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

BRK-B vs. IJR

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while IJR (iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF) is Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B returned 13.22%/yr vs 11.16%/yr for IJR. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BRK-B vs. IJR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR). 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 -2.67% return, which is significantly lower than IJR's 19.73% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B has outperformed IJR with an annualized return of 13.22%, while IJR has yielded a comparatively lower 11.16% 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%

IJR

1D
0.97%
1M
6.20%
YTD
19.73%
6M
16.47%
1Y
34.35%
3Y*
14.75%
5Y*
6.25%
10Y*
11.16%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BRK-B vs. IJR - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
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%
IJR
iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF		19.73%5.89%8.63%16.06%-16.20%26.58%11.28%22.82%-8.51%13.15%

Correlation

The correlation between BRK-B and IJR is 0.25, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

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

0.25

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

0.41

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

0.54

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

0.58

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2000

0.49

Over the past year, the correlation between BRK-B and IJR has dropped to 0.25 - well below their long-term average of 0.49, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap 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 IJR:
IJR vs. IWMIJR vs. VBIJR vs. AVUVIJR vs. IJSIJR vs. IJHIJR vs. SCHAIJR vs. VBR

Return for Risk

BRK-B vs. IJR — 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: 3939
Overall Rank
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4242
Sharpe Ratio Rank
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 3434
Sortino Ratio Rank
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 3333
Omega Ratio Rank
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 4242
Calmar Ratio Rank
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 4242
Martin Ratio Rank
IJR
IJR Risk / Return Rank: 7474
Overall Rank
IJR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6969
Sharpe Ratio Rank
IJR Sortino Ratio Rank: 7272
Sortino Ratio Rank
IJR Omega Ratio Rank: 6464
Omega Ratio Rank
IJR Calmar Ratio Rank: 8484
Calmar Ratio Rank
IJR Martin Ratio Rank: 7979
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. IJR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR). 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-BIJRDifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
-0.02
1.94

-1.96

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
0.08
2.80

-2.72

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.01

1.33

-0.32

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

-0.02

3.97

-4.00

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

-0.05

13.35

-13.40

BRK-B vs. IJR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BRK-B Sharpe Ratio is -0.02, which is lower than the IJR Sharpe Ratio of 1.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BRK-B and IJR, 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. IJR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, smaller than the maximum IJR drawdown of -58.15%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and IJR.

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Drawdown Indicators

BRK-BIJRDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-53.86%

-58.15%

+4.29%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-9.42%

-8.68%

-0.74%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-14.95%

-28.02%

+13.07%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-26.58%

-28.02%

+1.44%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-29.57%

-44.36%

+14.79%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-9.36%

0.00%

-9.36%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-11.07%

-9.27%

-1.80%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

4.53%

2.59%

+1.94%

Volatility

BRK-B vs. IJR - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) is 3.95%, while iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) has a volatility of 5.18%. This indicates that BRK-B experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IJR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

BRK-BIJRDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

3.95%

5.18%

-1.23%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

10.78%

11.97%

-1.19%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

14.38%

17.76%

-3.38%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

17.12%

21.43%

-4.31%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

19.44%

22.92%

-3.48%

Dividends

BRK-B vs. IJR - Dividend Comparison

BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IJR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.11%.

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%
IJR
iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF		1.11%1.44%2.05%1.31%1.41%1.53%1.11%1.44%1.58%1.20%1.22%1.48%

Frequently Asked Questions

BRK-B and IJR have a correlation of 0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

IJR has higher volatility (5.18%) compared to BRK-B (3.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs IJR's -58.15%.

IJR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.94 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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