In the past five years, Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) have consistently shown higher net income compared to Tesla (TSLA) and Alibaba Group (BABA). However, Tesla's net income has seen significant growth, rising from $132 million in 2019 to $2.34 billion in 2021. AAPL has also seen substantial growth in net income, increasing from $13.19 billion in 2019 to $20.08 billion in 2021. In terms of R&D expenses, AAPL has consistently allocated more funds towards research and development, while TSLA's R&D expenses have increased significantly. Overall, while net income and R&D expenses vary between the companies, all four have demonstrated growth and investment in research and development.