GBAB vs. BOXX

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

GBAB (Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust) 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, GBAB returned 5.40%/yr vs 4.70%/yr for BOXX. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

GBAB vs. BOXX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (GBAB) 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, GBAB achieves a -0.59% return, which is significantly lower than BOXX's 1.70% return.

GBAB

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 2.27%
• YTD: -0.59%
• 6M: -1.45%
• 1Y: 4.98%
• 3Y*: 5.40%
• 5Y*: -2.31%
• 10Y*: 2.94%

BOXX

• 1D: -0.02%
• 1M: 0.16%
• YTD: 1.70%
• 6M: 1.82%
• 1Y: 3.98%
• 3Y*: 4.70%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

GBAB vs. BOXX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
GBAB Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust	-0.59%	8.38%	2.86%	8.57%	5.48%
BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	1.70%	4.37%	5.16%	5.04%	0.07%

Correlation

The correlation between GBAB 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	0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 28, 2022	0.02

Return for Risk

GBAB vs. BOXX — Risk / Return Rank

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

GBAB

GBAB Risk / Return Rank: 53
GBAB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
GBAB Sortino Ratio Rank: 48
GBAB Omega Ratio Rank: 48
GBAB Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
GBAB Martin Ratio Rank: 57

BOXX

BOXX Risk / Return Rank: 100
BOXX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
BOXX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
BOXX Omega Ratio Rank: 99
BOXX Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
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.

GBAB vs. BOXX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (GBAB) 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.

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.

	GBAB	BOXX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.44	12.43	-11.99
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.71	35.10	-34.39
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	8.71	-7.62
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.50	58.08	-57.58
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.42	496.82	-495.40

GBAB vs. BOXX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GBAB Sharpe Ratio is 0.44, which is lower than the BOXX Sharpe Ratio of 12.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GBAB 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.

Drawdowns

GBAB vs. BOXX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GBAB drawdown since its inception was -35.81%, which is greater than BOXX's maximum drawdown of -0.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GBAB and BOXX.

Drawdown Indicators

	GBAB	BOXX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.81%	-0.12%	-35.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.98%	-0.07%	-9.91%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.29%	-0.12%	-17.17%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.81%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.81%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-13.94%	-0.02%	-13.92%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.30%	-0.00%	-8.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.51%	0.01%	+3.50%

Volatility

GBAB vs. BOXX - Volatility Comparison

Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust (GBAB) has a higher volatility of 1.57% compared to Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF (BOXX) at 0.12%. This indicates that GBAB'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

	GBAB	BOXX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.57%	0.12%	+1.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.53%	0.26%	+8.27%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.29%	0.32%	+10.97%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.63%	0.37%	+14.26%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.96%	0.37%	+14.59%

Dividends

GBAB vs. BOXX - Dividend Comparison

GBAB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.71%, while BOXX has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	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%
GBAB Guggenheim Taxable Municipal Bond & Investment Grade Debt Trust	10.71%	10.11%	9.93%	9.32%	9.22%	6.36%	5.92%	6.37%	6.88%	6.64%	7.51%	7.78%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GBAB and BOXX in my portfolio?

GBAB 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, GBAB or BOXX?

GBAB has higher volatility (1.57%) compared to BOXX (0.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GBAB dropped -35.81% vs BOXX's -0.12%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BOXX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (12.43 vs 0.44), 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.