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 2 of 4Comparison trend: Reversed
MINT

PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund

AIQ Score
53/100
AIQ Edge Score
5/10
MUB

iShares National Muni Bond ETF

Leads
AIQ Score
60/100
AIQ Edge Score
8/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors MUB over MINT, 60 versus 53 as of Oct 21, 2026. MUB's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and momentum, while MINT holds the stronger value profile. MUB also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor MUB today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. MUB lead: Reversed — MINT led by 5 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; MUB now leads by 7.

Compare PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund and iShares National Muni Bond ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.

MINT vs MUB: which fits what

Each row is settled by a single measure. Where the gap is too small to matter it reads Similar, and no row decides the comparison as a whole.

If you wantMINTMUBFits
Lower costExpense ratio0.36%0.05%MUB
Broader diversificationNumber of holdings1,0177,053MUB
Lower concentrationWeight of the 10 largest holdings12.5%1.3%MUB
Higher incomeTrailing 12-month distribution yield4.09%3.34%MINT
Smaller drawdownsMax drawdown, 5 years-2.3%-11.6%MINT
Lower volatilityAnnualized volatility, 1 year1.1%3.7%MINT

Similar means the gap is within 0.01 percentage points of expense ratio, 25% more holdings, 3 points of top-10 weight, 0.2 points of yield, 2 points of drawdown or 1 point of volatility. Past drawdowns and volatility describe the funds’ history, not their future.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes for both ETFs.

MINT
+20.4%
MUB
+1.6%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested

MINT $12,036 · MUB $10,164

Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.

Compare MINT and MUB against another ticker

Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.

Basic: 2 symbols·Explorer: 3 symbols·Pro and Premium: 5 symbols·Your limit: 2

AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

MINT advantage
0
MUB advantage
  • Risk Resilience66 vs 88
    MUB +22
  • Momentum41 vs 57
    MUB +16
  • Quality63 vs 72
    MUB +9
  • Value45 vs 36
    MINT +9

2 of 4 evidence groups favor MUB. MUB’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and momentum; MINT keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.

MINT+1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum +4

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.

MUB0 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -2, not enough on its own to move the overall score.

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.

MUB's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MINT and MUB both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

MUB (iShares National Muni Bond ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by risk resilience and momentum.

MINT (PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund): the counter-case, on value, valuation, technicals.

Fund facts, side by side

Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.

MeasureMINTMUBWhy it matters
Expense ratio0.36%0.05%Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold.
Holdings1,0177,053More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns.
Average volume1,768,3628,700,223Liquidity — matters most if you trade size.
Annualized volatility1.1%3.7%Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure.
Max drawdown (1Y)-0.6%-7.9%The worst peak-to-trough loss over the past year.
Sharpe ratio-3.39-2.35Return per unit of risk. Higher is better.
Beta0.000.10Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio.

Where the exposure actually sits

Sector exposure for each fund, ordered by the size of the difference.

Cash & Others100.0% vs 0.0%
State Tax-Backed0.0% vs 29.1%
Local Tax-Backed0.0% vs 19.2%
Utility0.0% vs 17.2%
Transportation0.0% vs 11.0%
School Districts0.0% vs 9.6%
Education0.0% vs 8.1%
Cash and/or Derivatives0.0% vs 5.0%
MINTMUB

How much of the same holdings they own

MINT and MUB share 0% of their weighted exposure across 0 common holdings.

1,012 holdings are unique to MINT, and 7,050 holdings are unique to MUB. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.

MINT is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 12.53% of the fund, against 1.34% for MUB (1,017 holdings vs 7,053). Concentration cuts both ways — it is what drives outperformance when the top names work, and what makes the drawdown deeper when they do not.

What MINT adds that MUB doesn’t

HoldingMINTMUB
US TREASURY N/B 06/31 4.125 4.13% 06/30/20315.76%Not held
FANNIE MAE FNR 2025 18 FM 4.54% 09/25/20541%Not held
FREDDIE MAC FHR 5513 MF 4.58% 11/25/20540.88%Not held
SYNCHRONY BANK SR UNSECURED 08/27 5.625 5.63% 08/23/20270.79%Not held
AT+T INC SR UNSECURED 08/28 VAR 4.30% 08/10/20280.74%Not held
HSBC HOLDINGS PLC SR UNSECURED 06/28 VAR 4.76% 06/09/20280.73%Not held

