Fund Evaluator:
Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I (STTBX)Best Performing in Muni National Interm Over the Last Year
| 8.4% | Sit Tax-Free Income (SNTIX) |
| 5.6% | Putnam Strategic Intermediate Muncpl Y (PAMYX) |
| 5.5% | Goldman Sachs Dynamic Municipal Inc Inv (GUIRX) |
| 5.3% | Victory Tax Exempt Intermediate-Term (USATX) |
| 5.2% | Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Admiral (VTEAX) |
Fund Details
Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I Overview
Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I (STTBX) is an actively managed Municipal Bond Muni National Interm fund. Virtus launched the fund in 1993.
The investment seeks to maximize high total return through current income that is exempt from federal income taxes and capital appreciation consistent with capital preservation. The fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in investment grade (BBB-/Baa3 or better) municipal bonds, the income from which is exempt from federal income tax and not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. It may invest up to 20% of its assets in securities subject to the U.S. federal income tax. The fund may also invest a portion of its net assets in certain taxable debt instruments.
About Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I (STTBX)
There are 1 members of the management team with an average tenure of 8.15 years: Dusty Self (2018). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 2 primary benchmarks: Bloomberg Municipal TR USD index with a weighting of 100% and Bloomberg Muni 1-15Y Blend(1-17) TR USD index with a weighting of 100%. Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I has 126 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 26.2% of the fund’s assets. The fund meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The fund is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I is part of the Fixed Income global asset class and is within the Municipal Bond fund group. Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I has 0.0% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 0.0%. There is 0.0% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 91.6% (91.6% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I has 8.4% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $148 million in total assets, which is below the $1 billion average for the Muni National Interm category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
STTBX Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I expense ratio is average compared to funds in the Muni National Interm category. Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I has an expense ratio of 0.50%, which is 26% lower than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a B. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I has a portfolio turnover rate of 51%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 39% for the Muni National Interm category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I returned -1.6%, which earned it a grade of D, as the Muni National Interm category had an average return of -1.6%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all funds in that category.
Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I has a trailing yield of 2.73%, which is below the 3.27% category average. The fund normally distributes its income monthly and its capital gains semi-annually.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd I Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned 0.1%, 0.3 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of D. The fund has returned 3.9% over the past year (grade of D), 2.7% over the past three years (grade of F) and 0.6% per year over the past five years (grade of C) and 1.7% per year over the past 10 years (grade of C).
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STTBX Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| STTBX Return (NAV) | -1.6% | -0.8% | 3.9% | 2.7% | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| STTBX Grade | D | F | D | F | C | C |
| +/- Category | -0.1% | -0.3% | -0.8% | -0.5% | -0.0% | -0.0% |
| Muni National Interm Avg | -1.6% | -0.5% | 4.6% | 3.2% | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| STTBX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
STTBX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| STTBX Return (NAV) | 0.1% | 3.9% | 1.2% | 5.2% | -6.5% | 0.1% | 6.0% | 6.7% | 0.6% | 3.8% | 0.1% |
| STTBX Grade | D | D | F | D | A | F | A | C | D | F | B |
| +/- Category | -0.3% | -0.3% | -0.8% | -0.6% | 1.7% | -1.6% | 1.7% | 0.0% | -0.2% | -0.9% | 0.3% |
| Muni National Interm Avg | 0.4% | 4.2% | 2.0% | 5.8% | -8.2% | 1.7% | 4.3% | 6.7% | 0.8% | 4.7% | -0.2% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | 4.2% |
| Total Risk Index: | 0.34 - Low |
| Category Risk Index: | 0.88 - Below Average |
| Category Risk Grade: | B (21% Rank) |
| Beta: | 0.73 |
| R-Squared: | 97% |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | na |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 2.7% |
| Dividend Distribution: | Monthly |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | Semi-Annually |
| Total Assets: | $174 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $ 149 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | Inst |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 51% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 1 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 8.2 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 8.2 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Self Dusty (2018) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 6/30/26)
| # of Holdings: | 126 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 26.2% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 0.0% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Stock: | 0.0% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 91.6% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | 8.4% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Virtus |
| Phone Number: | 800-243-1574 |
| Website: | www.virtus.com |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | October 21, 1993 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $100,000 |
| Min. Initial IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |
| True No-Load: | Yes |
| Front Load Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Deferred Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Redemption Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| 12b-1 Fee: | na |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.50% ( Rating : Avg ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 0.68% |
| Share Class: | Virtus Newfleet Intermediate Muncpl Bd A |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 0 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |