IAU vs. BRK-B
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 12.71%/yr vs 13.14%/yr for BRK-B. At a correlation of -0.01, they often move in opposite directions.
Performance
IAU vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a 0.26% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -3.11% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with IAU having a 12.71% annualized return and BRK-B not far ahead at 13.14%.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- -8.43%
- YTD
- 0.26%
- 6M
- 3.08%
- 1Y
- 30.27%
- 3Y*
- 29.88%
- 5Y*
- 17.71%
- 10Y*
- 12.71%
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%
IAU vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.26% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
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% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and BRK-B is -0.04, 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 | -0.04 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.00 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | -0.01 |
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
BRK-B
IAU vs. BRK-B - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) 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.
| IAU | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.23 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.55 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.00 | +0.23 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.52 | -0.14 | +1.66 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.80 | -0.30 | +4.10 |
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
| IAU | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.14 | -0.09 | +1.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.99 | 0.65 | +0.34 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.80 | 0.68 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.61 | 0.48 | +0.13 |
Drawdowns
IAU vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum BRK-B drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and BRK-B.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -53.86% | +8.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.04% | -9.42% | -10.62% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.04% | -14.95% | -5.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.93% | -26.58% | +5.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.82% | -29.57% | +7.75% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -19.88% | -9.78% | -10.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -11.07% | -4.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.99% | 4.49% | +3.50% |
Volatility
IAU vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 5.64% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.98%. This indicates that IAU'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.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.64% | 3.98% | +1.66% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.33% | 10.87% | +12.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.68% | 14.38% | +12.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.02% | 17.13% | +0.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.94% | 19.44% | -3.50% |
Dividends
IAU vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison
Neither IAU nor BRK-B has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and BRK-B have a correlation of -0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (5.64%) compared to BRK-B (3.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.14 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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