Apple’s Leadership Transition: Tim Cook Passes the Baton to John Ternus as CEO on September 1, Plus Stock Performance Insights from Cook’s 15 Years

Apple CEO Transition and Performance Overview

Tim Cook will step down as CEO of Apple on September 1, 2026, succeeded by John Ternus, the current head of hardware engineering. Under Cook’s leadership since August 24, 2011, Apple has seen a remarkable 2,230% increase in share price and a total return of 2,680%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500’s 214% gain in the same period.

During Cook’s tenure, Apple’s revenue rose 330%, and gross profit increased by 410%. The company recently reported its highest fiscal third-quarter revenue of $109 billion for the period ending June 27, 2026, marking a 16% year-over-year growth. However, challenges remain, particularly in artificial intelligence development, where Apple has lagged competitors.