BRK-A vs. WMT
BRK-A (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) and WMT (Walmart Inc.) are both stocks. BRK-A operates in Insurance - Diversified (Financial Services), while WMT operates in Discount Stores (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, BRK-A returned 13.08%/yr vs 19.62%/yr for WMT. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BRK-A vs. WMT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BRK-A achieves a -3.72% return, which is significantly lower than WMT's 7.98% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-A has underperformed WMT with an annualized return of 13.08%, while WMT has yielded a comparatively higher 19.62% annualized return.
BRK-A
- 1D
- -0.94%
- 1M
- 1.30%
- YTD
- -3.72%
- 6M
- -2.47%
- 1Y
- -1.85%
- 3Y*
- 12.47%
- 5Y*
- 10.90%
- 10Y*
- 13.08%
WMT
- 1D
- 0.80%
- 1M
- -8.13%
- YTD
- 7.98%
- 6M
- 6.15%
- 1Y
- 23.97%
- 3Y*
- 34.37%
- 5Y*
- 22.47%
- 10Y*
- 19.62%
BRK-A vs. WMT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRK-A Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | -3.72% | 10.85% | 25.49% | 15.77% | 4.00% | 29.57% | 2.42% | 10.98% | 2.82% | 21.91% |
WMT Walmart Inc. | 7.98% | 24.49% | 73.99% | 12.88% | -0.46% | 1.97% | 23.32% | 30.16% | -3.43% | 46.56% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-A and WMT is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 18, 1980 | 0.22 |
The correlation between BRK-A and WMT shifts across timeframes, from 0.20 (1 year) to 0.33 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
BRK-A:
$1567.59T
WMT:
$958.52B
BRK-A:
$33.58
WMT:
$2.88
BRK-A:
21.64K
WMT:
41.62
BRK-A:
839.84
WMT:
2.72
BRK-A:
4.18K
WMT:
1.32
BRK-A:
2.16K
WMT:
10.16
BRK-A:
$375.39B
WMT:
$725.31B
BRK-A:
$89.84B
WMT:
$181.16B
BRK-A:
$71.10B
WMT:
$44.32B
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Return for Risk
BRK-A vs. WMT — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-A
WMT
BRK-A vs. WMT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A) and Walmart Inc. (WMT). 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 | WMT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.15 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.63 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.99 | 1.20 | -0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.20 | 1.53 | -1.73 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.42 | 5.02 | -5.44 |
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 | WMT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.13 | 1.02 | -1.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.64 | 1.04 | -0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.69 | 0.91 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.82 | 0.64 | +0.19 |
Drawdowns
BRK-A vs. WMT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-A drawdown since its inception was -51.47%, smaller than the maximum WMT drawdown of -77.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-A and WMT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-A | WMT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.47% | -77.14% | +25.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.12% | -15.75% | +6.63% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.43% | -21.93% | +7.50% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.98% | -25.74% | -0.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.43% | -25.74% | -4.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.21% | -10.71% | +0.50% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.52% | -14.63% | +5.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.41% | 4.79% | -0.38% |
Volatility
BRK-A vs. WMT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-A) is 3.94%, while Walmart Inc. (WMT) has a volatility of 10.26%. This indicates that BRK-A experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than WMT 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 | WMT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.94% | 10.26% | -6.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.67% | 18.59% | -7.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.96% | 23.72% | -9.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.18% | 21.68% | -4.50% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.99% | 21.73% | -2.74% |
Dividends
BRK-A vs. WMT - Dividend Comparison
BRK-A has not paid dividends to shareholders, while WMT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.81%.
| 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% |
WMT Walmart Inc. | 0.81% | 0.84% | 0.92% | 1.45% | 1.58% | 1.52% | 1.50% | 1.78% | 2.23% | 2.07% | 2.89% | 3.20% |
Financials
BRK-A vs. WMT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Walmart Inc.. 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. WMT - 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%.
WMT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Walmart Inc. reported a gross profit of 44.69B and revenue of 177.75B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 25.1%.
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%.
WMT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Walmart Inc. reported an operating income of 7.49B and revenue of 177.75B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.2%.
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%.
WMT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Walmart Inc. reported a net income of 5.65B and revenue of 177.75B, resulting in a net margin of 3.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-A and WMT have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
WMT has higher volatility (10.26%) compared to BRK-A (3.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-A dropped -51.47% vs WMT's -77.14%.
WMT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.02 vs -0.13), 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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