BRK-B vs. BND

Last updated Jun 6, 2026

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

Performance

BRK-B vs. BND - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

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

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%

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%

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

BRK-B vs. BND - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
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%
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%

Correlation

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

Return for Risk

BRK-B vs. BND — Risk / Return Rank

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

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

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

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-B vs. BND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND). 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-B	BND	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.01	1.16	-1.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.09	1.71	-1.62
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	1.20	-0.19
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.01	1.62	-1.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.03	4.86	-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.

BRK-B vs. BND - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BRK-B Sharpe Ratio is -0.01, which is lower than the BND Sharpe Ratio of 1.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BRK-B and BND, 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-B	BND	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.01	1.16	-1.17
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.63	0.00	+0.63
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68	0.28	+0.40
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.58	-0.10

Drawdowns

BRK-B vs. BND - Drawdown Comparison

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

Drawdown Indicators

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

Volatility

BRK-B vs. BND - Volatility Comparison

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a higher volatility of 4.08% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) at 1.23%. This indicates that BRK-B's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BND based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

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

Dividends

BRK-B vs. BND - Dividend Comparison

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

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 BRK-B and BND in my portfolio?

BRK-B and BND 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, BRK-B or BND?

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

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.