The market capitalisation of the Global Top 100 companies increased by over USD 3 trillion (11%) in the year to March 2022 to a record-breaking total market capitalisation of USD 35.2 trillion, according to PwC’s Global Top 100 companies by market capitalisation analysis. Between April 2020 and March 2021, the market capitalisation stood at USD 31.7 billion.
Between April 2021 and March 2022, 20 technology companies grew and accounted for more than one third (34%) of the total capitalization of the world’s Top 100 companies, with a total of USD 12 trillion. Five years ago, technology was represented by just 12 companies, accounting for 21% of the total Top 100 capitalisation. The capitalisation of technology companies has increased by 17% over the period.
Healthcare has been an above-average performing sector, with the value of its 16 companies in the Top 100 increasing by 23% to USD 4 trillion. Companies in the energy sector also grew by 30% to USD 3.5 trillion
After declining from 2018 to 2020, the market capitalisation of financial sector companies in the Top 100 has risen by 7% to USD 3.9 trillion since then. Whether this trend continues into 2023 will depend on how current macroeconomic uncertainties play out.
Other sectors represented in the Top 100 are commodities, consumer goods, industrials, telecoms and utilities. In 2022, these sectors accounted for 33% of the total market capitalisation.
The United States continues to dominate the global Top 100, with 63 companies and a market capitalisation value of USD 20.8 trillion, up 19% from the previous report.
In 2022, the value of companies in China and its regions fell 23% to USD 3.2 trillion, while the market capitalisation of European firms rose just 2% to USD 3,3 trillion.
Companies in ‘the rest of the world’ outperformed both Europe and China, with a total market capitalisation of USD 3,9 trillion after an increase of 12%.
Winners versus losers
Over the past ten years, tech companies have dominated the top five, with four places held − Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon. In fact, during that period, Apple has almost always held the position of the world's most valuable public company, with two exceptions when its capitalisation was briefly surpassed by that of the oil company Saudi Aramco.
Apple was in first place at the end of March 2022, with a market capitalisation of USD 2.8 trillion, but it lost that position at the end of May to oil company Saudi Aramco, which moved up from third.
On 31 March 2022, the top ten companies were completed by Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Tesla, Berkshire Hathaway, Nvidia, Meta Platforms and TSMC.
The largest increases in market capitalisation were reported by Shell (161%), Nvidia (107%) and Tesla (74%), while the largest decreases were reported by Paypal Holdings (-53%), Alibaba (-52%) and Tencent (-39%).
About the report
The full report can be found here. The ranking includes the top 100 companies worldwide by market value as at 31 March 2022
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