AAUS vs. BOXX

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Alpha Architect US Equity ETF (AAUS) and Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX).

AAUS and BOXX are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AAUS is an actively managed fund by Alpha Architect. It was launched on Jul 22, 2025. BOXX is a passively managed fund by Alpha Architect that tracks the performance of the Solactive 1-3 Month US T-Bill Index. It was launched on Dec 27, 2022.

Performance

AAUS vs. BOXX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Alpha Architect US Equity ETF (AAUS) and Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

AAUS vs. BOXX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
AAUS Alpha Architect US Equity ETF	-4.26%	9.66%
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	0.96%	1.92%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AAUS achieves a -4.26% return, which is significantly lower than BOXX's 0.96% return.

AAUS

• 1D: 0.72%
• 1M: -4.19%
• YTD: -4.26%
• 6M: -2.33%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BOXX

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 0.32%
• YTD: 0.96%
• 6M: 2.05%
• 1Y: 4.22%
• 3Y*: 4.80%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AAUS vs. BOXX - Expense Ratio Comparison

AAUS has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than BOXX's 0.19% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

BOXX

Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF

AAUS

Alpha Architect US Equity ETF

Return for Risk

AAUS vs. BOXX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BOXX

BOXX Risk / Return Rank: 100
BOXX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
BOXX Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
BOXX Omega Ratio Rank: 100
BOXX Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
BOXX Martin Ratio Rank: 100

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AAUS vs. BOXX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Alpha Architect US Equity ETF (AAUS) and Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AAUS	BOXX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	12.86	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.57	12.97	-12.39

Correlation

The correlation between AAUS and BOXX is 0.07, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

AAUS vs. BOXX - Dividend Comparison

AAUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%, while BOXX has not paid dividends to shareholders.

	TTM	2025	2024
AAUS Alpha Architect US Equity ETF	0.38%	0.37%	0.00%
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.26%

Drawdowns

AAUS vs. BOXX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AAUS drawdown since its inception was -9.13%, which is greater than BOXX's maximum drawdown of -0.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AAUS and BOXX.

Drawdown Indicators

	AAUS	BOXX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-9.13%	-0.12%	-9.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-0.07%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.86%	-0.07%	-5.79%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.43%	0.00%	-1.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	0.01%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	AAUS	BOXX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	0.15%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	0.25%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.79%	0.33%	+12.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.79%	0.37%	+12.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.79%	0.37%	+12.42%