A look at the top 10 US stocks by market cap

From high-profile IPOs and listings to booming industries, there are plenty of opportunities available for budding investors looking to build long-term, diversified portfolios.

Here’s a look into the top 10 US stocks that are currently leading the way for retail and institutional investors alike, defined by market cap in September 2021. Could these be the best stocks to buy now?

* Figures are correct as of  28 March 2022

1) Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) – market cap of US$2.85 trillion

Apple is arguably one of the most successful tech companies on the planet, with most people in the world owning at least one product from the company’s expansive range. The company consistently records enormous profits and was the first company ever to reach a trillion-dollar market cap. Apple continues to release stellar earnings reports and with highly anticipated products set to launch in the near future, this could be the catalyst for further upside for Apple’s stock.

Related article: How to Buy US Stocks In Australia

2) Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) – market cap of US$2.27 trillion

With some of the most-used products and software in its ever-growing portfolios such as Xbox, Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer, Skype and LinkedIn, Microsoft has continued to impress investors, especially with new acquisitions. With a diverse range of revenue, exposure to personal computing, cloud, business processes, gaming and even advertising, Microsoft has proven it’s a company that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

3) Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) – market cap of US$1.87 trillion

Operating as a holding company for some of the most dominant collections of businesses in the world, including Google, the potential for this stock’s growth is significant. Acquiring YouTube in 2006 for a mere US$1.65 billion, Alphabet has benefitted from the platform’s success ever since. In fact, the video-sharing platform is on course to hit gross ad revenues of USD$100 billion by 2025, thanks to the seismic shift toward on-demand video and streaming services.

Related article: How to buy Google (Alphabet) shares in Australia

4) Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) – market cap of US$1.67 trillion

What first began as a bookstore in 1994 dreamt up by billionaire Jeff Bezos, Amazon has had the largest trailing 12-month revenue in 2021, coming in at a colossal US$443.3 billion.

Due to the shift from bricks-and-mortar to online spending due to the global pandemic, Amazon’s share price appreciated 76% in 2020. However, the company’s shares have significantly underperformed in 2021, returning just 6% as growth begins to slow.

5) Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) – market cap of US$1.01 trillion

Elon Musk’s electric vehicle giant Tesla continues to deliver a record number of vehicles, quarter-over-quarter, as new factories in Berlin, Texas and expansion in Shanghai support the company’s manufacturing capabilities and scale potential.

6) Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) – market cap of US$793.7.06 billion

One of the oldest companies on the stock market and led by the world’s most renowned investor Warren Buffet as CEO, Berkshire Hathaway’s shares have performed well year-to-date, up 23%. This is thanks, in part, to the economic report that has been experienced so far this year, which has pushed the holding company’s earnings higher.

With a massive balance sheet of around US$144 billion, Berkshire Hathaway has continued to stick to its disciplined approach when it comes to investing in some of the world’s biggest companies. The company’s sizable financial position indicates some future activity in 2022, which may be in the form of buybacks.

7) Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) – market cap of US$556.05 billion

A multinational tech company that is best known for creating GPUs used in gaming consoles, mobile computing and auto, Nvidia has been one of the best-performing stocks in the market so far this year. At the time of writing, it has gained around 72% year-to-date.

As another stock that has been affected by the global chip shortage, Nvidia hasn’t let the roadblock stop it,  setting a new quarterly record. Nvidia’s full-year earnings are expected to reach US$6.73 by FY2025, as it looks to progress with further expansion and acquires Arm Holdings, a semiconductor firm based in the UK.

8) Meta (Facebook) (NASDAQ: FB) – market cap of US$634.18 billion

The world’s largest social network, Facebook, which currently boasts an astronomical 2.8 billion global active monthly users, has secured its position as a powerhouse for advertising serving around 10 billion advertisers. Despite a highly profitable balance sheet, the company’s issued guidance has illustrated that growth could potentially slow down throughout the year.

Related article: How to buy Facebook shares in Australia

9) UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH) – market cap of US$482.7 billion

UnitedHealth Group serves more than 75 million people with health insurance worldwide. The diversified company operates in four segments through two business platforms. With strong results throughout the start of the year, the stock price is up 2.17% year to date.

10) Visa (NYSE: V) – market cap of US$473 billion

To date, global payments company Visa has processed over US$3 trillion in payment volume for 3 billion account holders to over 61 million merchants.

Cover image source: TierneyMJ/Shutterstock.com

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