Ternus Faces High Expectations After Cook's Staggering Success
Under Tim Cook's leadership, Apple's revenue skyrocketed by 166% while its stock price increased by a staggering 2,200%. This impressive growth has set a high bar for new CEO John Ternus, who will be leading the company at its product event on September 9. Ternus, an engineer with experience in hardware engineering and product design, will have to find ways to continue driving Apple's success.
The contrast between Cook's tenure and Ternus' is striking. When Cook took over in 2011, investors paid 15 times earnings for Apple stock, a multiple that has more than doubled today. Despite this increase, the share count has shrunk by over 40% due to aggressive buybacks.
Apple's revenue has compounded at an impressive 7.8% annual rate from fiscal 2012 to 2025, reaching $416.2 billion. Meanwhile, the stock price has compounded at more than 23% per year, making it a favorite among investors. The company's services segment alone generated $109.2 billion last year, surpassing Apple's total revenue before Cook took over.