VTIP vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 6, 2026

VTIP (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF) is Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, VTIP returned 3.09%/yr vs 13.19%/yr for BRK-B. At a correlation of -0.00, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

VTIP vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) 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, VTIP achieves a 1.76% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -2.89% return. Over the past 10 years, VTIP has underperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 3.09%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively higher 13.19% annualized return.

VTIP

• 1D: -0.20%
• 1M: -0.04%
• YTD: 1.76%
• 6M: 1.81%
• 1Y: 4.45%
• 3Y*: 5.13%
• 5Y*: 3.31%
• 10Y*: 3.09%

BRK-B

• 1D: 1.98%
• 1M: 3.90%
• YTD: -2.89%
• 6M: -3.21%
• 1Y: -0.12%
• 3Y*: 13.55%
• 5Y*: 10.78%
• 10Y*: 13.19%

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

VTIP vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF	1.76%	6.07%	4.74%	4.62%	-2.94%	5.36%	4.95%	4.86%	0.56%	0.82%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	-2.89%	10.89%	27.09%	15.46%	3.31%	28.95%	2.37%	10.93%	3.01%	21.62%

Correlation

The correlation between VTIP 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	0.02
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.08
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 17, 2012	-0.00

Return for Risk

VTIP vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

VTIP

VTIP Risk / Return Rank: 93
VTIP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
VTIP Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
VTIP Omega Ratio Rank: 93
VTIP Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
VTIP Martin Ratio Rank: 93

BRK-B

BRK-B Risk / Return Rank: 38
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 32
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 41
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 41

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) 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.

	VTIP	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.96	-0.01	+2.97
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.99	0.09	+4.91
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.62	1.01	+0.61
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.39	-0.01	+6.40
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	25.19	-0.03	+25.21
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VTIP vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VTIP Sharpe Ratio is 2.96, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.01. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VTIP 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

	VTIP	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.96	-0.01	+2.97
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.20	0.63	+0.56
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	1.13	0.68	+0.45
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.89	0.48	+0.40

Drawdowns

VTIP vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VTIP drawdown since its inception was -6.27%, smaller than the maximum BRK-B drawdown of -53.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTIP and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	VTIP	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-6.27%	-53.86%	+47.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.70%	-9.42%	+8.72%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-0.98%	-14.95%	+13.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-5.50%	-26.58%	+21.08%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-6.27%	-29.57%	+23.30%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.30%	-9.57%	+9.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.04%	-11.07%	+10.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.18%	4.47%	-4.29%

Volatility

VTIP vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) is 0.46%, while Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) has a volatility of 4.08%. This indicates that VTIP 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.

Volatility by Period

	VTIP	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.46%	4.08%	-3.62%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.05%	10.87%	-9.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.51%	14.39%	-12.88%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.77%	17.13%	-14.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	2.74%	19.43%	-16.69%

Dividends

VTIP vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

VTIP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.59%, while BRK-B has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
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%
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF	3.59%	3.81%	2.70%	2.86%	6.84%	4.68%	1.20%	1.95%	2.45%	1.52%	0.76%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

VTIP 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, VTIP or BRK-B?

BRK-B has higher volatility (4.08%) compared to VTIP (0.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTIP dropped -6.27% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VTIP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.96 vs -0.01), 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.