BRK-B vs. IYZ
BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while IYZ (iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF) is Communications Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Telecommunications Index. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B returned 13.22%/yr vs 5.94%/yr for IYZ. At a 0.43 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BRK-B vs. IYZ - 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 IYZ's 29.57% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B has outperformed IYZ with an annualized return of 13.22%, while IYZ has yielded a comparatively lower 5.94% annualized return.
BRK-B
- 1D
- 0.71%
- 1M
- 1.07%
- YTD
- -2.67%
- 6M
- -2.06%
- 1Y
- 0.35%
- 3Y*
- 13.30%
- 5Y*
- 11.27%
- 10Y*
- 13.22%
IYZ
- 1D
- 1.27%
- 1M
- 0.83%
- YTD
- 29.57%
- 6M
- 32.60%
- 1Y
- 58.27%
- 3Y*
- 28.37%
- 5Y*
- 7.57%
- 10Y*
- 5.94%
BRK-B vs. IYZ - 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% |
IYZ iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF | 29.57% | 29.28% | 20.53% | 3.90% | -30.29% | 11.69% | 4.13% | 16.14% | -8.59% | -11.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-B and IYZ 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 | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2000 | 0.43 |
Over the past year, the correlation between BRK-B and IYZ has dropped to 0.12 - well below their long-term average of 0.43, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
BRK-B vs. IYZ — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-B
IYZ
BRK-B vs. IYZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (IYZ). 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 | IYZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.87 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.52 | -0.51 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | 6.54 | -6.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 25.99 | -26.04 |
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Drawdowns
BRK-B vs. IYZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, smaller than the maximum IYZ drawdown of -77.11%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and IYZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-B | IYZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.86% | -77.11% | +23.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.42% | -8.62% | -0.80% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.95% | -13.85% | -1.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.58% | -39.74% | +13.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.57% | -39.74% | +10.17% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.36% | -4.77% | -4.59% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.07% | -40.10% | +29.03% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.53% | 2.17% | +2.36% |
Volatility
BRK-B vs. IYZ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) is 3.95%, while iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (IYZ) has a volatility of 8.76%. This indicates that BRK-B experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IYZ 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 | IYZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.95% | 8.76% | -4.81% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.78% | 15.61% | -4.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.38% | 18.65% | -4.27% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.12% | 18.88% | -1.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.44% | 19.30% | +0.14% |
Dividends
BRK-B vs. IYZ - Dividend Comparison
BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IYZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.53%.
| 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% |
IYZ iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF | 1.53% | 2.04% | 1.94% | 2.27% | 2.55% | 2.51% | 2.60% | 2.36% | 2.15% | 3.54% | 2.27% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-B and IYZ 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.
IYZ has higher volatility (8.76%) compared to BRK-B (3.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs IYZ's -77.11%.
IYZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.02 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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