MEAR vs. BOXA
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) and Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF (BOXA).
MEAR and BOXA are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. MEAR is an actively managed fund by iShares. It was launched on Mar 3, 2015. BOXA is an actively managed fund by Alpha Architect. It was launched on Dec 17, 2024.
Performance
MEAR vs. BOXA - Performance Comparison
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MEAR vs. BOXA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 0.47% | 3.76% | -0.08% |
BOXA Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF | -0.12% | 5.41% | 0.02% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MEAR achieves a 0.47% return, which is significantly higher than BOXA's -0.12% return.
MEAR
- 1D
- 0.12%
- 1M
- -0.31%
- YTD
- 0.47%
- 6M
- 1.07%
- 1Y
- 3.12%
- 3Y*
- 3.50%
- 5Y*
- 2.30%
- 10Y*
- 1.74%
BOXA
- 1D
- 0.21%
- 1M
- -1.98%
- YTD
- -0.12%
- 6M
- 0.69%
- 1Y
- 3.10%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
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MEAR vs. BOXA - Expense Ratio Comparison
MEAR has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than BOXA's 0.23% 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%.
Return for Risk
MEAR vs. BOXA — Risk / Return Rank
MEAR
BOXA
MEAR vs. BOXA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) and Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF (BOXA). 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.
| MEAR | BOXA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.71 | 0.75 | +1.95 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.63 | 1.06 | +2.58 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.70 | 1.13 | +0.57 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.69 | 1.13 | +2.56 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 20.82 | 3.61 | +17.21 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| MEAR | BOXA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.71 | 0.75 | +1.95 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 2.37 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.15 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.09 | 1.00 | +0.09 |
Correlation
The correlation between MEAR and BOXA is 0.18, 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
MEAR vs. BOXA - Dividend Comparison
MEAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.87%, more than BOXA's 0.13% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 2.87% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 3.30% | 0.88% | 0.30% | 0.90% | 1.57% | 1.36% | 1.01% | 0.81% | 0.53% |
BOXA Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.13% | 0.13% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
MEAR vs. BOXA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MEAR drawdown since its inception was -2.68%, smaller than the maximum BOXA drawdown of -2.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MEAR and BOXA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MEAR | BOXA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -2.68% | -2.87% | +0.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.86% | -2.87% | +2.01% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.12% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -2.68% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.35% | -1.98% | +1.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.19% | -0.59% | +0.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.15% | 0.90% | -0.75% |
Volatility
MEAR vs. BOXA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) is 0.36%, while Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF (BOXA) has a volatility of 1.55%. This indicates that MEAR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BOXA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MEAR | BOXA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.36% | 1.55% | -1.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.60% | 2.42% | -1.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.16% | 4.15% | -2.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.98% | 4.18% | -3.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.52% | 4.18% | -2.66% |