BRK-B vs. GE
BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) and GE (General Electric Company) are both stocks. BRK-B operates in Insurance - Diversified (Financial Services), while GE operates in Specialty Industrial Machinery (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, BRK-B returned 13.22%/yr vs 9.96%/yr for GE. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BRK-B vs. GE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BRK-B achieves a -2.67% return, which is significantly lower than GE's 9.01% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B has outperformed GE with an annualized return of 13.22%, while GE has yielded a comparatively lower 9.96% annualized return.
BRK-B
- 1D
- 0.71%
- 1M
- 0.77%
- YTD
- -2.67%
- 6M
- -2.06%
- 1Y
- -0.22%
- 3Y*
- 13.30%
- 5Y*
- 11.27%
- 10Y*
- 13.22%
GE
- 1D
- 0.76%
- 1M
- 13.77%
- YTD
- 9.01%
- 6M
- 12.13%
- 1Y
- 40.45%
- 3Y*
- 58.72%
- 5Y*
- 38.14%
- 10Y*
- 9.96%
BRK-B vs. GE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | -2.67% | 10.89% | 27.09% | 15.46% | 3.31% | 28.95% | 2.37% | 10.93% | 3.01% | 21.62% |
GE General Electric Company | 9.01% | 85.73% | 64.83% | 95.71% | -10.92% | 9.69% | -2.73% | 54.00% | -55.39% | -42.92% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-B and GE is 0.12, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 9, 1996 | 0.37 |
Over the past year, the correlation between BRK-B and GE has dropped to 0.12 - well below their long-term average of 0.37, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
BRK-B:
$1.06T
GE:
$351.79B
BRK-B:
$33.62
GE:
$8.15
BRK-B:
14.55
GE:
41.14
BRK-B:
0.56
GE:
0.01
BRK-B:
2.81
GE:
7.37
BRK-B:
1.45
GE:
19.48
BRK-B:
$375.39B
GE:
$48.35B
BRK-B:
$94.36B
GE:
$16.84B
BRK-B:
$71.92B
GE:
$11.01B
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Return for Risk
BRK-B vs. GE — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-B
GE
BRK-B vs. GE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and General Electric Company (GE). 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-B | GE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.30 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.23 | -0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | 1.95 | -1.97 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 5.26 | -5.31 |
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Drawdowns
BRK-B vs. GE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, smaller than the maximum GE drawdown of -85.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and GE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-B | GE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.86% | -85.53% | +31.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.42% | -20.85% | +11.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.95% | -21.36% | +6.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.58% | -44.94% | +18.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.57% | -81.18% | +51.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.36% | -2.88% | -6.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.07% | -25.78% | +14.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.53% | 7.71% | -3.18% |
Volatility
BRK-B vs. GE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) is 3.95%, while General Electric Company (GE) has a volatility of 11.02%. This indicates that BRK-B experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BRK-B | GE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.95% | 11.02% | -7.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.78% | 27.28% | -16.50% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.38% | 31.64% | -17.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.12% | 31.13% | -14.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.44% | 36.37% | -16.93% |
Dividends
BRK-B vs. GE - Dividend Comparison
BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while GE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.46%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
GE General Electric Company | 0.46% | 0.47% | 0.67% | 0.25% | 0.38% | 0.34% | 0.37% | 4.12% | 4.89% | 4.81% | 2.94% | 2.95% |
Financials
BRK-B vs. GE - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and General Electric Company. 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-B vs. GE - Profitability Comparison
BRK-B - 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 26.98B and revenue of 93.68B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 28.8%.
GE - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Electric Company reported a gross profit of 3.85B and revenue of 12.39B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 31.0%.
BRK-B - 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 15.05B and revenue of 93.68B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.1%.
GE - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Electric Company reported an operating income of 1.70B and revenue of 12.39B, resulting in an operating margin of 13.7%.
BRK-B - 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 10.18B and revenue of 93.68B, resulting in a net margin of 10.9%.
GE - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Electric Company reported a net income of 1.94B and revenue of 12.39B, resulting in a net margin of 15.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-B and GE have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GE has higher volatility (11.02%) compared to BRK-B (3.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs GE's -85.53%.
GE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.29 vs -0.02), 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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