Microsoft's market cap grew 50% in 2021—here's how it compares to Apple, Tesla and others

The biggest companies in the world>Apple (+30%)Apple's flagship store in New York CityGetty Images

• Start of year market cap: $2.2 trillion
• Market cap as of 12/23: $2.9 trillion

Despite myriad supply chain issues disrupting production of essential products like the iPhone, and the company>Microsoft (+50%)Jeenah Moon | Getty Images News | Getty Images

• Start of year market cap: $1.7 trillion
• Market cap as of 12/23: $2.5 trillion

The Bill Gates-founded tech company has had a stellar past few years as it's increased its focus>Alphabet (+65%)AMY OSBORNE | AFP | Getty Images

• Start of year market cap: $1.2 trillion
• Market cap as of 12/23: $2 trillion

Google's parent company hit a $2 trillion valuation in early November, less than two years after it passed the $1 trillion mark in January 2020. The stock increased 65% this year, with Alphabet reporting a 43% increase in advertising revenue in its last earnings report and handily beating analyst estimates for profitability. The stock's performance was buoyed by consumer reliance>Amazon (+6%)Smith Collection/Gado | Archive Photos | Getty Images

• Start of year market cap: $1.6 trillion
• Market cap as of 12/23: $1.7 trillion

Amazon shares have been>Tesla (+58%)Smith Collection/Gado | Archive Photos | Getty Images

• Start of year market cap: $677.4 billion
• Market cap as of 12/23: $1.1 trillion

Tesla followed up its eye-popping 2020 stock performance — which saw its stock grow more than fivefold to become>Meta (+20%)Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

• Start of year market cap: $778.2 billion
• Market cap as of 12/23: $932.6 billion

Though it is currently shy of the mark, Facebook also entered the $1 trillion club earlier this year. The company's tumultuous year — which included a whistleblower leaking tens of thousands of internal documents — hardly put a damper on the stock price.

"Despite the noise, Facebook's monetization of its billions of users continues to happen at a feverish pace," Ives says. The company is currently focusing on improving its Reels feature, which competes directly with TikTok.