VSPGX vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VSPGX (Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares) is Large Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 5 years, VSPGX returned 16.00%/yr vs 10.35%/yr for BRK-B. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

VSPGX vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSPGX) 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, VSPGX achieves a 13.73% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -4.78% return.

VSPGX

• 1D: -0.99%
• 1M: 6.53%
• YTD: 13.73%
• 6M: 13.08%
• 1Y: 33.62%
• 3Y*: 28.07%
• 5Y*: 16.00%
• 10Y*: —

BRK-B

• 1D: 0.69%
• 1M: 2.82%
• YTD: -4.78%
• 6M: -4.89%
• 1Y: -2.52%
• 3Y*: 13.36%
• 5Y*: 10.35%
• 10Y*: 12.93%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VSPGX vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VSPGX Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares	13.73%	21.91%	35.48%	30.38%	-29.46%	31.88%	33.34%	31.06%	-0.05%	23.40%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	-4.78%	10.89%	27.09%	15.46%	3.31%	28.95%	2.37%	10.93%	3.01%	21.15%

Correlation

The correlation between VSPGX and BRK-B is -0.02, 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	-0.02
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.18
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2017	0.47

The correlation between VSPGX and BRK-B shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (1 year) to 0.47 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VSPGX vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

VSPGX

VSPGX Risk / Return Rank: 48
VSPGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
VSPGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
VSPGX Omega Ratio Rank: 45
VSPGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
VSPGX Martin Ratio Rank: 50

BRK-B

BRK-B Risk / Return Rank: 31
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 34
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 28
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 27
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 32

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSPGX) 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.

	VSPGX	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.14	-0.18	+2.32
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.89	-0.15	+3.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	0.98	+0.38
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.49	-0.27	+2.76
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.37	-0.57	+10.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VSPGX vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VSPGX Sharpe Ratio is 2.14, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VSPGX 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

	VSPGX	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.14	-0.18	+2.32
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.76	0.61	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.67	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.88	0.48	+0.40

Drawdowns

VSPGX vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VSPGX drawdown since its inception was -32.73%, smaller than the maximum BRK-B drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSPGX and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	VSPGX	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.73%	-53.86%	+21.13%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.68%	-9.42%	-4.26%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.34%	-14.95%	-7.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.73%	-26.58%	-6.15%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-29.57%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.15%	-11.33%	+10.18%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.78%	-11.07%	+4.29%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.28%	4.46%	-1.18%

Volatility

VSPGX vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSPGX) has a higher volatility of 4.38% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.72%. This indicates that VSPGX'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

	VSPGX	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.38%	3.72%	+0.66%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.48%	10.70%	+1.78%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.97%	14.32%	+1.65%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.27%	17.11%	+4.16%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.35%	19.43%	+1.92%

Dividends

VSPGX vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

VSPGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.45%, while BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VSPGX Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares	0.45%	0.38%	0.50%	1.14%	0.95%	0.55%	0.89%	0.68%	0.31%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

VSPGX and BRK-B have a correlation of -0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VSPGX or BRK-B?

VSPGX has higher volatility (4.38%) compared to BRK-B (3.72%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VSPGX dropped -32.73% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VSPGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.14 vs -0.18), 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.