BRK-A vs. MSFT
BRK-A (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) and MSFT (Microsoft Corporation) are both stocks. BRK-A operates in Insurance - Diversified (Financial Services), while MSFT operates in Software - Infrastructure (Technology). Over the past 10 years, BRK-A returned 12.93%/yr vs 24.97%/yr for MSFT. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BRK-A achieves a -4.82% return, which is significantly higher than MSFT's -11.10% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-A has underperformed MSFT with an annualized return of 12.93%, while MSFT has yielded a comparatively higher 24.97% annualized return.
BRK-A
- 1D
- 0.66%
- 1M
- 2.64%
- YTD
- -4.82%
- 6M
- -4.81%
- 1Y
- -2.63%
- 3Y*
- 12.92%
- 5Y*
- 10.35%
- 10Y*
- 12.93%
MSFT
- 1D
- 0.17%
- 1M
- 4.28%
- YTD
- -11.10%
- 6M
- -10.58%
- 1Y
- -6.98%
- 3Y*
- 9.26%
- 5Y*
- 12.20%
- 10Y*
- 24.97%
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRK-A Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | -4.82% | 10.85% | 25.49% | 15.77% | 4.00% | 29.57% | 2.42% | 10.98% | 2.82% | 21.91% |
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | -11.10% | 15.58% | 12.93% | 58.19% | -28.02% | 52.48% | 42.53% | 57.56% | 20.80% | 40.73% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-A and MSFT is 0.04, 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 | 0.04 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 14, 1986 | 0.24 |
Over the past year, the correlation between BRK-A and MSFT has dropped to 0.04 - well below their long-term average of 0.24, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
BRK-A:
$1549.77T
MSFT:
$3.19T
BRK-A:
$33.58
MSFT:
$16.79
BRK-A:
21.39K
MSFT:
25.50
BRK-A:
830.29
MSFT:
1.78
BRK-A:
4.13K
MSFT:
10.03
BRK-A:
2.13K
MSFT:
7.69
BRK-A:
$375.39B
MSFT:
$318.27B
BRK-A:
$89.84B
MSFT:
$217.41B
BRK-A:
$71.10B
MSFT:
$200.96B
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Return for Risk
BRK-A vs. MSFT — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-A
MSFT
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A) and Microsoft Corporation (MSFT). 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.
| BRK-A | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.05 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.98 | 0.97 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.29 | -0.21 | -0.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.60 | -0.44 | -0.16 |
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
| BRK-A | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.19 | -0.28 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.61 | 0.46 | +0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.68 | 0.93 | -0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.82 | 0.75 | +0.08 |
Drawdowns
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-A drawdown since its inception was -51.47%, smaller than the maximum MSFT drawdown of -69.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-A and MSFT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-A | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.47% | -69.38% | +17.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.12% | -33.91% | +24.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.43% | -33.91% | +19.48% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.98% | -37.15% | +11.17% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.43% | -37.15% | +6.72% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.23% | -20.53% | +9.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.52% | -21.78% | +12.26% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.39% | 16.00% | -11.61% |
Volatility
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A) is 3.58%, while Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) has a volatility of 9.93%. This indicates that BRK-A experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MSFT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BRK-A | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.58% | 9.93% | -6.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.42% | 22.32% | -11.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.84% | 25.12% | -11.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.15% | 26.61% | -9.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.97% | 27.03% | -8.06% |
Dividends
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Dividend Comparison
BRK-A has not paid dividends to shareholders, while MSFT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.83%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRK-A 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% |
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | 0.83% | 0.70% | 0.73% | 0.74% | 1.06% | 0.68% | 0.94% | 1.20% | 1.69% | 1.86% | 2.37% | 2.33% |
Financials
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Microsoft Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
BRK-A vs. MSFT - Profitability Comparison
BRK-A - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reported a gross profit of 22.46B and revenue of 93.68B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 24.0%.
MSFT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a gross profit of 56.06B and revenue of 82.89B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 67.6%.
BRK-A - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reported an operating income of 12.14B and revenue of 93.68B, resulting in an operating margin of 13.0%.
MSFT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported an operating income of 38.40B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in an operating margin of 46.3%.
BRK-A - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. reported a net income of 10.11B and revenue of 93.68B, resulting in a net margin of 10.8%.
MSFT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a net income of 31.78B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in a net margin of 38.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-A and MSFT have a correlation of 0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MSFT has higher volatility (9.93%) compared to BRK-A (3.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-A dropped -51.47% vs MSFT's -69.38%.
BRK-A currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.19 vs -0.28), 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.
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