BRK-B vs. IWR
BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while IWR (iShares Russell Midcap ETF) is Mid Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell Midcap Index. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B returned 13.14%/yr vs 11.41%/yr for IWR. A 0.53 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
BRK-B vs. IWR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BRK-B achieves a -3.11% return, which is significantly lower than IWR's 10.71% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B has outperformed IWR with an annualized return of 13.14%, while IWR has yielded a comparatively lower 11.41% annualized return.
BRK-B
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- 2.32%
- YTD
- -3.11%
- 6M
- -2.06%
- 1Y
- -1.32%
- 3Y*
- 13.25%
- 5Y*
- 11.03%
- 10Y*
- 13.14%
IWR
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 1.05%
- YTD
- 10.71%
- 6M
- 10.50%
- 1Y
- 19.23%
- 3Y*
- 16.25%
- 5Y*
- 7.68%
- 10Y*
- 11.41%
BRK-B vs. IWR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | -3.11% | 10.89% | 27.09% | 15.46% | 3.31% | 28.95% | 2.37% | 10.93% | 3.01% | 21.62% |
IWR iShares Russell Midcap ETF | 10.71% | 10.37% | 15.21% | 17.05% | -17.48% | 22.44% | 16.93% | 30.23% | -9.10% | 18.25% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-B and IWR is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.61 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 20, 2001 | 0.53 |
Over the past year, the correlation between BRK-B and IWR has dropped to 0.22 - well below their long-term average of 0.53, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
BRK-B vs. IWR — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-B
IWR
BRK-B vs. IWR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and iShares Russell Midcap ETF (IWR). 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 | IWR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.52 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.25 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.14 | 2.37 | -2.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.30 | 9.09 | -9.39 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| BRK-B | IWR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.09 | 1.43 | -1.52 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 | 0.42 | +0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.68 | 0.59 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.48 | 0.49 | -0.01 |
Drawdowns
BRK-B vs. IWR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, smaller than the maximum IWR drawdown of -58.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and IWR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-B | IWR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.86% | -58.78% | +4.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.42% | -8.17% | -1.25% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.95% | -21.09% | +6.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.58% | -26.18% | -0.40% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.57% | -40.59% | +11.02% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.78% | -2.04% | -7.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.07% | -7.80% | -3.27% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.49% | 2.12% | +2.37% |
Volatility
BRK-B vs. IWR - Volatility Comparison
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a higher volatility of 3.98% compared to iShares Russell Midcap ETF (IWR) at 3.59%. This indicates that BRK-B's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IWR 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 | IWR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.98% | 3.59% | +0.39% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.87% | 10.06% | +0.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.38% | 13.54% | +0.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.13% | 18.25% | -1.12% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.44% | 19.38% | +0.06% |
Dividends
BRK-B vs. IWR - Dividend Comparison
BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IWR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.17%.
| 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% |
IWR iShares Russell Midcap ETF | 1.17% | 1.29% | 1.27% | 1.43% | 1.59% | 1.04% | 1.28% | 1.43% | 1.98% | 1.52% | 1.72% | 1.59% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-B and IWR have a correlation of 0.22, 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 (3.98%) compared to IWR (3.59%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs IWR's -58.78%.
IWR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.43 vs -0.09), 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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