BND vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 6, 2026

BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) is Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, BND returned 1.56%/yr vs 13.19%/yr for BRK-B. At a correlation of -0.14, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

BND vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BND achieves a -0.05% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -2.89% return. Over the past 10 years, BND has underperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 1.56%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively higher 13.19% annualized return.

BND

• 1D: -0.45%
• 1M: -0.64%
• YTD: -0.05%
• 6M: 0.11%
• 1Y: 4.33%
• 3Y*: 3.80%
• 5Y*: 0.02%
• 10Y*: 1.56%

BRK-B

• 1D: 1.98%
• 1M: 3.90%
• YTD: -2.89%
• 6M: -3.21%
• 1Y: -0.12%
• 3Y*: 13.55%
• 5Y*: 10.78%
• 10Y*: 13.19%

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

BND vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF	-0.05%	7.08%	1.38%	5.65%	-13.11%	-1.86%	7.71%	8.84%	-0.12%	3.57%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	-2.89%	10.89%	27.09%	15.46%	3.31%	28.95%	2.37%	10.93%	3.01%	21.62%

Correlation

The correlation between BND and BRK-B is 0.05, 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	0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.05
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.08
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2007	-0.14

The correlation between BND and BRK-B shifts across timeframes, from -0.14 (all time) to 0.10 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

BND vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

BND

BND Risk / Return Rank: 33
BND Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
BND Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
BND Omega Ratio Rank: 30
BND Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
BND Martin Ratio Rank: 33

BRK-B

BRK-B Risk / Return Rank: 38
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 32
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 41
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 41

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.

BND vs. BRK-B - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B). 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.

	BND	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.16	-0.01	+1.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.71	0.09	+1.62
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.20	1.01	+0.19
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.62	-0.01	+1.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.86	-0.03	+4.89
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BND vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BND Sharpe Ratio is 1.16, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.01. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BND and BRK-B, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BND	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.16	-0.01	+1.17
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.00	0.63	-0.63
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.28	0.68	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.58	0.48	+0.10

Drawdowns

BND vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BND drawdown since its inception was -18.58%, smaller than the maximum BRK-B drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BND and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	BND	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.58%	-53.86%	+35.28%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.68%	-9.42%	+6.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.92%	-14.95%	+9.03%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.91%	-26.58%	+8.67%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-18.58%	-29.57%	+10.99%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.67%	-9.57%	+6.90%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.06%	-11.07%	+8.01%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.89%	4.47%	-3.58%

Volatility

BND vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) is 1.23%, while Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a volatility of 4.08%. This indicates that BND experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BRK-B based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BND	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.23%	4.08%	-2.85%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.70%	10.87%	-8.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.76%	14.39%	-10.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.02%	17.13%	-11.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.53%	19.43%	-13.90%

Dividends

BND vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

BND's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.98%, while BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF	3.98%	3.86%	3.67%	3.09%	2.60%	2.12%	2.38%	2.72%	2.81%	2.54%	2.51%	2.57%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BND and BRK-B in my portfolio?

BND and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BND or BRK-B?

BRK-B has higher volatility (4.08%) compared to BND (1.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BND dropped -18.58% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BND currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.16 vs -0.01), 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.