SHM: Fine As An Idea, Just Doesn't Work Out Well

SHM offers low credit and interest rate risk via short-term municipal bonds, with tax advantages but limited yield. The fund's index-tracking approach and high proportion of unrated bonds may offer slightly higher income without substantial added risk. The expense ratio is reasonable for semi-active management, but the trailing yield of 2.46% barely outpaces inflation.

Seeking Alpha • Aug 29, 2025

Why Muni Bond ETFs Make Sense in 2025

The Internal Revenue Service has announced new tax brackets for 2025. This makes now an ideal time to revisit the benefits of muni bond ETFs.

ETF Trends • Oct 23, 2024

SHM: Time To Sell This Short-Term Muni ETF

SPDR Nuveen Bloomberg Short Term Municipal Bond ETF has a short duration, highly rated bonds, low expense ratio, but low total return and yield. The ETF invests in short-term U.S. dollar denominated, fixed rate bonds, excluding bonds subject to Alternative Minimum Tax, with a tax-free yield of 1.5%. After my review, its low Total Return over the past decade, coupled with a miserly yield, earns SHM a Strong Sell rating, one of the few I have awarded.

Seeking Alpha • Jul 27, 2024

Chart of the Week: Advisors Looking at Municipal Bonds Choices

Investors continue to turn to low-cost core taxable bond ETFs in 2024. The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) and the iShares Core Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) gathered $2.5 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively, as of late February.

ETF Trends • Feb 29, 2024

Muni Investors Stay Flexible As Rates Rise

Truly active managers shine in challenging investment environments, especially when they are given a flexible mandate. With tax-loss harvesting, active investors can deliberately sell at a loss to offset taxes on gains elsewhere in a portfolio.

Seeking Alpha • Nov 9, 2021

Warm Up To Climate Change Investing

Climate risk isn't being adequately priced into many ETFs, but there are signs the tides are turning.

ETFcom • Oct 14, 2021

Let’s Dive Into the Reasons Why You Need Municipal Bonds

The Federal Reserve showed just how important the bond market is by purchasing debt-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but one area they didn’t focus on was the municipal bond market. It’s one sub-sector of the debt market that retail investors shouldn’t overlook and let’s dive into some reasons why.

ETF Trends • Sep 23, 2020

Will a Pandemic Recovery be Dependent on Municipal Bonds?

The Federal Reserve is doing what it can to shore up the bond markets, but one submarket it shouldn’t forget is municipal bonds. A pandemic recovery could be predicated on how the muni space reacts in a post-coronavirus world.

ETF Trends • May 20, 2020

A Pair of Municipal Bond ETFs to Consider for High-Income Investors

In the current bond market environment, low yields are causing high-income investors to look in other areas for yield.

ETF Trends • Feb 7, 2020