BSTZ vs. BOXX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BSTZ (BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II) is a stock, while BOXX (Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF) is Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Solactive 1-3 Month US T-Bill Index. Over the past 3 years, BSTZ returned 33.94%/yr vs 4.75%/yr for BOXX. At a correlation of -0.04, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

BSTZ vs. BOXX - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BSTZ achieves a 41.51% return, which is significantly higher than BOXX's 1.58% return.

BSTZ

• 1D: -2.03%
• 1M: 15.29%
• YTD: 41.51%
• 6M: 46.81%
• 1Y: 76.56%
• 3Y*: 33.94%
• 5Y*: 6.57%
• 10Y*: —

BOXX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 1.58%
• 6M: 1.97%
• 1Y: 4.10%
• 3Y*: 4.75%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

BSTZ vs. BOXX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
BSTZ BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II	41.51%	25.06%	37.49%	18.72%	1.96%
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	1.58%	4.37%	5.16%	5.04%	0.07%

Correlation

The correlation between BSTZ and BOXX is -0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.03
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.03
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 29, 2022	-0.04

Return for Risk

BSTZ vs. BOXX — Risk / Return Rank

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

BSTZ

BSTZ Risk / Return Rank: 95
BSTZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
BSTZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
BSTZ Omega Ratio Rank: 94
BSTZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
BSTZ Martin Ratio Rank: 97

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.

BSTZ vs. BOXX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II (BSTZ) 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.

	BSTZ	BOXX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.39	12.84	-9.46
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.09	38.04	-33.95
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.56	9.98	-8.42
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	8.31	59.77	-51.47
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	26.33	531.84	-505.51
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BSTZ vs. BOXX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BSTZ Sharpe Ratio is 3.39, which is lower than the BOXX Sharpe Ratio of 12.84. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BSTZ and BOXX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BSTZ	BOXX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.39	12.84	-9.46
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.24	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	12.91	-12.37

Drawdowns

BSTZ vs. BOXX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BSTZ drawdown since its inception was -60.51%, which is greater than BOXX's maximum drawdown of -0.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BSTZ and BOXX.

Drawdown Indicators

	BSTZ	BOXX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.51%	-0.12%	-60.39%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.26%	-0.07%	-9.19%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.31%	-0.12%	-25.19%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-60.51%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.03%	0.00%	-2.03%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-27.56%	-0.00%	-27.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.92%	0.01%	+2.91%

Volatility

BSTZ vs. BOXX - Volatility Comparison

BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II (BSTZ) has a higher volatility of 9.84% compared to Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) at 0.09%. This indicates that BSTZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BOXX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BSTZ	BOXX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.84%	0.09%	+9.75%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.24%	0.25%	+18.99%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.76%	0.32%	+22.44%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.51%	0.37%	+27.14%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	30.18%	0.37%	+29.81%

Dividends

BSTZ vs. BOXX - Dividend Comparison

BSTZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.16%, while BOXX has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.26%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
BSTZ BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II	8.16%	12.46%	9.75%	10.90%	14.73%	5.14%	3.42%	2.44%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BSTZ and BOXX in my portfolio?

BSTZ and BOXX have a correlation of -0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BSTZ or BOXX?

BSTZ has higher volatility (9.84%) compared to BOXX (0.09%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BSTZ dropped -60.51% vs BOXX's -0.12%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BOXX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (12.84 vs 3.39), 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.