VPMCX vs. BRK-B
VPMCX (Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund Investor Shares) is Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Vanguard, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, VPMCX returned 18.70%/yr vs 13.52%/yr for BRK-B. At a 0.46 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
VPMCX vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VPMCX achieves a 28.37% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -0.79% return. Over the past 10 years, VPMCX has outperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 18.70%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively lower 13.52% annualized return.
VPMCX
- 1D
- 2.33%
- 1M
- 3.79%
- YTD
- 28.37%
- 6M
- 26.87%
- 1Y
- 56.51%
- 3Y*
- 28.40%
- 5Y*
- 16.20%
- 10Y*
- 18.70%
BRK-B
- 1D
- 2.22%
- 1M
- 3.90%
- YTD
- -0.79%
- 6M
- 0.07%
- 1Y
- 2.81%
- 3Y*
- 14.14%
- 5Y*
- 12.37%
- 10Y*
- 13.52%
VPMCX vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VPMCX Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund Investor Shares | 28.37% | 29.60% | 13.23% | 28.16% | -15.22% | 21.64% | 17.16% | 27.78% | -1.99% | 28.17% |
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | -0.79% | 10.89% | 27.09% | 15.46% | 3.31% | 28.95% | 2.37% | 10.93% | 3.01% | 21.62% |
Correlation
The correlation between VPMCX and BRK-B is 0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 9, 1996 | 0.46 |
Over the past year, the correlation between VPMCX and BRK-B has dropped to 0.06 - well below their long-term average of 0.46, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
VPMCX vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank
VPMCX
BRK-B
VPMCX vs. BRK-B - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund Investor Shares (VPMCX) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VPMCX | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.84 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.57 | 1.05 | +0.53 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.93 | 0.30 | +4.63 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 22.24 | 0.62 | +21.61 |
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Drawdowns
VPMCX vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VPMCX drawdown since its inception was -50.45%, smaller than the maximum BRK-B drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VPMCX and BRK-B.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VPMCX | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.45% | -53.86% | +3.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.73% | -9.42% | -2.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.56% | -14.95% | -5.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.25% | -26.58% | +1.33% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.65% | -29.57% | -3.08% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.06% | -7.62% | +6.56% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.40% | -11.07% | +3.67% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.60% | 4.51% | -1.91% |
Volatility
VPMCX vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund Investor Shares (VPMCX) has a higher volatility of 8.98% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 4.27%. This indicates that VPMCX'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.
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Volatility by Period
| VPMCX | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.98% | 4.27% | +4.71% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.20% | 10.76% | +4.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.97% | 14.50% | +3.47% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.63% | 17.12% | +1.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.32% | 19.40% | -0.08% |
Dividends
VPMCX vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison
VPMCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.74%, 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% |
VPMCX Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund Investor Shares | 12.74% | 16.36% | 6.62% | 7.16% | 9.85% | 10.08% | 9.74% | 7.15% | 8.32% | 4.53% | 5.05% | 5.91% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VPMCX and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VPMCX has higher volatility (8.98%) compared to BRK-B (4.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VPMCX dropped -50.45% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.
VPMCX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.22 vs 0.19), 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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