BRK-A vs. QQQ

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

BRK-A (Berkshire Hathaway Inc) is a stock, while QQQ (Invesco QQQ ETF) is Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Over the past 10 years, BRK-A returned 12.82%/yr vs 21.97%/yr for QQQ. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BRK-A vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-A) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BRK-A achieves a -6.30% return, which is significantly lower than QQQ's 21.62% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-A has underperformed QQQ with an annualized return of 12.82%, while QQQ has yielded a comparatively higher 21.97% annualized return.

BRK-A

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: -0.44%
• YTD: -6.30%
• 6M: -6.96%
• 1Y: -6.30%
• 3Y*: 12.03%
• 5Y*: 10.02%
• 10Y*: 12.82%

QQQ

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 10.68%
• YTD: 21.62%
• 6M: 20.27%
• 1Y: 43.30%
• 3Y*: 28.89%
• 5Y*: 18.43%
• 10Y*: 21.97%

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

BRK-A vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BRK-A Berkshire Hathaway Inc	-6.30%	10.85%	25.49%	15.77%	4.00%	29.57%	2.42%	10.98%	2.82%	21.91%
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	21.62%	20.77%	25.58%	54.86%	-32.58%	27.42%	48.62%	38.96%	-0.13%	32.66%

Correlation

The correlation between BRK-A and QQQ is -0.03, 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	-0.03
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.16
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.33
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.41
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 11, 1999	0.37

The correlation between BRK-A and QQQ shifts across timeframes, from -0.03 (1 year) to 0.41 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

BRK-A vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

BRK-A

BRK-A Risk / Return Rank: 15
BRK-A Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
BRK-A Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
BRK-A Omega Ratio Rank: 19
BRK-A Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
BRK-A Martin Ratio Rank: 7

QQQ

QQQ Risk / Return Rank: 77
QQQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
QQQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
QQQ Omega Ratio Rank: 77
QQQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
QQQ Martin Ratio Rank: 74

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.

BRK-A vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-A) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). 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	QQQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.46	2.73	-3.19
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.54	3.55	-4.08
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.93	1.47	-0.53
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.73	3.71	-4.44
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-1.42	14.30	-15.72
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BRK-A vs. QQQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BRK-A Sharpe Ratio is -0.46, which is lower than the QQQ Sharpe Ratio of 2.73. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BRK-A and QQQ, 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

	BRK-A	QQQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.46	2.73	-3.19
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59	0.83	-0.24
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68	0.99	-0.31
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.82	0.41	+0.41

Drawdowns

BRK-A vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BRK-A drawdown since its inception was -51.47%, smaller than the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-A and QQQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	BRK-A	QQQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.47%	-82.97%	+31.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.12%	-11.96%	+2.84%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.43%	-22.77%	+8.34%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.98%	-35.12%	+9.14%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-30.43%	-35.12%	+4.69%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.62%	0.00%	-12.62%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.52%	-32.79%	+23.27%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.67%	3.11%	+1.56%

Volatility

BRK-A vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-A) is 3.63%, while Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) has a volatility of 4.48%. This indicates that BRK-A experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BRK-A	QQQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.63%	4.48%	-0.85%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.41%	12.11%	-1.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.84%	15.95%	-2.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.15%	22.39%	-5.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.98%	22.30%	-3.32%

Dividends

BRK-A vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison

BRK-A has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QQQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%.

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%
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	0.38%	0.45%	0.56%	0.62%	0.80%	0.43%	0.55%	0.74%	0.91%	0.84%	1.06%	0.99%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BRK-A and QQQ in my portfolio?

BRK-A and QQQ have a correlation of -0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BRK-A or QQQ?

QQQ has higher volatility (4.48%) compared to BRK-A (3.63%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-A dropped -51.47% vs QQQ's -82.97%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QQQ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.73 vs -0.46), 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.