BRK-A vs. SMH
BRK-A (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while SMH (VanEck Semiconductor ETF) is Semiconductors fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Semiconductor 25 Index. Over the past 10 years, BRK-A returned 12.93%/yr vs 37.49%/yr for SMH. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BRK-A vs. SMH - 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 lower than SMH's 74.25% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-A has underperformed SMH with an annualized return of 12.93%, while SMH has yielded a comparatively higher 37.49% 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%
SMH
- 1D
- -1.63%
- 1M
- 20.06%
- YTD
- 74.25%
- 6M
- 74.08%
- 1Y
- 150.04%
- 3Y*
- 63.96%
- 5Y*
- 38.76%
- 10Y*
- 37.49%
BRK-A vs. SMH - 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% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 74.25% | 49.17% | 39.10% | 73.38% | -33.53% | 42.13% | 55.53% | 64.45% | -9.05% | 38.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-A and SMH is -0.15, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.15 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 6, 2000 | 0.32 |
The correlation between BRK-A and SMH shifts across timeframes, from -0.15 (1 year) to 0.33 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BRK-A vs. SMH — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-A
SMH
BRK-A vs. SMH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH). 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 | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -5.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -5.22 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.98 | 1.69 | -0.71 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.29 | 10.11 | -10.40 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.60 | 38.76 | -39.36 |
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 | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.19 | 4.94 | -5.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.61 | 1.11 | -0.51 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.68 | 1.15 | -0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.82 | 0.34 | +0.48 |
Drawdowns
BRK-A vs. SMH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-A drawdown since its inception was -51.47%, smaller than the maximum SMH drawdown of -84.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-A and SMH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-A | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.47% | -84.96% | +33.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.12% | -14.93% | +5.81% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.43% | -35.74% | +21.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.98% | -45.30% | +19.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.43% | -45.30% | +14.87% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.23% | -1.63% | -9.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.52% | -41.08% | +31.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.39% | 3.89% | +0.50% |
Volatility
BRK-A vs. SMH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A) is 3.58%, while VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has a volatility of 11.58%. This indicates that BRK-A experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SMH 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 | SMH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.58% | 11.58% | -8.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.42% | 24.35% | -13.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.84% | 30.57% | -16.73% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.15% | 35.01% | -17.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.97% | 32.57% | -13.60% |
Dividends
BRK-A vs. SMH - Dividend Comparison
BRK-A has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SMH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.18%.
| 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% |
SMH VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.18% | 0.31% | 0.44% | 0.60% | 1.18% | 0.51% | 0.69% | 1.50% | 1.88% | 1.43% | 0.80% | 2.14% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-A and SMH have a correlation of -0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMH has higher volatility (11.58%) compared to BRK-A (3.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-A dropped -51.47% vs SMH's -84.96%.
SMH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.94 vs -0.19), 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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