iShares California Muni Bond ETF

CMF

Market cap $3.42B

The iShares California Muni Bond ETF (CMF) offers exposure to intermediate-duration bonds that seem to be resilient in terms of credit rating though in a cross-current. CMF's performance closely tracks the broader iShares Muni ETF (MUB). Risks include potential federal funding freezes, trade policy impacts, and duration sensitivity. The former two risks are at least mitigated in agency and public utility exposures.

CMF is only suitable for high-income California residents seeking tax-free income, due to its structure and the state's high tax rates. The fund offers broad diversification, low fees, and strong liquidity, but its yield is only compelling at the top tax brackets. Munis pay lower coupons because tax breaks attract high earners, pushing yields down for everyone else—making CMF unattractive for most investors.

Municipal bonds are back to offer compelling risk-adjusted opportunities, but future decisions from Washington can either act as a tailwind or headwind. Municipal bond funds saw net inflows during 2024, first annual inflow since 2021—which was a record year. 2024 was a record year in municipal bond issuance. With attractive yields, the market may start to pay more attention to tax-equivalent yield advantages offered through municipal debt.

The iShares California Muni Bond ETF offers tax-free income with a low expense ratio of 0.08%, focusing on high-quality California municipal bonds. The fund is highly diversified, with the largest bond allocation at just 0.77%, and focuses on key services like schools and utilities. With 81% of the portfolio rated AA, the ETF provides stability and steady income, boasting a 30-day SEC yield of 3.2%.

Specific to the muni market, perhaps the biggest surprise this year has been new issue supply that is running well ahead of expectations, up roughly 40% from last year. We think this increased summer issuance is likely the result of deals getting pulled forward, as issuers may be cautious about coming to market later in the fall ahead of what is likely to be an uncertain U.S. political climate. While municipal credit quality has already peaked, it is entering this period of moderating economic growth from a position of strength.

Q4 Report: Tax-Exempt Bond Funds Hit Second Highest Quarterly Return As Fixed Income Rebounds From Q3 Loss