BOXX vs. CAOS

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) and Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS).

BOXX and CAOS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. 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. CAOS is an actively managed fund by Alpha Architect. It was launched on Aug 14, 2013.

Performance

BOXX vs. CAOS - Performance Comparison

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

BOXX vs. CAOS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	0.96%	4.37%	5.16%	4.29%
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	0.96%	2.55%	5.33%	7.97%

Returns By Period

As of year-to-date, both investments have demonstrated similar returns, with BOXX at 0.96% and CAOS at 0.96%.

BOXX

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

CAOS

• 1D: -0.13%
• 1M: 0.12%
• YTD: 0.96%
• 6M: 1.23%
• 1Y: 2.95%
• 3Y*: 5.41%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

BOXX vs. CAOS - Expense Ratio Comparison

BOXX has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is lower than CAOS's 0.63% expense ratio.

CAOS

Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF

BOXX

Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF

Return for Risk

BOXX vs. CAOS — 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

CAOS

CAOS Risk / Return Rank: 35
CAOS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
CAOS Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
CAOS Omega Ratio Rank: 61
CAOS Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
CAOS Martin Ratio Rank: 21

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.

BOXX vs. CAOS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) and Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS). 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.

	BOXX	CAOS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	12.86	0.63	+12.22
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	36.75	0.90	+35.85
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	9.21	1.23	+7.98
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	61.54	0.85	+60.69
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	571.35	1.40	+569.95
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BOXX vs. CAOS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BOXX Sharpe Ratio is 12.86, which is higher than the CAOS Sharpe Ratio of 0.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BOXX and CAOS, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BOXX	CAOS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.86	0.63	+12.22
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	12.97	1.26	+11.71

Correlation

The correlation between BOXX and CAOS is 0.03, 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

BOXX vs. CAOS - Dividend Comparison

Neither BOXX nor CAOS has paid dividends to shareholders.

	TTM	2025	2024
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.26%
CAOS Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

BOXX vs. CAOS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BOXX drawdown since its inception was -0.12%, smaller than the maximum CAOS drawdown of -3.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BOXX and CAOS.

Drawdown Indicators

	BOXX	CAOS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-0.12%	-3.60%	+3.48%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.07%	-3.60%	+3.53%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.07%	-0.93%	+0.86%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-0.90%	+0.90%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.01%	2.18%	-2.17%

Volatility

BOXX vs. CAOS - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) is 0.15%, while Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF (CAOS) has a volatility of 0.74%. This indicates that BOXX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CAOS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BOXX	CAOS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.15%	0.74%	-0.59%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.25%	1.31%	-1.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33%	4.68%	-4.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.37%	4.37%	-4.00%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.37%	4.37%	-4.00%