BRK-B vs. SOXL

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while SOXL (Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF) is Leveraged Equities fund tracking the ICE Semiconductor Index. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B returned 13.14%/yr vs 61.24%/yr for SOXL. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BRK-B vs. SOXL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BRK-B achieves a -3.11% return, which is significantly lower than SOXL's 403.07% return. Over the past 10 years, BRK-B has underperformed SOXL with an annualized return of 13.14%, while SOXL has yielded a comparatively higher 61.24% 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%

SOXL

• 1D: 15.83%
• 1M: 19.50%
• YTD: 403.07%
• 6M: 340.59%
• 1Y: 1,006.21%
• 3Y*: 112.77%
• 5Y*: 42.03%
• 10Y*: 61.24%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BRK-B vs. SOXL - 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%
SOXL Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF	403.07%	54.91%	-12.31%	226.98%	-85.66%	118.84%	70.04%	231.83%	-39.07%	141.71%

Correlation

The correlation between BRK-B and SOXL is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.13
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.06
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.26
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.36
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 12, 2010	0.44

The correlation between BRK-B and SOXL shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to 0.44 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

BRK-B vs. SOXL — 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: 35
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 30
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 37

SOXL

SOXL Risk / Return Rank: 97
SOXL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
SOXL Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
SOXL Omega Ratio Rank: 94
SOXL Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
SOXL Martin Ratio Rank: 98

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. SOXL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL). 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	SOXL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.09	9.42	-9.52
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.03	4.27	-4.30
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.00	1.61	-0.62
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.14	23.39	-23.53
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.30	78.42	-78.72
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BRK-B vs. SOXL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BRK-B Sharpe Ratio is -0.09, which is lower than the SOXL Sharpe Ratio of 9.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BRK-B and SOXL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BRK-B	SOXL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.09	9.42	-9.52
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.65	0.39	+0.26
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68	0.62	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.49	0.00

Drawdowns

BRK-B vs. SOXL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, smaller than the maximum SOXL drawdown of -90.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and SOXL.

Drawdown Indicators

	BRK-B	SOXL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-53.86%	-90.46%	+36.60%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.42%	-43.47%	+34.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.95%	-87.88%	+72.93%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.58%	-90.46%	+63.88%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-29.57%	-90.46%	+60.89%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.78%	-24.63%	+14.85%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.07%	-35.01%	+23.94%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.49%	12.94%	-8.45%

Volatility

BRK-B vs. SOXL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) is 3.98%, while Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL) has a volatility of 56.07%. This indicates that BRK-B experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SOXL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BRK-B	SOXL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.98%	56.07%	-52.09%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.87%	90.69%	-79.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.38%	108.13%	-93.75%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.13%	108.35%	-91.22%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.44%	99.68%	-80.24%

Dividends

BRK-B vs. SOXL - Dividend Comparison

BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SOXL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.04%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
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%
SOXL Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF	0.04%	0.34%	1.18%	0.51%	1.07%	0.04%	0.05%	0.38%	1.30%	0.09%	4.84%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BRK-B and SOXL in my portfolio?

BRK-B and SOXL have a correlation of -0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BRK-B or SOXL?

SOXL has higher volatility (56.07%) compared to BRK-B (3.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs SOXL's -90.46%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SOXL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (9.42 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.