BRK-B vs. ITA
BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) is Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B returned 13.22%/yr vs 15.34%/yr for ITA. A 0.54 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
BRK-B vs. ITA - 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 ITA's 8.97% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B has underperformed ITA with an annualized return of 13.22%, while ITA has yielded a comparatively higher 15.34% annualized return.
BRK-B
- 1D
- 0.71%
- 1M
- 1.36%
- YTD
- -2.67%
- 6M
- -2.06%
- 1Y
- 0.35%
- 3Y*
- 13.30%
- 5Y*
- 11.27%
- 10Y*
- 13.22%
ITA
- 1D
- -0.95%
- 1M
- 4.16%
- YTD
- 8.97%
- 6M
- 11.71%
- 1Y
- 30.42%
- 3Y*
- 27.30%
- 5Y*
- 16.86%
- 10Y*
- 15.34%
BRK-B vs. ITA - 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% |
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 8.97% | 48.64% | 15.81% | 14.33% | 9.96% | 9.39% | -13.57% | 30.51% | -7.22% | 35.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-B and ITA is 0.09, 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 | 0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 5, 2006 | 0.54 |
Over the past year, the correlation between BRK-B and ITA has dropped to 0.09 - well below their long-term average of 0.54, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
BRK-B vs. ITA — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-B
ITA
BRK-B vs. ITA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA). 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 | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.03 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.25 | -0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | 1.97 | -1.99 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 5.20 | -5.25 |
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Drawdowns
BRK-B vs. ITA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, smaller than the maximum ITA drawdown of -59.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and ITA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-B | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.86% | -59.72% | +5.86% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.42% | -15.82% | +6.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.95% | -15.82% | +0.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.58% | -18.72% | -7.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.57% | -51.00% | +21.43% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.36% | -6.64% | -2.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.07% | -9.45% | -1.62% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.53% | 5.97% | -1.44% |
Volatility
BRK-B vs. ITA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) is 3.95%, while iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has a volatility of 9.07%. This indicates that BRK-B experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ITA 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 | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.95% | 9.07% | -5.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.78% | 18.47% | -7.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.38% | 21.74% | -7.36% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.12% | 20.21% | -3.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.44% | 23.22% | -3.78% |
Dividends
BRK-B vs. ITA - Dividend Comparison
BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ITA'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% |
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.46% | 0.55% | 0.85% | 0.93% | 0.95% | 0.82% | 1.07% | 1.54% | 1.13% | 0.91% | 1.07% | 1.04% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-B and ITA have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ITA has higher volatility (9.07%) compared to BRK-B (3.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs ITA's -59.72%.
ITA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.43 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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