Berkshire Hathaway CEO (BRK.A -0.76%) (BRK.B -0.69%) Warren Buffett has a well-earned reputation as one of the world's best business pickers. From 1965 to 2022, Buffett's business acumen helped Berkshire's shares deliver an astounding compound annual return of 19.8%.
If you bought a fund tracking the benchmark S&P 500 and reinvested the dividends over this period, you'd still only end up with an average compound annual return of 9.9%. That's a testament to Buffett's uncanny skill as an investor.
Nonetheless, the Oracle of Omaha himself has often said that most investors should simply buy a low-cost index fund that tracks the S&P 500 and call it a day. In Berkshire's 2013 annual letter, for instance, he specifically recommended the Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VOO 1.00%) for its low fees and nearly identical performance to its benchmark index.
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Should investors heed Buffett's advice or is Berkshire stock still a better growth vehicle than this popular indexed exchange-traded fund (ETF)? Let's dig deeper to find out.
Berkshire's investing thesis is changing with age
Berkshire is a diversified conglomerate that has investments in various sectors, such as insurance and energy, technology, and consumer goods, as well as large holdings of U.S. treasuries, U.S. and foreign equities, and a lot of cash. Its stock is designed to withstand both unforeseen economic shocks and normal economic downturns that occur in business cycles.
However, Berkshire does face some unique challenges due to its girth. The company has struggled to find attractive opportunities that can move the needle for its massive portfolio since the turn of the century. As a result, its stock has lagged behind the market at times over this period.
Buffett and analysts alike have acknowledged this reality and pointed to the company's size as a limiting factor. This is a key reason Apple has become the dominant position in Berkshire's stock portfolio in recent years, as it's one of the few growth companies that can match its scale.
Over the last 10 years, Berkshire stock hasn't been able to produce higher returns on capital than the S&P 500 because of its size problem and its lack of a dividend. Dividend payments allow investors to amplify capital gains over time through the power of compounding. Buffett's holding company has also underperformed the VOO over the past five years by nearly 15%, and most analysts expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future.
BRK.B Total Return Level data by YCharts.
Better buy
At this stage in its history, Berkshire is more of a defensive play against market volatility, rather than a top-notch capital-appreciation vehicle. During short periods, the conglomerate's shares will likely do better than the broader markets because of its safety factor. It should also consistently generate positive net returns over the long term, which isn't an easy thing to do.
However, most investors would be smart to follow Buffett's advice and go with the VOO as a low-cost and tax-efficient way to grow capital over long periods. Still, Berkshire's stock could play an important role in a well-diversified portfolio as a hedge against economic and geopolitical risks, as well as other black-swan-type events.
