IYF vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IYF (iShares U.S. Financials ETF) is Financials Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Financials Index, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IYF returned 12.56%/yr vs 12.91%/yr for BRK-B. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

IYF vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Financials ETF (IYF) and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with IYF having a -5.20% return and BRK-B slightly lower at -5.43%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with IYF having a 12.56% annualized return and BRK-B not far ahead at 12.91%.

IYF

• 1D: -1.13%
• 1M: -1.00%
• YTD: -5.20%
• 6M: -3.00%
• 1Y: 5.96%
• 3Y*: 20.58%
• 5Y*: 9.52%
• 10Y*: 12.56%

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)

IYF vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IYF iShares U.S. Financials ETF	-5.20%	18.25%	31.30%	15.32%	-11.33%	31.60%	-1.00%	31.86%	-9.39%	19.58%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	-5.43%	10.89%	27.09%	15.46%	3.31%	28.95%	2.37%	10.93%	3.01%	21.62%

Correlation

The correlation between IYF and BRK-B is 0.48, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.48
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.66
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 30, 2000	0.59

The correlation between IYF and BRK-B shifts across timeframes, from 0.48 (1 year) to 0.78 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

IYF vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

IYF

IYF Risk / Return Rank: 14
IYF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 15
IYF Sortino Ratio Rank: 14
IYF Omega Ratio Rank: 14
IYF Calmar Ratio Rank: 14
IYF Martin Ratio Rank: 14

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Financials ETF (IYF) 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.

	IYF	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.42	-0.32	+0.73
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.65	-0.34	+0.99
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	0.96	+0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.43	-0.48	+0.91
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.18	-1.02	+2.20
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IYF vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IYF Sharpe Ratio is 0.42, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IYF 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

	IYF	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.42	-0.32	+0.73
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50	0.60	-0.10
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.60	0.67	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.22	0.48	-0.26

Drawdowns

IYF vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IYF drawdown since its inception was -79.09%, 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 IYF and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	IYF	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-79.09%	-53.86%	-25.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.88%	-9.42%	-4.46%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.60%	-14.95%	-1.65%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.06%	-26.58%	+1.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.57%	-29.57%	-13.00%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.10%	-11.94%	+3.84%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.61%	-11.07%	-6.54%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.06%	4.57%	+0.49%

Volatility

IYF vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares U.S. Financials ETF (IYF) is 3.41%, while Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a volatility of 3.75%. This indicates that IYF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BRK-B based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IYF	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.41%	3.75%	-0.34%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.80%	10.68%	+0.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.34%	14.33%	+0.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.00%	17.11%	+1.89%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.89%	19.43%	+1.46%

Dividends

IYF vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

IYF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.57%, 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%
IYF iShares U.S. Financials ETF	1.57%	1.32%	1.29%	1.67%	1.86%	1.27%	1.72%	1.64%	1.90%	1.46%	1.67%	1.66%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

IYF and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IYF or BRK-B?

BRK-B has higher volatility (3.75%) compared to IYF (3.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYF dropped -79.09% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IYF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.42 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.