Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A): Historical Returns

Simulation Settings
Category: Stocks
Period: April 1980 - December 2024 (~45 years)
Consolidated Returns as of 31 December 2024
Live Update available for January 2025
Currency: USD
(Change Settings)
The minimum date range must be at least 12 months. 'Date To' cannot be beyond December 2024.
Reset settings
Close
Results
30 Years
All (since April 1980)
Live
Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A)
1.00$
Initial Capital
January 1995
33.38$
Final Capital
December 2024
12.40%
Yearly Return
19.77%
Std Deviation
-44.49%
Max Drawdown
61months
Recovery Period
1.00$
Initial Capital
April 1980
2.6K$
Final Capital
December 2024
19.23%
Yearly Return
21.83%
Std Deviation
-44.49%
Max Drawdown
61months
Recovery Period
---
1 Day: ---
---
Month: ---

As of December 2024, in the previous 30 Years, the Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A) Fund obtained a 12.40% compound annual return, with a 19.77% standard deviation. It suffered a maximum drawdown of -44.49% that required 61 months to be recovered.

Disclaimer: The simulations on this website are provided in good faith but should NOT be taken as investment advice. We are not liable for any errors or actions based on this information. The authors of the website are not affiliated with the ETFs/Assets issuers. Content is for informational, educational, illustrative and entertainment purposes only.

Table of contents

The first official book of
Build wealth
with Lazy Portfolios and Passive Investing
Set your goal
Use top metrics to evaluate
Join the passive investing strategy
Exclusive new asset allocations in EUR and USD
Ready to invest smarter?
Create Your Winning Portfolio!
With data going back to 1871, optimize your investment strategy

Investment Returns as of Dec 31, 2024

The Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A) Fund guaranteed the following returns.

Returns are calculated in USD, assuming:
  • no fees or capital gain taxes.
  • dividend reinvestment, when applicable.
  • the actual US Inflation rates.
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS A (BRK.A) FUND
1 April 1980 - 31 December 2024 (~45 years)
Live Update: January 2025
Swipe left to see all data
  Chg (%) Return (%) Return (%) as of Dec 31, 2024
  1 Day Time ET(*) --- YTD
(12M)
1M 6M 1Y 5Y 10Y 30Y MAX
(~45Y)
Investment Return --- --- 25.49 -5.96 11.22 25.49 14.93 11.66 12.40 19.23
US Inflation Adjusted Return 21.95 -6.32 9.59 21.95 10.30 8.40 9.63 15.61
Returns over 1 year are annualized
(*) Eastern Time (ET - America/New York)
The live monthly return is calculated by assuming, for each asset, the weight defined by the base asset allocation.
US Inflation is updated to Dec 2024. Inflation (annualized) is YTD: 2.90% , 1Y: 2.90% , 5Y: 4.20% , 10Y: 3.01% , 30Y: 2.53%
Looking for more portfolios? Choose Your Currency and Explore!
Discover a wide range of portfolios in various currencies

Capital Growth as of Dec 31, 2024

An investment of 1$, from January 1995 to December 2024, would be worth 33.38$, with a total return of 3237.84% (12.40% annualized).

The Inflation Adjusted Capital would be 15.77$, with a net total return of 1477.07% (9.63% annualized).

Loading data
Please wait
An investment of 1$, from April 1980 to December 2024, would be worth 2618.94$, with a total return of 261794.22% (19.23% annualized).

The Inflation Adjusted Capital would be 660.33$, with a net total return of 65933.10% (15.61% annualized).

Loading data
Please wait

Investment Metrics as of Dec 31, 2024

Metrics of Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A) Fund, updated as of 31 December 2024, provide a comprehensive overview of the portfolio's performance and risk characteristics.

These metrics include detailed data on returns, volatility, drawdowns and other key performance indicators. By examining them, you can gain insights into how the portfolio has performed over various time periods and understand its risk profile.

