BOXX vs. ICSH

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) and iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH).

BOXX and ICSH 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. ICSH is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the ICE BofA US 6-Month Treasury Bill Index (USD). It was launched on Dec 11, 2013. Both BOXX and ICSH are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

BOXX vs. ICSH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) and iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

BOXX vs. ICSH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	0.96%	4.37%	5.16%	5.04%	0.07%
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF	0.79%	4.96%	5.52%	5.58%	0.06%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BOXX achieves a 0.96% return, which is significantly higher than ICSH's 0.79% return.

BOXX

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

ICSH

• 1D: 0.05%
• 1M: 0.14%
• YTD: 0.79%
• 6M: 1.90%
• 1Y: 4.42%
• 3Y*: 5.23%
• 5Y*: 3.56%
• 10Y*: 2.71%

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

BOXX vs. ICSH - Expense Ratio Comparison

BOXX has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than ICSH's 0.08% expense ratio. However, 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

ICSH

iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF

Return for Risk

BOXX vs. ICSH — 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

ICSH

ICSH Risk / Return Rank: 100
ICSH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
ICSH Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
ICSH Omega Ratio Rank: 100
ICSH Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
ICSH 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.

BOXX vs. ICSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) and iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH). 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	ICSH	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	12.86	10.89	+1.96
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	36.75	25.73	+11.02
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	9.21	6.44	+2.77
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	61.54	44.98	+16.56
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	571.35	281.70	+289.65
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. ICSH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BOXX Sharpe Ratio is 12.86, which is comparable to the ICSH Sharpe Ratio of 10.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BOXX and ICSH, 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	ICSH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.86	10.89	+1.96
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	7.42	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	2.56	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	12.97	1.90	+11.06

Correlation

The correlation between BOXX and ICSH is 0.13, 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. ICSH - Dividend Comparison

BOXX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ICSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.42%.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.26%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ICSH iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF	4.42%	4.55%	5.24%	4.78%	1.66%	0.42%	1.21%	2.61%	2.20%	1.36%	0.88%	0.54%

Drawdowns

BOXX vs. ICSH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BOXX drawdown since its inception was -0.12%, smaller than the maximum ICSH drawdown of -3.94%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BOXX and ICSH.

Drawdown Indicators

	BOXX	ICSH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-0.12%	-3.94%	+3.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.07%	-0.10%	+0.03%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-0.73%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-3.94%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.07%	0.00%	-0.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-0.08%	+0.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.01%	0.02%	-0.01%

Volatility

BOXX vs. ICSH - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) is 0.15%, while iShares Ultra Short Duration Bond Active ETF (ICSH) has a volatility of 0.16%. This indicates that BOXX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ICSH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BOXX	ICSH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.15%	0.16%	-0.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.25%	0.27%	-0.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33%	0.41%	-0.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.37%	0.48%	-0.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.37%	1.06%	-0.69%