GWH vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

GWH (ESS Tech, Inc.) and BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) are both stocks. GWH operates in Electrical Equipment & Parts (Industrials), while BRK-B operates in Insurance - Diversified (Financial Services). Over the past 5 years, GWH returned -63.81%/yr vs 10.20%/yr for BRK-B. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

GWH vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ESS Tech, Inc. (GWH) and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GWH achieves a -51.06% return, which is significantly lower than BRK-B's -5.43% return.

GWH

• 1D: -6.12%
• 1M: -17.12%
• YTD: -51.06%
• 6M: -59.47%
• 1Y: -30.83%
• 3Y*: -63.49%
• 5Y*: -63.81%
• 10Y*: —

BRK-B

• 1D: 0.82%
• 1M: 1.46%
• YTD: -5.43%
• 6M: -5.61%
• 1Y: -4.51%
• 3Y*: 13.00%
• 5Y*: 10.20%
• 10Y*: 12.91%

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

GWH vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
GWH ESS Tech, Inc.	-51.06%	-68.03%	-65.61%	-53.09%	-78.76%	13.27%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	-5.43%	10.89%	27.09%	15.46%	3.31%	30.88%

Correlation

The correlation between GWH and BRK-B is 0.00, 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	0.00
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.15
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 5, 2021	0.15

The correlation between GWH and BRK-B shifts across timeframes, from 0.00 (1 year) to 0.15 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap GWH : $26.95M BRK-B : $1.03T
EPS GWH : -$2.40 BRK-B : $33.62
PS Ratio GWH : 15.65 BRK-B : 2.73
PB Ratio GWH : 2.85 BRK-B : 1.41
Total Revenue (TTM) GWH : $1.11M BRK-B : $375.39B
Gross Profit (TTM) GWH : -$32.30M BRK-B : $94.36B
EBITDA (TTM) GWH : -$47.24M BRK-B : $71.92B

Return for Risk

GWH vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

GWH

GWH Risk / Return Rank: 46
GWH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
GWH Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
GWH Omega Ratio Rank: 64
GWH Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
GWH Martin Ratio Rank: 33

BRK-B

BRK-B Risk / Return Rank: 23
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 23
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 24
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 20

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.

GWH vs. BRK-B - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ESS Tech, Inc. (GWH) and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B). 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.

	GWH	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.14	-0.32	+0.18
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.55	-0.34	+1.89
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	0.96	+0.23
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.34	-0.48	+0.14
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.47	-1.02	+0.54
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GWH vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GWH Sharpe Ratio is -0.14, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GWH and BRK-B, 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

	GWH	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.14	-0.32	+0.18
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.42	0.60	-1.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.67	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.42	0.48	-0.89

Drawdowns

GWH vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GWH drawdown since its inception was -99.78%, which is greater than BRK-B's maximum drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GWH and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	GWH	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.78%	-53.86%	-45.92%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-91.46%	-9.42%	-82.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-97.41%	-14.95%	-82.46%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-99.78%	-26.58%	-73.20%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-29.57%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-99.74%	-11.94%	-87.80%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-78.82%	-11.07%	-67.75%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	65.31%	4.57%	+60.74%

Volatility

GWH vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

ESS Tech, Inc. (GWH) has a higher volatility of 47.06% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.75%. This indicates that GWH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BRK-B based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GWH	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	47.06%	3.75%	+43.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	65.85%	10.68%	+55.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	221.52%	14.33%	+207.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	153.29%	17.11%	+136.18%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	147.35%	19.43%	+127.92%

Dividends

GWH vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

Neither GWH nor BRK-B has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

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

GWH and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GWH or BRK-B?

GWH has higher volatility (47.06%) compared to BRK-B (3.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GWH dropped -99.78% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GWH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.14 vs -0.32), 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.