Metrics are calculated based on monthly returns, assuming:
  • no fees or capital gain taxes.
  • dividend reinvestment, when applicable.
  • the actual US Inflation rates.
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS A (BRK.A) FUND
Advanced Metrics
1 April 1980 - 31 December 2024 (~45 years)
Swipe left to see all data
Metrics as of Dec 31, 2024
YTD
(12M)
1M 3M 6M 1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
(~45Y)
Investment Return (%)
25.49 -5.96 -1.48 11.22 25.49 14.75 14.93 11.66 10.78 12.40 19.23
Growth of 1$ 1.25 0.94 0.99 1.11 1.25 1.51 2.01 3.01 7.75 33.38 2.6K
Infl. Adjusted Return (%)
21.95 -6.32 -2.41 9.59 21.95 10.13 10.30 8.40 8.02 9.63 15.61
US Inflation (%) 2.90 0.39 0.95 1.48 2.90 4.20 4.20 3.01 2.56 2.53 3.13
Returns / Inflation rates over 1 year are annualized.
DRAWDOWN
Inflation Adjusted:
Inflation Adjusted:
Current 1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
Deepest Drawdown Depth (%) -5.96 -5.96 -23.15 -23.15 -23.15 -44.49 -44.49 -44.49
Start to Recovery (# months)
1* 1* 16 16 16 61 61 61
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 04 2022 04 2022 04 2008 01 2008 01 2008 01
Start to Bottom (# months) 1 6 6 6 14 14 14
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 09 2022 09 2022 09 2009 02 2009 02 2009 02
Bottom to End (# months) 0 10 10 10 47 47 47
End (yyyy mm) - 2023 07 2023 07 2023 07 2013 01 2013 01 2013 01
Longest Drawdown Depth (%) -5.51
same

same
-14.00
same
-43.81 -43.81
Start to Recovery (# months)
4 23 65 65
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 04 2022 04 2022 04 2015 01 2008 01 1998 07 1998 07
Start to Bottom (# months) 1 6 6 13 14 20 20
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 04 2022 09 2022 09 2016 01 2009 02 2000 02 2000 02
Bottom to End (# months) 3 10 10 10 47 45 45
End (yyyy mm) 2024 07 2023 07 2023 07 2016 11 2013 01 2003 11 2003 11
Longest negative period (# months)
4 19 19 34 61 64 64
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 03 2022 04 2022 04 2017 09 2007 11 1998 07 1998 07
End (yyyy mm) 2024 06 2023 10 2023 10 2020 06 2012 11 2003 10 2003 10
Annualized Return (%) -2.09 -1.33 -1.33 -0.54 -0.09 -0.12 -0.12
Drawdowns / Negative periods marked with * are in progress
Deepest Drawdown Depth (%) -6.32 -6.32 -25.43 -25.43 -25.43 -44.82 -46.19 -46.19
Start to Recovery (# months)
1* 1* 22 22 22 63 68 68
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 04 2022 04 2022 04 2008 01 1998 07 1998 07
Start to Bottom (# months) 1 6 6 6 14 20 20
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 09 2022 09 2022 09 2009 02 2000 02 2000 02
Bottom to End (# months) 0 16 16 16 49 48 48
End (yyyy mm) - 2024 01 2024 01 2024 01 2013 03 2004 02 2004 02
Longest Drawdown Depth (%) -5.80
same

same
-14.51
same

same

same
Start to Recovery (# months)
4 23
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 04 2022 04 2022 04 2015 01 2008 01 1998 07 1998 07
Start to Bottom (# months) 1 6 6 13 14 20 20
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 04 2022 09 2022 09 2016 01 2009 02 2000 02 2000 02
Bottom to End (# months) 3 16 16 10 49 48 48
End (yyyy mm) 2024 07 2024 01 2024 01 2016 11 2013 03 2004 02 2004 02
Longest negative period (# months)
4 21 24 40 67 159 159
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 03 2022 04 2021 06 2017 03 2006 11 1998 07 1998 07
End (yyyy mm) 2024 06 2023 12 2023 05 2020 06 2012 05 2011 09 2011 09
Annualized Return (%) -3.95 -2.57 -0.48 -0.39 -0.10 -0.15 -0.15
Drawdowns / Negative periods marked with * are in progress
RISK INDICATORS
1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
Standard Deviation (%) 18.27 20.23 20.85 17.66 17.26 19.77 21.83
Sharpe Ratio 1.11 0.54 0.60 0.57 0.54 0.51 0.70
Sortino Ratio 1.48 0.74 0.84 0.81 0.78 0.75 1.07
Ulcer Index 3.03 8.97 9.01 7.72 11.77 12.28 11.38
Ratio: Return / Standard Deviation 1.40 0.73 0.72 0.66 0.62 0.63 0.88
Ratio: Return / Deepest Drawdown 4.28 0.64 0.64 0.50 0.24 0.28 0.43
Positive Months (%)
58.33 55.55 55.00 55.00 57.08 58.88 60.70
Positive Months 7 20 33 66 137 212 326
Negative Months 5 16 27 54 103 148 211
LONG TERM RETURNS
Inflation Adjusted:
Inflation Adjusted:
1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
Best 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized 11.66 15.81 15.81 38.44
Worst 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized 7.42 1.01 1.01
Best 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized 8.40 13.19 13.19 32.04
Worst 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized 5.50 -1.54 -1.54
TIMEFRAMES
Inflation Adjusted:
Inflation Adjusted:
1M 3M 6M 1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
··· As of Dec 2024 - Over the previous 30Y
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 85.64 49.47 22.42 15.81 12.78 12.40
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -43.86 -6.49 -3.62 1.01 6.62
Positive Periods (%) 75.9 91.3 97.6 100.0 100.0 100.0
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 83.11 46.22 19.58 13.19 10.25 9.63
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -43.86 -7.56 -6.10 -1.54 4.33
Positive Periods (%) 70.7 87.6 90.6 98.3 100.0 100.0
95% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
8.25 12.84 16.16 18.61 4.04 0.00 0.00 0.00
95% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 10.62 16.94 21.96 27.66 9.84 2.98 0.00 0.00
99% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
12.14 19.58 25.68 35.01 14.20 7.07 0.00 0.00
99% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 14.61 23.86 31.75 40.99 16.59 12.22 0.00 0.00
Short term VaRs: analytical | 1+ year VaRs: historical data
Safe Withdrawal Rate (%) 74.88 25.43 15.52 8.84 5.38 12.36
Perpetual Withdrawal Rate (%) --- --- --- --- 3.08 11.58
% based on initial capital, inflation-adj. monthly withdrawals afterwards | Credits: BestRetirementPortfolio.com
··· All available data (Apr 1980 - Dec 2024)
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 125.45 64.39 52.83 38.44 30.95 22.75
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -43.86 -6.49 -3.62 1.01 6.62 12.01
Positive Periods (%) 80.4 94.4 98.5 100.0 100.0 100.0
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 119.39 59.02 48.17 32.04 26.08 18.73
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -43.86 -7.56 -6.10 -1.54 4.33 9.25
Positive Periods (%) 76.8 91.6 94.1 99.0 100.0 100.0
95% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
8.69 12.94 15.37 15.25 1.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
95% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 11.31 17.47 21.78 25.45 7.35 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
99% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
12.99 20.38 25.89 31.97 11.37 5.32 0.00 0.00 0.00
99% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 15.72 25.11 32.58 37.79 14.81 9.38 0.00 0.00 0.00
Short term VaRs: analytical | 1+ year VaRs: historical data
Safe Withdrawal Rate (%) 74.88 25.43 15.52 8.84 5.38 11.23
Perpetual Withdrawal Rate (%) --- --- --- --- 3.08 10.59
% based on initial capital, inflation-adj. monthly withdrawals afterwards | Credits: BestRetirementPortfolio.com
Terms and Definitions
  • Annualized Portfolio Return: it's the annualized geometric mean return of the portfolio.
  • Deepest/Longest Drawdown: a drawdown refers to the decline in value from a relative peak value to a relative trough. The deepest (or maximum) drawdown is the maximum observed loss from a peak to a trough of a portfolio before a new peak is attained. The longest drawdown is the period observed from a peak to the subsequent peak with the greatest duration.
  • Longest negative period: it's the maximum period for which an overall negative return has been observed.
  • Standard Deviation: it's a measure of the dispersion of returns around the mean.
  • Sharpe Ratio: it's a measure of risk-adjusted performance of the portfolio. It's calculated by dividing the excess return of the portfolio over the risk-free rate by the portfolio standard deviation. The risk-free rate here considered is the 1-3 Mth T-Bill return.
  • Sortino Ratio: another measure of risk-adjusted performance of the portfolio. It's a modification of the Sharpe Ratio (same formula but the denominator is the portfolio downside standard deviation).
  • Ulcer Index: it's a measure of downside risk that quantifies the depth and duration of drawdowns in an investment portfolio.
  • Best/Worst 10Y returns: the best and the worst 10-year return over a time frame.
  • Rolling Returns: N-year returns over a time frame, calculated over all the available data source (best, worst, % of positive returns). Each rolling period, longer than the longest negative period, yielded a non-negative minimum return.
  • Value at Risk (VaR): it's an evaluation of a cumulative worst-case loss (in absolute value), associated with a probability (95%-99%) and a time horizon. For short term, it's calculated based on the expected return and standard deviation, assuming a normal distribution of monthly returns. For long term is retrieved by the historical rolling return data.
  • Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR): it represents the average expected loss if that worst-case threshold (95%-99%) is ever crossed.
  • Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR): it's the percentage of the initial portfolio balance that can be withdrawn at the beginning of each month with inflation adjustment, without the portfolio running out of money in any case (money amount withdrawal).
    For instance: Your initial invested capital is 100.000$; withdrawal rate (annualized) is 4%. This means that, in the first month, you will withdraw 100.000 * 4% * 1/12 = 333.33$. The second month, you’ll withdraw 333.33$ plus the inflation monthly rate. You’ll continue adjusting your withdraw monthly for inflation.
  • Perpetual Withdrawal Rate (PWR): it's the percentage of the initial portfolio balance that can be withdrawn at the beginning of each month with inflation adjustment, preserving the original invested capital, adjusted for inflation too.
The first official book of
Build wealth
with Lazy Portfolios and Passive Investing

