WAFD vs. BRK-B
WAFD (Washington Federal, Inc.) and BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Financial Services sector — WAFD in Banks - Regional, BRK-B in Insurance - Diversified. Over the past 10 years, WAFD returned 6.56%/yr vs 12.91%/yr for BRK-B. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
WAFD vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, WAFD achieves a 9.63% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -5.43% return. Over the past 10 years, WAFD has underperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 6.56%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively higher 12.91% annualized return.
WAFD
- 1D
- -2.23%
- 1M
- -1.15%
- YTD
- 9.63%
- 6M
- 9.26%
- 1Y
- 23.91%
- 3Y*
- 10.67%
- 5Y*
- 3.88%
- 10Y*
- 6.56%
BRK-B
- 1D
- 0.82%
- 1M
- 1.46%
- YTD
- -5.43%
- 6M
- -5.61%
- 1Y
- -4.51%
- 3Y*
- 13.00%
- 5Y*
- 10.20%
- 10Y*
- 12.91%
WAFD vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WAFD Washington Federal, Inc. | 9.63% | 2.99% | 1.09% | 1.74% | 3.39% | 33.50% | -27.26% | 40.64% | -20.30% | 2.26% |
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | -5.43% | 10.89% | 27.09% | 15.46% | 3.31% | 28.95% | 2.37% | 10.93% | 3.01% | 21.62% |
Correlation
The correlation between WAFD and BRK-B is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 10, 1996 | 0.38 |
The correlation between WAFD and BRK-B shifts across timeframes, from 0.34 (1 year) to 0.52 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
WAFD:
$2.61B
BRK-B:
$1.03T
WAFD:
$3.24
BRK-B:
$33.62
WAFD:
10.65
BRK-B:
14.14
WAFD:
1.74
BRK-B:
0.55
WAFD:
2.59
BRK-B:
2.73
WAFD:
$1.04B
BRK-B:
$375.39B
WAFD:
$557.58M
BRK-B:
$94.36B
WAFD:
$224.92M
BRK-B:
$71.92B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
WAFD vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank
WAFD
BRK-B
WAFD vs. BRK-B - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Washington Federal, Inc. (WAFD) 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.
| WAFD | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.30 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.90 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 0.96 | +0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.86 | -0.48 | +2.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.53 | -1.02 | +6.55 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| WAFD | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.99 | -0.32 | +1.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 | 0.60 | -0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.21 | 0.67 | -0.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.20 | 0.48 | -0.28 |
Drawdowns
WAFD vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WAFD drawdown since its inception was -61.56%, 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 WAFD and BRK-B.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| WAFD | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.56% | -53.86% | -7.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.90% | -9.42% | -3.48% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.63% | -14.95% | -19.68% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.01% | -26.58% | -9.43% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.53% | -29.57% | -15.96% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.89% | -11.94% | +8.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -11.07% | -4.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.34% | 4.57% | -0.23% |
Volatility
WAFD vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison
Washington Federal, Inc. (WAFD) has a higher volatility of 5.39% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.75%. This indicates that WAFD'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.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| WAFD | BRK-B | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.39% | 3.75% | +1.64% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.52% | 10.68% | +6.84% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.38% | 14.33% | +10.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.28% | 17.11% | +13.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.12% | 19.43% | +11.69% |
Dividends
WAFD vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison
WAFD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.12%, 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% |
WAFD Washington Federal, Inc. | 3.12% | 3.37% | 3.23% | 3.03% | 2.86% | 2.76% | 3.42% | 2.24% | 2.62% | 2.48% | 1.63% | 2.18% |
Financials
WAFD vs. BRK-B - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Washington Federal, Inc. and Berkshire Hathaway Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
Frequently Asked Questions
WAFD and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
WAFD has higher volatility (5.39%) compared to BRK-B (3.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WAFD dropped -61.56% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.
WAFD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.99 vs -0.32), 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.
Find the right allocation for WAFD and BRK-B
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer