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

In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and XLU returned +2.4%, so BOXX returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, BOXX or XLU?

BOXX charges 0.19% a year and XLU charges 0.08%, so XLU 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 XLU: how they differ

BOXX is a short-term Treasury fund and XLU an equity index fund, and over the year BOXX returned more, +4.0% against +2.4%.

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

BOXX and XLU on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	BOXX Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box ETF	XLU State Street(R) Utilities 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	Utilities
Total return, 1 year	+4.0%	+2.4%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−13.5 pts	−15.1 pts
Expense ratio	0.19%	0.08%
Holdings	not filed	31

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.

XLU in plain words

XLU is an index equity fund tracking the Utilities. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.4% 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 31 positions, with the top ten at 57.7%. It sat 10.0% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, BOXX or XLU?: In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, BOXX returned +4.0% and XLU returned +2.4%, so BOXX returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, BOXX or XLU?: BOXX charges 0.19% a year and XLU charges 0.08%, so XLU is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

Where to next

Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

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

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources