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Apple Hits New Highs as Tim Cook Celebrates One Year as CEO

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Apr 12, 2001
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One year ago today, Steve Jobs stepped down from the CEO post he held for more than a decade, making Tim Cook the head of what is now the most valuable publicly-traded company in the world. After the announcement, Apple's stock dropped more than 5% in after hours to $351.

One year later, Apple is the most valuable publicly-traded company ever (not accounting for inflation) with a current share price of $668, gaining more than 75% year-over-year. With Cook in charge, Apple has recorded its three best quarters ever; released the iPhone 4S, the new iPad, the Retina MacBook Pro, Mountain Lion; and previewed the next version of iOS.

NewImage40.png
The San Jose Mercury News writes of Cook's first year, accompanied by the above chart:
"Tim knows he's not Steve Jobs and doesn't try to be," says Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a senior associate dean at the Yale School of Management. "He's comfortable in his own skin, and he's done a remarkable job of under-promising and over-delivering. When Jobs walked out the door last year, a lot of people figured much of Apple's magic would disappear. It hasn't."

Cook, whom Apple did not make available for this story, inherited much of that Jobs-induced magic, from Apple's wildly successful iPhone and iPad to its burgeoning network of stores stuffed to the gills with the gadget-hungry masses. Yet many analysts say it is Cook's trademark mastery of supply-chain efficiency, first tapped when Jobs hired him 14 years ago to run the manufacturing side of the business, that leaves the 51-year-old workaholic and fitness buff poised to take Apple to ever greater heights.
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Cook has also made some significant changes at the company, though Jobs was certainly aware of some of them. He expanded Apple's charitable giving, initiated a dividend and share repurchase program, as well as throwing open the proverbial doors to its contracted factories with a thorough inspection by the Fair Labor Association.

The company has also been more responsive to criticism, reinstating support for the EPEAT environmental registry with a very public letter from Senior Vice President Bob Mansfield. More recently, Apple reversed changes in scheduling at Apple Retail Stores after coverage in the press and from within Apple Retail's own ranks.

The upcoming holiday quarter should again be Apple's strongest ever, with rumored upcoming announcements of the next-generation iPhone, a smaller iPad, a 13" Retina MacBook Pro, as well as continued rumors about an Apple television or set-top box.

Article Link: Apple Hits New Highs as Tim Cook Celebrates One Year as CEO
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/08/24/apple-hits-new-highs-as-tim-cook-celebrates-one-year-as-ceo/
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damir00

macrumors 6502a
Oct 30, 2011
744
7
The window for unignorable signs of post-Jobsness is now open. The next six months are the danger zone.

If this "new" iPhone disappoints in any way, look out...
 
Peace

Peace

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This is where you will wish the down vote was still around.

Tim is riding the coat tails of Steve Jobs. Give it another year so we can see what Tim really produces.
 
jrswizzle

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
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I was looking at the trajectory Apple Stock has taken since 07 with a buddy of mine who works for Apple...I kept thinking "what would life be like now if I had bought some stock back then" as it has ballooned by a factor of 6 since then!

I'd be able to afford this new house of mine no problem.:D
 
N

new-to-mac

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2012
102
0
jrswizzle said:
I was looking at the trajectory Apple Stock has taken since 07 with a buddy of mine who works for Apple...I kept thinking "what would life be like now if I had bought some stock back then" as it has ballooned by a factor of 6 since then!

I'd be able to afford this new house of mine no problem.:D
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buy stock now and you'll afford your house in 5 years :p
 
CBJammin103

CBJammin103

macrumors regular
Jun 6, 2007
233
56
Louisiana, United States
The company has also been more responsive to criticism, reinstating support for the EPEAT environmental registry with a very public letter from Senior Vice President Bob Mansfield.
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I'm especially interested to see how Apple continues to behave in this arena. It's an interesting line to ride - showing confidence in decision making vs. showing the ability to recognize imperfections and address them.

Peace said:
This is where you will wish the down vote was still around.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't downvote this article in particular, but maybe a downvote that only admins/mods could see? So that it was useful for feedback but couldn't negatively impact the discussion or community.
 
iSengKin

iSengKin

macrumors member
Jan 29, 2012
55
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You've done a marvelous job, Tim Cook! I'm proud of you!

Keep those revolutionary devices coming! Can't wait to see you unleash the new iPhone in a few weeks time. :)
 
TheRainKing

TheRainKing

macrumors 6502a
Jun 11, 2012
999
535
I'm not sure how much of this success is contributed to Tim Cook's reign as CEO, but I'm glad Apple are doing well.
 
inkswamp

inkswamp

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Jan 26, 2003
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Peace said:
This is where you will wish the down vote was still around.

Tim is riding the coat tails of Steve Jobs. Give it another year so we can see what Tim really produces.
Click to expand...

Common misconception but if you've been paying attention over the last 5+ years, you'd already be aware that Tim Cook has been playing an ever-increasing role at Apple, and I'd wager that he'd been the unofficial CEO for at least 2 years prior to Jobs' death. The idea that this is all new to Tim Cook and that he's still unproven is misguided.
 
sunspot42

sunspot42

macrumors regular
Aug 7, 2007
121
3
People forget...

Tim Cook had at least as much to do with getting Apple to where they're at today as Steve Jobs did. I'd argue that without Cook's mastery of the operational nuts & bolts, they'd have never been able to capitalize on any of Apple's design superiority.

So long as he's at the helm they'll do fine. I'm more concerned about what happens when he's gone. Nobody lives forever.
 
ChazUK

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
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What a tremendous year filling in from some pretty big boots left by the late Steve Jobs.

Keep the innovation flowing and the products coming Tim.
 
Jobsian

Jobsian

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Jul 30, 2009
853
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The bigger they are...

RE Tim: To be honest initially I was bracing myself as not only could simply no-one follow Jobs' charisma and presence, but Tim was particularly more quiet.

However I warmed to him after the Allthings D interview, he has that same deliberation when addressing issues and seems very determined. I also admire him for his (at least stated) emphasis on ethics (worker rights/charity).
 
4

416049

macrumors 68000
Mar 14, 2010
1,844
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damir00 said:
The window for unignorable signs of post-Jobsness is now open. The next six months are the danger zone.

If this "new" iPhone disappoints in any way, look out...
Click to expand...

fully agree... also the ipod line update would be an interesting thing to watch out for.
 
Piggie

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
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Err, sorry, but just what has he done in the last year, other than just told the wheel is the same direction as Steve let go of it?

I'd give him full credit, if he really stamped him mark and you could see new devices that would not otherwise be made, or new "Tim" directions to take Apple, but to give him any credit for the last year?

Surely a wooden cut out of Steve would have faired just as well over the past 12 months.

Or course, he may lead the way in years to come, but not yet.
 
Peace

Peace

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inkswamp said:
Common misconception but if you've been paying attention over the last 5+ years, you'd already be aware that Tim Cook has been playing an ever-increasing role at Apple, and I'd wager that he'd been the unofficial CEO for at least 2 years prior to Jobs' death. The idea that this is all new to Tim Cook and that he's still unproven is misguided.
Click to expand...

When I said he was riding Steve's coat tails I meant he was working on stuff Steve already had going in R&D.

I want to see something Tim himself does.

I don't disagree with the fact that he can steer a mega ship. I'm referring to the creativity Steve had.

I haven't seen any of that from Tim yet.

Let's keep in mind Tim already made two mistakes in hiring that retail guy who screwed up in firing people and that God awful commercial.

Hate to use the term but Steve would have never allowed that.
 
basesloaded190

basesloaded190

macrumors 68030
Oct 16, 2007
2,693
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Piggie said:
Err, sorry, but just what has he done in the last year, other than just told the wheel is the same direction as Steve let go of it?
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I don't know how many people would have been able to even do that though. You and I can't imagine the pressure it must be to fill in those shoes and lead the most valuable company in the right direction.
 
greytmom

greytmom

macrumors 68040
Jun 23, 2010
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1,002
inkswamp said:
Common misconception but if you've been paying attention over the last 5+ years, you'd already be aware that Tim Cook has been playing an ever-increasing role at Apple, and I'd wager that he'd been the unofficial CEO for at least 2 years prior to Jobs' death. The idea that this is all new to Tim Cook and that he's still unproven is misguided.
Click to expand...

Up voted by 100.
 
B

bencjedi

macrumors 6502
Apr 2, 2010
279
25
Did Mr Cook have anything to do with the rumored iPad Mini? Did Steve Jobs want smaller iPads?
 
A

Apple Corps

macrumors 68030
Apr 26, 2003
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inkswamp said:
"...and I'd wager that he'd been the unofficial CEO for at least 2 years prior to Jobs' death. The idea that this is all new to Tim Cook and that he's still unproven is misguided."
Click to expand...

It may be even more misguided to credit Tim for the incremental improvements to the game changing products that Steve and Sir Ives conceived, developed, and operationalized.

Tim is unproven in the arena of product innovation - time will tell if he has the creative "juice" or is just a supply chain guru and good administrator.
 
B

boronathan

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2012
326
0
damir00 said:
The window for unignorable signs of post-Jobsness is now open. The next six months are the danger zone.

If this "new" iPhone disappoints in any way, look out...
Click to expand...

Lol if i had a nickel for everytime someone says something like this, i could sell my Apple stock and live off my nickels.

we've been hearing the "Apple better watch out" thing for some years now.

Ppl get too emotionally attached to corporations.
 
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