IVOO vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

IVOO (Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF) is Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the S&P MidCap 400 Index, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IVOO returned 11.22%/yr vs 12.82%/yr for BRK-B. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

IVOO vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF (IVOO) 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, IVOO achieves a 14.15% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -6.20% return. Over the past 10 years, IVOO has underperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 11.22%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively higher 12.82% annualized return.

IVOO

• 1D: 0.86%
• 1M: 3.31%
• YTD: 14.15%
• 6M: 15.23%
• 1Y: 27.06%
• 3Y*: 16.07%
• 5Y*: 8.27%
• 10Y*: 11.22%

BRK-B

• 1D: 0.26%
• 1M: -0.32%
• YTD: -6.20%
• 6M: -6.94%
• 1Y: -6.23%
• 3Y*: 12.69%
• 5Y*: 10.06%
• 10Y*: 12.82%

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

IVOO vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IVOO Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF	14.15%	7.47%	13.77%	16.45%	-13.17%	24.61%	13.61%	26.18%	-11.33%	16.38%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	-6.20%	10.89%	27.09%	15.46%	3.31%	28.95%	2.37%	10.93%	3.01%	21.62%

Correlation

The correlation between IVOO and BRK-B is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.42
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.55
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.61
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 2010	0.64

Over the past year, the correlation between IVOO and BRK-B has dropped to 0.22 - well below their long-term average of 0.64, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

IVOO vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

IVOO

IVOO Risk / Return Rank: 54
IVOO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
IVOO Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
IVOO Omega Ratio Rank: 48
IVOO Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
IVOO Martin Ratio Rank: 62

BRK-B

BRK-B Risk / Return Rank: 17
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 19
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 8

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF (IVOO) 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.

	IVOO	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	-0.44	+2.18
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.54	-0.51	+3.05
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	0.94	+0.37
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.06	-0.68	+3.74
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.19	-1.36	+12.55
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IVOO vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IVOO Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IVOO 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

	IVOO	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.75	-0.44	+2.18
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.42	0.59	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.53	0.66	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.62	0.48	+0.14

Drawdowns

IVOO vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IVOO drawdown since its inception was -42.33%, smaller than the maximum BRK-B drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IVOO and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	IVOO	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.33%	-53.86%	+11.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.81%	-9.42%	+0.61%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-24.22%	-14.95%	-9.27%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.22%	-26.58%	+2.36%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.33%	-29.57%	-12.76%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-12.65%	+12.65%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.27%	-11.07%	+5.80%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.41%	4.73%	-2.32%

Volatility

IVOO vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF (IVOO) has a higher volatility of 4.46% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.79%. This indicates that IVOO'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

	IVOO	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.46%	3.79%	+0.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.38%	10.68%	+0.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.56%	14.31%	+1.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.73%	17.11%	+2.62%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.20%	19.43%	+1.77%

Dividends

IVOO vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

IVOO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.19%, while BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders.

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%
IVOO Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF	1.19%	1.35%	1.30%	1.25%	1.58%	1.14%	1.23%	1.49%	1.56%	1.22%	1.37%	1.45%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

IVOO and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IVOO or BRK-B?

IVOO has higher volatility (4.46%) compared to BRK-B (3.79%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IVOO dropped -42.33% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IVOO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs -0.44), 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.