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BRK-B vs. EFA
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

BRK-B vs. EFA

Last updated Jul 21, 2026
Documentation

BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while EFA (iShares MSCI EAFE ETF) is Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE Index (Net). Over the past 10 years, BRK-B returned 13.01%/yr vs 9.21%/yr for EFA. At a 0.48 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BRK-B vs. EFA - Performance Comparison

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

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Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BRK-B achieves a -2.27% return, which is significantly lower than EFA's 8.50% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B has outperformed EFA with an annualized return of 13.01%, while EFA has yielded a comparatively lower 9.21% annualized return.

BRK-B

1D
0.07%
1M
0.37%
6M
-0.41%
YTD
-2.27%
1Y
3.68%
3Y*
12.42%
5Y*
11.91%
10Y*
13.01%
ALL TIME*
10.58%

EFA

1D
-0.74%
1M
-1.76%
6M
4.69%
YTD
8.50%
1Y
20.06%
3Y*
15.06%
5Y*
8.83%
10Y*
9.21%
ALL TIME*
6.47%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BRK-B vs. EFA - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
BRK-B
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.		-2.27%10.89%27.09%15.46%3.31%28.95%2.37%10.93%3.01%21.62%
EFA
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF		8.50%31.55%3.49%18.36%-14.39%11.45%7.60%22.04%-13.82%25.07%

Correlation

The correlation between BRK-B and EFA is 0.11, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.11

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.32

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.46

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.53

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 17, 2001

0.48

Over the past year, the correlation between BRK-B and EFA has dropped to 0.11 - well below their long-term average of 0.48, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF

Often compared with BRK-B:
BRK-B vs. SPYBRK-B vs. VOOBRK-B vs. BRK-ABRK-B vs. QQQBRK-B vs. ^NDXBRK-B vs. VTIBRK-B vs. VGT
Often compared with EFA:
EFA vs. IEFAEFA vs. VEAEFA vs. EFGEFA vs. XEF.TOEFA vs. EFAVEFA vs. EFOEFA vs. IEUR

Return for Risk

BRK-B vs. EFA — 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: 5151
Overall Rank
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5555
Sharpe Ratio Rank
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 4646
Sortino Ratio Rank
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 4545
Omega Ratio Rank
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 5656
Calmar Ratio Rank
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 5555
Martin Ratio Rank
EFA
EFA Risk / Return Rank: 4848
Overall Rank
EFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4848
Sharpe Ratio Rank
EFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 4949
Sortino Ratio Rank
EFA Omega Ratio Rank: 4747
Omega Ratio Rank
EFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 4545
Calmar Ratio Rank
EFA Martin Ratio Rank: 5252
Martin Ratio Rank
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. EFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

BRK-BEFADifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
0.25
1.28

-1.03

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
0.45
1.87

-1.42

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.05

1.23

-0.18

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

0.39

1.76

-1.37

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

0.82

6.54

-5.72

BRK-B vs. EFA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BRK-B Sharpe Ratio is 0.25, which is lower than the EFA Sharpe Ratio of 1.28. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BRK-B and EFA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

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Drawdowns

BRK-B vs. EFA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, smaller than the maximum EFA drawdown of -61.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and EFA.

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Drawdown Indicators

BRK-BEFADifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-53.86%

-61.04%

+7.18%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-9.42%

-11.42%

+2.00%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-14.95%

-14.05%

-0.90%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-26.58%

-29.53%

+2.95%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-29.57%

-34.19%

+4.62%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-8.99%

-2.74%

-6.25%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-11.06%

-11.88%

+0.82%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

4.50%

3.07%

+1.43%

Volatility

BRK-B vs. EFA - Volatility Comparison

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a higher volatility of 4.42% compared to iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) at 4.11%. This indicates that BRK-B's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

BRK-BEFADifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

4.42%

4.11%

+0.31%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

11.07%

13.56%

-2.49%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

14.57%

15.77%

-1.20%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

17.09%

16.57%

+0.52%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

19.40%

16.98%

+2.42%

Dividends

BRK-B vs. EFA - Dividend Comparison

BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while EFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.28%.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
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%
EFA
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF		3.28%3.38%3.24%2.98%2.69%3.33%2.13%3.10%3.39%2.57%3.07%2.76%

Frequently Asked Questions

BRK-B and EFA have a correlation of 0.11, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

BRK-B has higher volatility (4.42%) compared to EFA (4.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs EFA's -61.04%.

EFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.28 vs 0.25), 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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