XLE vs. BRK-B

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index, while BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, XLE returned 9.91%/yr vs 13.22%/yr for BRK-B. At a 0.36 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

XLE vs. BRK-B - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) 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, XLE achieves a 29.56% return, which is significantly higher than BRK-B's -2.67% return. Over the past 10 years, XLE has underperformed BRK-B with an annualized return of 9.91%, while BRK-B has yielded a comparatively higher 13.22% annualized return.

XLE

• 1D: 0.75%
• 1M: -0.90%
• YTD: 29.56%
• 6M: 28.37%
• 1Y: 34.84%
• 3Y*: 16.18%
• 5Y*: 20.12%
• 10Y*: 9.91%

BRK-B

• 1D: 0.71%
• 1M: 1.07%
• YTD: -2.67%
• 6M: -2.06%
• 1Y: 0.35%
• 3Y*: 13.30%
• 5Y*: 11.27%
• 10Y*: 13.22%

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

XLE vs. BRK-B - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	29.56%	7.88%	5.56%	-0.63%	64.32%	53.28%	-32.67%	11.74%	-18.22%	-0.89%
BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc.	-2.67%	10.89%	27.09%	15.46%	3.31%	28.95%	2.37%	10.93%	3.01%	21.62%

Correlation

The correlation between XLE and BRK-B is 0.00, 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	0.00
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.25
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.46
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 1998	0.36

Over the past year, the correlation between XLE and BRK-B has dropped to 0.00 - well below their long-term average of 0.36, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

XLE vs. BRK-B — Risk / Return Rank

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

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 61
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 54
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 56

BRK-B

BRK-B Risk / Return Rank: 39
BRK-B Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
BRK-B Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
BRK-B Omega Ratio Rank: 33
BRK-B Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
BRK-B Martin Ratio Rank: 42

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) 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.

	XLE	BRK-B	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.82	-0.02	+1.83
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.40	0.08	+2.33
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.01	+0.29
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.10	-0.02	+3.12
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.63	-0.05	+8.68

XLE vs. BRK-B - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XLE Sharpe Ratio is 1.82, which is higher than the BRK-B Sharpe Ratio of -0.02. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XLE 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.

Drawdowns

XLE vs. BRK-B - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLE drawdown since its inception was -71.26%, 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 XLE and BRK-B.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLE	BRK-B	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-71.26%	-53.86%	-17.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.05%	-9.42%	-2.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.14%	-14.95%	-5.19%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.04%	-26.58%	+0.54%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-66.81%	-29.57%	-37.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.01%	-9.36%	+1.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.97%	-11.07%	-6.90%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.32%	4.53%	-0.21%

Volatility

XLE vs. BRK-B - Volatility Comparison

State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) has a higher volatility of 7.26% compared to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) at 3.95%. This indicates that XLE'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

	XLE	BRK-B	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.26%	3.95%	+3.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.79%	10.78%	+6.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.57%	14.38%	+6.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.05%	17.12%	+8.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	29.58%	19.44%	+10.14%

Dividends

XLE vs. BRK-B - Dividend Comparison

XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.59%, 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%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.59%	3.28%	3.36%	3.55%	3.68%	4.21%	5.62%	6.72%	3.54%	3.03%	2.26%	3.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

XLE and BRK-B have a correlation of 0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XLE or BRK-B?

XLE has higher volatility (7.26%) compared to BRK-B (3.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLE dropped -71.26% vs BRK-B's -53.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.82 vs -0.02), 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.