BRK-B vs. VUSB
BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock, while VUSB (Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF) is Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, BRK-B returned 11.03%/yr vs 3.42%/yr for VUSB. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BRK-B vs. VUSB - 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 VUSB's 1.33% 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%
VUSB
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.20%
- YTD
- 1.33%
- 6M
- 1.71%
- 1Y
- 4.51%
- 3Y*
- 5.34%
- 5Y*
- 3.42%
- 10Y*
- —
BRK-B vs. VUSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | -3.11% | 10.89% | 27.09% | 15.46% | 3.31% | 13.66% |
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF | 1.33% | 5.20% | 5.68% | 5.52% | -0.36% | 0.08% |
Correlation
The correlation between BRK-B and VUSB is -0.05, 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 | -0.05 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 7, 2021 | 0.04 |
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Return for Risk
BRK-B vs. VUSB — Risk / Return Rank
BRK-B
VUSB
BRK-B vs. VUSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) and Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB). 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 | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -7.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -12.60 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.14 | 12.23 | -12.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.30 | 70.50 | -70.80 |
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 | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.09 | 6.95 | -7.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 | 4.12 | -3.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.68 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.48 | 4.06 | -3.58 |
Drawdowns
BRK-B vs. VUSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BRK-B drawdown since its inception was -53.86%, which is greater than VUSB's maximum drawdown of -1.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BRK-B and VUSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BRK-B | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.86% | -1.79% | -52.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.42% | -0.37% | -9.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.95% | -0.46% | -14.49% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.58% | -1.79% | -24.79% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.57% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.78% | -0.08% | -9.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.07% | -0.27% | -10.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.49% | 0.06% | +4.43% |
Volatility
BRK-B vs. VUSB - Volatility Comparison
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a higher volatility of 3.98% compared to Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) at 0.18%. This indicates that BRK-B's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VUSB 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 | VUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.98% | 0.18% | +3.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.87% | 0.53% | +10.34% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.38% | 0.65% | +13.73% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.13% | 0.83% | +16.30% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.44% | 0.82% | +18.62% |
Dividends
BRK-B vs. VUSB - Dividend Comparison
BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VUSB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.39%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VUSB Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF | 4.39% | 4.63% | 5.16% | 4.45% | 1.56% | 0.26% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BRK-B and VUSB have a correlation of -0.05, 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 VUSB (0.18%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BRK-B dropped -53.86% vs VUSB's -1.79%.
VUSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (6.95 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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