What MUB adds that MINT doesn’t

HoldingMUBMINT
UNIVERSITY TEX UNIV REVS 5.00% 08/15/20360.18%Not held
SAN ANTONIO TEX WTR REV 05/01/20550.15%Not held
NEW YORK ST TWY AUTH ST PERS I 5.00% 03/15/20480.15%Not held
NEW JERSEY ST 5.00% 06/01/20280.12%Not held
NEW YORK ST DORM AUTH ST PERS 4.00% 02/15/20470.12%Not held
HOUSTON TEX HIGHER ED FIN CORP 5.00% 05/15/20340.12%Not held

Each list is a fund’s largest positions by weight that the other fund does not hold, or holds at less than half the weight.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor MUB. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreMUB53 vs 60
FundamentalsNot coveredNot covered
ValuationMINTValue 45 vs 36
TechnicalsMINTPrice vs 50-day 0% vs -0.8%; vs 200-day 0% vs -3.5%
Risk ResilienceMUBRisk Resilience 66 vs 88
Analyst expectationsNot coveredNot covered

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of MINT and MUB and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is moderate at 7 points.
  • Only 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Signal direction runs against the verdict: the leader is net-bearish while the laggard is net-bullish. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on MUB.

How the comparison changed

120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20

MUB lead: Reversed — MINT led by 5 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; MUB now leads by 7.

Jun 21MINT leads above the line · MUB leads belowOct 20
Today
MUB +7
53 vs 60
7 sessions ago
MUB +9
50 vs 59
30 sessions ago
MINT +5
57 vs 52
90 sessions ago
MINT +3
56 vs 53

The lead changed hands 6 times in this window, most recently on Oct 1 when MUB moved ahead of MINT.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

MINTConflicted

3 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted

Only MINT

  • Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (0.01%)
  • EMA Ribbon Compression — neutral, trend, medium horizon
  • 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (0.3%)
MUBConflicted

1 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted

Only MUB

  • Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (2.78%)
  • Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon

Both carry 3 more signals that do not separate them: ATR Contraction - Coiling, 52-Week Low Proximity, MACD Bullish Crossover.

MUB leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

MINTNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.04%, AIQ +1 points).

MUBNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.1%, AIQ 0 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1MINT closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 22 points behind, the largest single contributor to MUB's edge.
  2. 2MINT's 52-Week Low Proximity resolves — a bearish risk rule currently active against it.
  3. 3MUB's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Performance

MINT leads 5 of 6 windows
MetricMINTMUB
1 week (5 sessions)0.1%0.6%
1 month (20 sessions)-0.1%-0.4%
3 months (63 sessions)-0.1%-3.3%
6 months (126 sessions)0%-4.6%
Year to date0.2%-4.4%
1 year (252 sessions)0.1%-4.7%

Technicals

MINT has the stronger structure
MetricMINTMUB
RSI (14)49.266.8
ADX (14)18.131.7
Price vs 50-day0%-0.8%
Price vs 200-day0%-3.5%
Volatility (1M, annualized)1.2%6.9%

Risk

MUB is the more resilient
MetricMINTMUB
Beta00.1
Sharpe ratio-3.39-2.35
Sortino ratio-2.68-3.02
Max drawdown-0.6%-7.9%
Current drawdown-0.3%-6%
Annualized volatility1.1%3.7%
Value at risk (95%)-0.1%-0.5%

Straight answers

Short answers to the questions fund investors ask about this pair, from the figures above.

What is the difference between MINT and MUB?

MUB holds 7,053 positions to MINT's 1,017, and 0% of their weight is in the same securities.

How much do MINT and MUB overlap?

MINT and MUB share 0% of their weighted exposure across 0 common holdings. 1,012 holdings are unique to MINT, and 7,050 holdings are unique to MUB. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.

Which ETF is more diversified, MINT or MUB?

MUB holds more positions: 7,053 versus 1,017 for MINT.

Which has the lower expense ratio?

MUB has the lower expense ratio, 0.05% a year against 0.36% for MINT.

Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?

MINT, with a trailing 12-month distribution yield of 4.09% against 3.34% for MUB.

Which ETF has been more volatile?

MUB has been more volatile over the past year, at 3.7% annualized against 1.1% for MINT.

Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?

MINT fell less from peak to trough over the past five years: -2.3% against -11.6% for MUB.

Compare MINT and MUB with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.