VGENX vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

VGENX (Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares) is Energy Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, VGENX returned 9.30%/yr vs 12.82%/yr for BRK-B. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

VGENX vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares (VGENX) 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, VGENX achieves a 18.56% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -6.20% return. Over the past 10 years, VGENX has underperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 9.30%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively higher 12.82% annualized return.

VGENX

• 1D: 0.30%
• 1M: -4.52%
• YTD: 18.56%
• 6M: 17.84%
• 1Y: 31.44%
• 3Y*: 27.63%
• 5Y*: 21.74%
• 10Y*: 9.30%

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)

VGENX vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VGENX Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares	18.56%	20.67%	30.25%	8.78%	23.59%	27.71%	-30.85%	13.23%	-17.19%	3.22%
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 VGENX and BRK-B is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.13
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.33
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.47
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.51
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 10, 1996	0.38

Over the past year, the correlation between VGENX and BRK-B has dropped to 0.13 - well below their long-term average of 0.38, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

VGENX vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

VGENX

VGENX Risk / Return Rank: 84
VGENX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VGENX Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
VGENX Omega Ratio Rank: 72
VGENX Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
VGENX Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares (VGENX) 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.

	VGENX	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.72	-0.44	+3.15
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.70	-0.51	+4.20
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	0.94	+0.54
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.77	-0.68	+6.45
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	20.21	-1.36	+21.57
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VGENX vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VGENX Sharpe Ratio is 2.72, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VGENX 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

	VGENX	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.72	-0.44	+3.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.17	0.59	+0.58
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40	0.66	-0.26
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.44	0.48	-0.04

Drawdowns

VGENX vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VGENX drawdown since its inception was -65.37%, 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 VGENX and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGENX	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-65.37%	-53.86%	-11.51%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.71%	-9.42%	+3.71%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.30%	-14.95%	+2.65%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.72%	-26.58%	+6.86%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-61.19%	-29.57%	-31.62%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.43%	-12.65%	+7.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.94%	-11.07%	-3.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.63%	4.73%	-3.10%

Volatility

VGENX vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares (VGENX) has a higher volatility of 4.75% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.79%. This indicates that VGENX'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

	VGENX	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.75%	3.79%	+0.96%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.17%	10.68%	-0.51%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.11%	14.31%	-2.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.70%	17.11%	+1.59%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.20%	19.43%	+3.77%

Dividends

VGENX vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

VGENX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.23%, 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%
VGENX Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares	7.23%	4.71%	33.96%	6.83%	4.63%	3.63%	4.46%	3.30%	2.96%	2.96%	1.84%	2.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

VGENX and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VGENX or BRK-B?

VGENX has higher volatility (4.75%) compared to BRK-B (3.79%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGENX dropped -65.37% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VGENX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.72 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.