Berkshire Hathaway stock beats the S&P 500 by 19.2 points despite Wall Street volatility: How Warren Buffett’s company staged its biggest monthly comeback since 2010

Berkshire Hathaway stock outperforms S&P 500: Berkshire Hathaway is gaining ground at a time when much of Wall Street is moving in the opposite direction. Its Class B shares have climbed 13.2% over the past month, reaching an all-time high, while the S&P 500 has fallen 3.7% over the same period. This has given Berkshire a 19.2-percentage-point lead over the benchmark, its biggest rolling monthly outperformance since 2010.

What's particularly striking is how quickly the position has changed. In May 2026, Berkshire was trailing the S&P 500 by 14.3 percentage points. It has now moved ahead by a wide margin, recording the fourth-largest monthly outperformance in the past 30 years. The only larger gap in the historical comparison came during the 2008 financial crisis, when Berkshire outperformed the index by 29.6 percentage points.

The rally also comes after Warren Buffett stepped down as Berkshire Hathaway's CEO.

Berkshire Hathaway stock gains 13.2% as the S&P 500 falls 3.7%

The difference between Berkshire and the S&P 500 starts with their actual stock market returns.

Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares (BRK.B) have gained 13.2% over the past month, reaching an all-time high. The S&P 500 has declined 3.7% during the same period. In simple terms, Berkshire investors have seen their holdings rise while the broader market has moved lower.

The historical performance comparison puts Berkshire's rolling monthly outperformance at 19.2 percentage points for the period ending Thursday. By Tuesday's close, however, that gap had narrowed to 16.9 percentage points.

Berkshire Hathaway records its biggest S&P 500 lead since 2010

A 19.2-percentage-point advantage is unusual even by Berkshire's historical standards. It marks the company's largest rolling monthly outperformance since 2010 and ranks fourth among its biggest such gains in the past 30 years.

The record in the historical comparison belongs to the 2008 financial crisis. Berkshire outperformed the S&P 500 by 29.6 percentage points during that period.

The chart also highlights two other major periods. Berkshire's advantage reached 24.1 percentage points around 2000 and 21.7 points around 2009. Its latest 19.2-point lead is close to those levels.

Berkshire Hathaway reverses its 14.3-point S&P 500 deficit from May 2026

The biggest change becomes clear when you look at Berkshire's performance earlier this year.

In May 2026, the company was trailing the S&P 500 by 14.3 percentage points. It has since moved from that deficit to a 19.2-point lead.

That's a 33.5-percentage-point swing in relative performance. The reversal shows how quickly the balance between two major stock market investments can change.

Berkshire's shares have also reached a record high during this period. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has declined, widening the difference between the two investments.

Can Berkshire Hathaway maintain its stock market lead without Warren Buffett as CEO?

Berkshire's latest rally has another important backdrop: Warren Buffett is no longer the company's CEO. The stock's performance has therefore drawn attention to how the business is faring through its leadership transition.

Berkshire has several features that investors consider when assessing its financial strength. These include its large cash position, investment portfolio and established operating businesses. They may help explain why the company has performed differently from the broader market during the recent decline.

However, the available performance figures don't establish which part of Berkshire's business or investment portfolio has driven the rally. They also don't guarantee that the stock will continue to outperform.