PFG vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

PFG (Principal Financial Group, Inc.) and BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Insurance - Diversified industry within the Financial Services sector. Over the past 10 years, PFG returned 13.34%/yr vs 12.82%/yr for BRK-B. A 0.52 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

PFG vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) 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, PFG achieves a 19.11% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -6.20% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with PFG having a 13.34% annualized return and BRK-B not far behind at 12.82%.

PFG

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: 3.01%
• YTD: 19.11%
• 6M: 25.79%
• 1Y: 39.15%
• 3Y*: 18.30%
• 5Y*: 13.45%
• 10Y*: 13.34%

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)

PFG vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PFG Principal Financial Group, Inc.	19.11%	18.38%	1.87%	-2.83%	20.10%	51.35%	-5.19%	29.71%	-34.96%	25.52%
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 PFG and BRK-B is 0.32, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.32
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.50
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2001	0.52

Over the past year, the correlation between PFG and BRK-B has dropped to 0.32 - well below their long-term average of 0.52, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Fundamentals

Market Cap PFG : $22.76B BRK-B : $1.02T
EPS PFG : $6.97 BRK-B : $33.62
PE Ratio PFG : 14.81 BRK-B : 14.03
PEG Ratio PFG : 0.21 BRK-B : 0.54
PS Ratio PFG : 1.92 BRK-B : 2.71
PB Ratio PFG : 1.93 BRK-B : 1.40
Total Revenue (TTM) PFG : $12.07B BRK-B : $375.39B
Gross Profit (TTM) PFG : $5.76B BRK-B : $94.36B
EBITDA (TTM) PFG : $1.39B BRK-B : $71.92B

Return for Risk

PFG vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

PFG

PFG Risk / Return Rank: 84
PFG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
PFG Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
PFG Omega Ratio Rank: 81
PFG Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
PFG Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) 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.

	PFG	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.83	-0.44	+2.27
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.41	-0.51	+2.92
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	0.94	+0.38
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.25	-0.68	+3.93
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.53	-1.36	+11.89
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PFG vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFG Sharpe Ratio is 1.83, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFG 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

	PFG	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.83	-0.44	+2.27
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.51	0.59	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.42	0.66	-0.24
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.48	-0.25

Drawdowns

PFG vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFG drawdown since its inception was -91.50%, 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 PFG and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFG	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-91.50%	-53.86%	-37.64%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.96%	-9.42%	-2.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.43%	-14.95%	-7.48%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.32%	-26.58%	-2.74%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-64.73%	-29.57%	-35.16%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.55%	-12.65%	+12.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.87%	-11.07%	-10.80%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.69%	4.73%	-1.04%

Volatility

PFG vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) has a higher volatility of 4.49% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.79%. This indicates that PFG'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

	PFG	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.49%	3.79%	+0.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.50%	10.68%	+4.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.51%	14.31%	+7.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.59%	17.11%	+9.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	31.95%	19.43%	+12.52%

Dividends

PFG vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

PFG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.09%, 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%
PFG Principal Financial Group, Inc.	3.09%	3.49%	3.68%	3.30%	3.05%	3.37%	4.52%	3.96%	4.75%	2.65%	2.78%	3.33%

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

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

PFG and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PFG or BRK-B?

PFG has higher volatility (4.49%) compared to BRK-B (3.79%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFG dropped -91.50% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PFG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.83 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.