The iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) and the PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund (MINT) are both among the Top 100 ETFs. ITOT is a iShares Large Blend fund and MINT is a PIMCO Ultrashort Bond fund. So, what’s the difference between ITOT and MINT? And which fund is better?
The expense ratio of ITOT is 0.33 percentage points lower than MINT’s (0.03% vs. 0.36%). ITOT also has a high exposure to the technology sector while MINT is mostly comprised of Others bonds. Overall, ITOT has provided higher returns than MINT over the past ten years.
In this article, we’ll compare ITOT vs. MINT. We’ll look at portfolio growth and annual returns, as well as at their fund composition and performance. Moreover, I’ll also discuss ITOT’s and MINT’s holdings, industry exposure, and risk metrics and examine how these affect their overall returns.
Summary
| ITOT | MINT | |
| Name | iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund |
| Category | Large Blend | Ultrashort Bond |
| Issuer | iShares | PIMCO |
| AUM | 41.97B | 14.02B |
| Avg. Return | 14.59% | 1.52% |
| Div. Yield | 1.2% | 0.56% |
| Expense Ratio | 0.03% | 0.36% |
The iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) is a Large Blend fund that is issued by iShares. It currently has 41.97B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 14.59% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 1.2% with an expense ratio of 0.03%.
The PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund (MINT) is a Ultrashort Bond fund that is issued by PIMCO. It currently has 14.02B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 1.52% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 0.56% with an expense ratio of 0.36%.
ITOT’s dividend yield is 0.64% higher than that of MINT (1.2% vs. 0.56%). Also, ITOT yielded on average 13.07% more per year over the past decade (14.59% vs. 1.52%). The expense ratio of ITOT is 0.33 percentage points lower than MINT’s (0.03% vs. 0.36%).
Fund Composition
Holdings
| ITOT Holdings | Weight |
| Apple Inc | 5.07% |
| Microsoft Corp | 4.75% |
| Amazon.com Inc | 3.16% |
| Facebook Inc Class A | 1.89% |
| Alphabet Inc Class A | 1.79% |
| Alphabet Inc Class C | 1.71% |
| Tesla Inc | 1.17% |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B | 1.17% |
| NVIDIA Corp | 1.08% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co | 1.02% |
ITOT’s Top Holdings are Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp, Amazon.com Inc, Facebook Inc Class A, and Alphabet Inc Class A at 5.07%, 4.75%, 3.16%, 1.89%, and 1.79%.
Alphabet Inc Class C (1.71%), Tesla Inc (1.17%), and Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B (1.17%) have a slightly smaller but still significant weight. NVIDIA Corp and JPMorgan Chase & Co are also represented in the ITOT’s holdings at 1.08% and 1.02%.
| MINT Bond Sectors | Weight |
| Others | 0.0% |
| Below B | 0.0% |
| B | 0.0% |
| BB | 0.0% |
| BBB | 0.0% |
| A | 0.0% |
| AA | 0.0% |
| AAA | 0.0% |
| US Government | 0.0% |
MINT’s Top Bond Sectors are ratings of Others, Below B, B, BB, and BBB at 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, and 0.0%. The fund is less weighted towards A (0.0%), AA (0.0%), and AAA (0.0%) rated bonds.
Risk Analysis
| ITOT | MINT | |
| Mean Return | 1.27 | 0.12 |
| R-squared | 99.4 | 4.7 |
| Std. Deviation | 14.02 | 1.08 |
| Alpha | -0.54 | 0.62 |
| Beta | 1.03 | 0.08 |
| Sharpe Ratio | 1.04 | 0.78 |
| Treynor Ratio | 14.13 | 10.8 |
The iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) has a Standard Deviation of 14.02 with a Alpha of -0.54 and a Beta of 1.03. Its Mean Return is 1.27 while ITOT’s R-squared is 99.4. Furthermore, the fund has a Sharpe Ratio of 1.04 and a Treynor Ratio of 14.13.
The PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund (MINT) has a Beta of 0.08 with a Sharpe Ratio of 0.78 and a Standard Deviation of 1.08. Its Treynor Ratio is 10.8 while MINT’s Alpha is 0.62. Furthermore, the fund has a Mean Return of 0.12 and a R-squared of 4.7.
ITOT’s Mean Return is 1.15 points higher than that of MINT and its R-squared is 94.70 points higher. With a Standard Deviation of 14.02, ITOT is slightly more volatile than MINT. The Alpha and Beta of ITOT are 1.16 points lower and 0.95 points higher than MINT’s Alpha and Beta.
Performance
Annual Returns
| Year | ITOT | MINT |
| 2020 | 20.75% | 1.63% |
| 2019 | 30.87% | 3.3% |
| 2018 | -5.27% | 1.72% |
| 2017 | 21.23% | 1.9% |
| 2016 | 12.59% | 1.99% |
| 2015 | 0.96% | 0.52% |
| 2014 | 13.01% | 0.53% |
| 2013 | 32.67% | 0.72% |
| 2012 | 15.98% | 2.48% |
| 2011 | 1.55% | 0.42% |
| 2010 | 16.15% | 1.72% |
ITOT had its best year in 2013 with an annual return of 32.67%. ITOT’s worst year over the past decade yielded -5.27% and occurred in 2018. In most years the iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF provided moderate returns such as in 2014, 2012, and 2010 where annual returns amounted to 13.01%, 15.98%, and 16.15% respectively.
The year 2019 was the strongest year for MINT, returning 3.3% on an annual basis. The poorest year for MINT in the last ten years was 2011, with a yield of 0.42%. Most years the PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Active Exchange-Traded Fund has given investors modest returns, such as in 2020, 2018, and 2010, when gains were 1.63%, 1.72%, and 1.72% respectively.
Portfolio Growth
| Fund | Initial Balance | Final Balance | CAGR |
| ITOT | $10,000 | $36,427 | 14.59% |
| MINT | $10,000 | $11,624 | 1.52% |
A $10,000 investment in ITOT would have resulted in a final balance of $36,427. This is a profit of $26,427 over 10 years and amounts to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.59%.
With a $10,000 investment in MINT, the end total would have been $11,624. This equates to a $1,624 profit over 10 years and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.52%.
ITOT’s CAGR is 13.07 percentage points higher than that of MINT and as a result, would have yielded $24,803 more on a $10,000 investment. Thus, ITOT outperformed MINT by 13.07% annually.
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