Tim Cook's Apple Empire Expands to $4 Trillion

When Tim Cook took over as CEO of Apple in August 2011, expectations were high and doubts were strong. The operations and supply-chain expert was seen as a departure from traditional product guys like Steve Jobs.

However, the numbers tell a compelling story. Under Cook's leadership, Apple's market capitalization surged from $350 billion to around $4 trillion, while its stock jumped nearly 25-fold.

Apple shares traded at about $13 when Cook assumed the top job and have risen 2,359.2% to $319.70 at the latest close. The company's annual revenue has also grown dramatically, rising from about $108 billion in 2011 to more than $400 billion.

Cook's biggest achievement has been transforming Apple into a business that extends well beyond hardware. Services like the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple Pay have become an increasingly important growth engine, generating over $100 billion annually with broader margins than Apple's hardware business.