USMV vs. BRK-B
USMV (iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF) is Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, USMV returned 9.75%/yr vs 13.14%/yr for BRK-B. A 0.66 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
USMV vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USMV achieves a 1.55% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -3.11% return. Over the past 10 years, USMV has underperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 9.75%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively higher 13.14% annualized return.
USMV
- 1D
- -0.43%
- 1M
- 1.28%
- YTD
- 1.55%
- 6M
- 2.27%
- 1Y
- 3.18%
- 3Y*
- 11.35%
- 5Y*
- 7.21%
- 10Y*
- 9.75%
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%
USMV vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USMV iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | 1.55% | 7.65% | 15.74% | 10.33% | -9.43% | 20.85% | 5.64% | 27.69% | 1.33% | 18.91% |
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 USMV and BRK-B is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 21, 2011 | 0.66 |
Over the past year, the correlation between USMV and BRK-B has dropped to 0.43 - well below their long-term average of 0.66, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
USMV vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank
USMV
BRK-B
USMV vs. BRK-B - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) 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.
| USMV | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.47 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.07 | 1.00 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.49 | -0.14 | +0.63 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.64 | -0.30 | +1.94 |
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
| USMV | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 | -0.09 | +0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 | 0.65 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.67 | 0.68 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.48 | +0.38 |
Drawdowns
USMV vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USMV drawdown since its inception was -33.10%, smaller than the maximum BRK-B drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USMV and BRK-B.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USMV | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.10% | -53.86% | +20.76% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.46% | -9.42% | +2.96% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -9.36% | -14.95% | +5.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.93% | -26.58% | +8.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.10% | -29.57% | -3.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.24% | -9.78% | +7.54% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.88% | -11.07% | +8.19% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.94% | 4.49% | -2.55% |
Volatility
USMV vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is 2.65%, while Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a volatility of 3.98%. This indicates that USMV 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.
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Volatility by Period
| USMV | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.65% | 3.98% | -1.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.02% | 10.87% | -4.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.57% | 14.38% | -5.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.36% | 17.13% | -4.77% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.51% | 19.44% | -4.93% |
Dividends
USMV vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison
USMV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.54%, 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% |
USMV iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | 1.54% | 1.49% | 1.67% | 1.82% | 1.62% | 1.26% | 1.81% | 1.88% | 2.12% | 1.77% | 2.22% | 2.02% |
Frequently Asked Questions
USMV and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BRK-B has higher volatility (3.98%) compared to USMV (2.65%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USMV dropped -33.10% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.
USMV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.37 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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