Correlations as of Dec 31, 2024

Correlation measures to what degree the returns of two assets move in relation to each other. It is a statistical measure that describes the extent to which the returns of one asset are related to the returns of another asset.

The following table shows the monthly correlations of Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A) Fund vs the main Asset Classes, over different timeframes. Columns are sortable (click on table header to sort).

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS A (BRK.A) FUND
Monthly correlations as of 31 December 2024
Swipe left to see all data
Correlation vs BRK.A
Asset Class 1 Year 5 Years 10 Years 30 Years
VTI
US Total Stock Market 0.70 0.75 0.74 0.48
SPY
US Large Cap Blend 0.67 0.77 0.76 0.50
IJH
US Mid Cap Blend 0.72 0.72 0.70 0.47
IJR
US Small Cap Blend 0.66 0.66 0.65 0.35
VNQ
US REITs 0.66 0.69 0.55 0.34
QQQ
US Technology 0.31 0.58 0.58 0.21
PFF
US Preferred Stocks 0.67 0.61 0.49 0.23
EFA
EAFE Stocks 0.70 0.74 0.68 0.40
VT
World All Countries 0.70 0.76 0.73 0.48
EEM
Emerging Markets -0.06 0.46 0.47 0.27
BND
US Total Bond Market 0.55 0.33 0.19 0.09
TLT
US Long Term Treasuries 0.59 0.12 -0.02 -0.03
BIL
US Cash 0.39 -0.01 0.02 0.08
TIP
US TIPS 0.51 0.45 0.30 0.11
LQD
US Invest. Grade Bonds 0.56 0.44 0.34 0.13
HYG
US High Yield Bonds 0.59 0.65 0.61 0.27
CWB
US Convertible Bonds 0.54 0.57 0.58 0.32
BNDX
International Bonds 0.45 0.34 0.22 0.08
EMB
Emerg. Market Bonds 0.65 0.57 0.47 0.24
GLD
Gold -0.10 0.18 0.08 -0.02
DBC
Commodities -0.57 0.48 0.40 0.08
Terms and Definitions
Correlation values range between -1 and +1
  • A correlation of +1 indicates that the returns of the two assets move in perfect synchrony; when one asset's returns go up, the other asset's returns also go up by the same percentage, and vice versa. This perfect positive correlation implies that the assets perform similarly in different market conditions.
  • A correlation of -1 indicates a perfect inverse relationship between the returns of the two assets. When one asset's returns go up, the other asset's returns go down by the same percentage. This perfect negative correlation suggests that the assets move in opposite directions, providing a diversification benefit by reducing overall portfolio risk.
  • A correlation of 0 means that there is no linear relationship between the returns of the two assets. The returns of one asset do not predict the returns of the other.
Learn about historical correlations here: see how the main asset classes relate to each other.

Drawdowns

A drawdown refers to the decline in value from a relative peak value to a relative trough. A maximum drawdown is the maximum observed loss from a peak to a trough of a portfolio before a new peak is attained.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS A (BRK.A) FUND
Drawdown periods
Drawdown periods - Inflation Adjusted
1 January 1995 - 31 December 2024 (30 Years)
1 April 1980 - 31 December 2024 (~45 years)
Inflation Adjusted:

Loading data
Please wait
Swipe left to see all data

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait
Swipe left to see all data

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait
Swipe left to see all data

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait
Swipe left to see all data

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Rolling Returns

For a detailed rolling return analysis, click here
Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A) Fund: Rolling Returns

A rolling return is a measure of investment performance that calculates the return of an investment over a set period of time, with the starting date rolling forward. This approach can provide a more accurate representation of the investment's historical performance and helps investors to evaluate the investment's consistency over time.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS A (BRK.A) FUND
Annualized Rolling Returns
Annualized Rolling Returns - Inflation Adjusted
1 January 1995 - 31 December 2024 (30 Years)
1 April 1980 - 31 December 2024 (~45 years)
Inflation Adjusted:

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait
The values shown for the rolling periods represent key statistical points: the minimum, maximum, median, and the 15th and 85th percentiles. These percentiles give insight into the distribution of the data, indicating the range within which the central 70% of the values lie, while the median represents the middle value.

Seasonality

In which months is it better to invest in Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A) Fund?

Both the Average Return and the Gain Frequency (Win %) are useful to get an idea of what happened in the past. They are retrieved considering the time period from April 1980 to December 2024.

Swipe left to see all data

Loading data
Please wait
Swipe left to see all data

Loading data
Please wait
Swipe left to see all data

Loading data
Please wait
For further information about the seasonality, check the Asset Class Seasonality page.

Monthly Returns

This section provides a visual/tabular representation of the performance variability in the Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class A (BRK.A) Fund over time. It illustrates the distribution of monthly returns, showcasing the range and frequency of positive and negative returns.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS A (BRK.A) FUND
Monthly Returns Distribution
1 January 1995 - 31 December 2024 (30 Years)
1 April 1980 - 31 December 2024 (~45 years)
212 Positive Months (59%) - 148 Negative Months (41%)
326 Positive Months (61%) - 211 Negative Months (39%)

Loading data
Please wait

Loading data
Please wait
Swipe left to see all data
(Scroll down to see all data)

Loading data
Please wait
The first official book of
Build wealth
with Lazy Portfolios and Passive Investing