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XAGG.TO vs. BOXA
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA

Last updated Jul 18, 2026
Documentation

XAGG.TO (iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF) and BOXA (Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XAGG.TO is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, while BOXA is a Intermediate Core Bond fund actively managed by Alpha Architect. XAGG.TO is passively managed, while BOXA is actively managed. Over the past year, XAGG.TO returned 6.31% vs 5.80% for BOXA. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XAGG.TO charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.23%/yr for BOXA.

Performance

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XAGG.TO) and Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF (BOXA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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Different Trading Currencies

XAGG.TO is traded in CAD, while BOXA is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the BOXA values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with XAGG.TO having a 2.48% return and BOXA slightly lower at 2.39%.

XAGG.TO

1D
0.03%
1M
-0.68%
6M
0.83%
YTD
2.48%
1Y
6.31%
3Y*
5.35%
5Y*
—
10Y*
—

BOXA

1D
-0.02%
1M
0.17%
6M
0.78%
YTD
2.39%
1Y
5.80%
3Y*
—
5Y*
—
10Y*
—
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)20252024
XAGG.TO
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF		2.48%1.66%0.02%
BOXA
Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF		2.39%0.60%0.30%

Correlation

The correlation between XAGG.TO and BOXA is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.35

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 18, 2024

0.32

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF

Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF

Often compared with XAGG.TO:
XAGG.TO vs. DXBB.TOXAGG.TO vs. BTOTXAGG.TO vs. HBB.TOXAGG.TO vs. SGOVXAGG.TO vs. AGGXAGG.TO vs. OOSPXAGG.TO vs. GCOR
Often compared with BOXA:
BOXA vs. BOXXBOXA vs. AGGBOXA vs. PSDMBOXA vs. AAVMBOXA vs. ABCSBOXA vs. MEARBOXA vs. AAUS

Return for Risk

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
XAGG.TO
XAGG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 4444
Overall Rank
XAGG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4646
Sharpe Ratio Rank
XAGG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 4646
Sortino Ratio Rank
XAGG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 5656
Omega Ratio Rank
XAGG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 4040
Calmar Ratio Rank
XAGG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 3232
Martin Ratio Rank
BOXA
BOXA Risk / Return Rank: 2828
Overall Rank
BOXA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 3030
Sharpe Ratio Rank
BOXA Sortino Ratio Rank: 2929
Sortino Ratio Rank
BOXA Omega Ratio Rank: 2727
Omega Ratio Rank
BOXA Calmar Ratio Rank: 2626
Calmar Ratio Rank
BOXA Martin Ratio Rank: 2727
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XAGG.TO) 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.

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.

XAGG.TOBOXADifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
1.26
0.99

+0.27

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
1.83
1.49

+0.34

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.27

1.17

+0.10

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

1.59

1.29

+0.30

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

3.58

2.67

+0.91

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XAGG.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.26, which is comparable to the BOXA Sharpe Ratio of 0.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XAGG.TO and BOXA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

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Drawdowns

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XAGG.TO drawdown since its inception was -12.65%, which is greater than BOXA's maximum drawdown of -6.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XAGG.TO and BOXA.

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Drawdown Indicators

XAGG.TOBOXADifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-12.65%

-6.68%

-5.97%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-4.32%

-4.52%

+0.20%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-6.64%

—

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-2.01%

-2.03%

+0.02%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-5.22%

-2.65%

-2.57%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

1.92%

2.18%

-0.26%

Volatility

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XAGG.TO) is 1.46%, while Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF (BOXA) has a volatility of 1.66%. This indicates that XAGG.TO 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

XAGG.TOBOXADifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

1.46%

1.66%

-0.20%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

4.17%

4.17%

0.00%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

5.47%

5.88%

-0.41%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

7.03%

6.90%

+0.13%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

7.03%

6.90%

+0.13%

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Expense Ratio Comparison

XAGG.TO has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than BOXA's 0.23% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

XAGG.TO vs. BOXA - Dividend Comparison

XAGG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.10%, more than BOXA's 0.13% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021
BOXA
Alpha Architect Aggregate Bond ETF		0.13%0.13%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%
XAGG.TO
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF		4.10%3.87%3.07%2.59%1.67%1.04%

Frequently Asked Questions

XAGG.TO and BOXA have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

On fees, XAGG.TO is cheaper at 0.10% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

XAGG.TO is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.23% for BOXA.

XAGG.TO is categorized as Total Bond Market, while BOXA is Intermediate Core Bond. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Alpha Architect. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for XAGG.TO and 0.23% for BOXA.

Portfolio Optimizer

Find the right allocation for XAGG.TO and BOXA

Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.

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