Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or XLB?

In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and XLB returned +12.0%, so XLB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, BOXX or XLB?

BOXX charges 0.19% a year and XLB charges 0.08%, so XLB is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

BOXX vs XLB: how they differ

BOXX is a short-term Treasury fund and XLB an equity index fund, and over the year XLB returned more, +12.0% against +4.0%.

Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF and State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.

BOXX and XLB on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	XLB State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF
Where it sits	Core index fund	Core index fund
Issuer	Alpha	State Street
What it is	1-3 Month Box	Materials
Total return, 1 year	+4.0%	+12.0%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−13.5 pts	−5.5 pts
Expense ratio	0.19%	0.08%
Holdings	not filed	26

BOXX in plain words

BOXX is a cash and treasury bills tracking the 1-3 Month Box. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +4.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.19% a year.

XLB in plain words

XLB is an index equity fund tracking the Materials. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +12.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.08% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 26 positions, with the top ten at 58.5%. It sat 5.1% below its high of Aug 26, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or XLB?: In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and XLB returned +12.0%, so XLB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, BOXX or XLB?: BOXX charges 0.19% a year and XLB charges 0.08%, so XLB is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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Where these figures came from

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BOXX against XLB, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 12, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, BOXX against XLB, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/BOXX-XLB Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources