BORAX vs. ECAT

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

BORAX (CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan - BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Option) and ECAT (BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust) are both mutual funds - BORAX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) Index (Series L), while ECAT is a Tactical Allocation fund managed by BlackRock. Over the past 3 years, BORAX returned 3.22%/yr vs 19.58%/yr for ECAT. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BORAX charges 1.48%/yr vs 1.43%/yr for ECAT.

Performance

BORAX vs. ECAT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan - BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Option (BORAX) and BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BORAX achieves a 1.00% return, which is significantly lower than ECAT's 12.06% return.

BORAX

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: 0.27%
• YTD: 1.00%
• 6M: 1.07%
• 1Y: 3.56%
• 3Y*: 3.22%
• 5Y*: 0.70%
• 10Y*: —

ECAT

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 2.19%
• YTD: 12.06%
• 6M: 10.41%
• 1Y: 22.26%
• 3Y*: 19.58%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

BORAX vs. ECAT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
BORAX CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan - BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Option	1.00%	6.40%	1.30%	3.58%	-11.83%	1.74%
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	12.06%	16.64%	19.96%	32.36%	-21.90%	-6.25%

Correlation

The correlation between BORAX and ECAT is 0.29, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.29
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.21
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 28, 2021	0.20

Return for Risk

BORAX vs. ECAT — Risk / Return Rank

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

BORAX

BORAX Risk / Return Rank: 20
BORAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
BORAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
BORAX Omega Ratio Rank: 18
BORAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 24
BORAX Martin Ratio Rank: 23

ECAT

ECAT Risk / Return Rank: 34
ECAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
ECAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
ECAT Omega Ratio Rank: 35
ECAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
ECAT Martin Ratio Rank: 33

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.

BORAX vs. ECAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan - BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Option (BORAX) and BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	BORAX	ECAT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.14	1.62	-0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.69	2.30	-0.62
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.29	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.70	1.90	-0.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.32	7.04	-1.72

BORAX vs. ECAT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BORAX Sharpe Ratio is 1.14, which is lower than the ECAT Sharpe Ratio of 1.62. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BORAX and ECAT, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

BORAX vs. ECAT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BORAX drawdown since its inception was -14.39%, smaller than the maximum ECAT drawdown of -32.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BORAX and ECAT.

Drawdown Indicators

	BORAX	ECAT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.39%	-32.23%	+17.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.23%	-11.80%	+9.57%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.01%	-15.79%	+10.78%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.39%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.11%	-0.46%	-0.65%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.15%	-9.04%	+2.89%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.71%	3.17%	-2.46%

Volatility

BORAX vs. ECAT - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan - BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Option (BORAX) is 1.25%, while BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT) has a volatility of 4.36%. This indicates that BORAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ECAT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BORAX	ECAT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.25%	4.36%	-3.11%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.52%	10.99%	-8.47%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.34%	13.79%	-10.45%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.22%	16.89%	-10.67%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.19%	16.89%	-10.70%

BORAX vs. ECAT - Expense Ratio Comparison

BORAX has a 1.48% expense ratio, which is higher than ECAT's 1.43% expense ratio.

Dividends

BORAX vs. ECAT - Dividend Comparison

BORAX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ECAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 21.78%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
BORAX CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan - BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Option	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	21.78%	23.00%	17.44%	9.14%	8.94%	0.54%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BORAX and ECAT in my portfolio?

BORAX and ECAT have a correlation of 0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BORAX or ECAT?

ECAT has higher volatility (4.36%) compared to BORAX (1.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BORAX dropped -14.39% vs ECAT's -32.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ECAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.62 vs 1.14), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.