Tim Cook handily tops new rankings of most impactful CEOs driving corporate growth

Posted:
in AAPL Investors edited May 2018
A new analysis ranks CEOs by average monthly revenue growth during their tenure -- and Tim Cook clearly holds the top spot beating all comers including Amazon, Google, and Facebook.

Kittleman Research's CEO survey


The study, titled CEOs With the Greatest Impact on Growth, puts Cook in the top spot with an astonishing $1.57 billion in average revenue growth per month during his 77 months as CEO of Apple. The study is dated April 26 but was publicized this week.

"While much of his success stems from constant innovation, breakthrough technology, and attention to branding and customer needs, we also know that that Cook's No. 1 spot can be attributed to the ubiquity of Apple products and services, as well as owning the lion's share of the market when he stepped in," the report said.

Kittleman Research's graph


In second place is Larry J. Merlo of CVS Health, with just under $860 million in average monthly growth. Verizon's Lowell McAdam is third, followed by Alphabet/Google's Sundar Pichai, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Disney's Robert Iger. Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett, who recently increased his Apple stake, is 10th, while Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg is 18th.

"Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., is perched high above the other 49 top CEOs, with an average monthly growth of nearly $1.6 billion throughout the 77 months Cook has been at the head of the table," writes the study authors. "While much of his success stems from constant innovation, breakthrough technology, and attention to branding and customer needs, we also know that that Cook's No. 1 spot can be attributed to the ubiquity of Apple products and services, as well as owning the lion's share of the market when he stepped in."

"Average monthly growth during tenure" may not be the most traditional of measures for corporate executives, especially one coming from an executive search firm that specializes in nonprofits. But it does show once again that Tim Cook's time at the helm at Apple has been a nearly unqualified success.
watto_cobra
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    Tim knows how to turn a buck. Other than Steve, he's the best corporate CEO that ever lived.

    Now Apple is positioned to change the world.
    macxpressjony0
  • Reply 2 of 21
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    The ubiquity comment is correct. A lot of even middle sized cities have Apple Stores now. He has grown that company by relentlessly expanding.
    watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 3 of 21
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    so where are our friends who keep calling for Tim's head and how he is failing the company and consumers.
    williamlondonpropodlkrupptmaymwhiteracerhomie3watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 4 of 21
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    maestro64 said:
    so where are our friends who keep calling for Tim's head and how he is failing the company and consumers.
    They’re in a meeting with the analysts and “Steve is dead” crowd who predicted the iPhone X would be a flop and that it was all over for Apple. It’s a strategy meeting to come up with a new narrative of Apple’s impending doom. Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon.
    edited May 2018 maestro64mwhitewilliamlondonnunzybestkeptsecretwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 5 of 21
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,808member
    lkrupp said:
    maestro64 said:
    so where are our friends who keep calling for Tim's head and how he is failing the company and consumers.
    They’re in a meeting with the analysts and “Steve is dead” crowd who predicted the iPhone X would be a flop and that it was all over for Apple. It’s a strategy meeting to come up with a new narrative of Apple’s impending doom. Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon.
    Not just iPhone X:

    1. AppleWatch
    2. HomePod
    3. MacBook Pro
    4. AppleTV
    5. AirPods

    They'll show up...when they can rub salt in the wound of a negative Apple article. Otherwise, you won't see anyone. 


    Although...I have to think somehow this thread will turn into a Mac mini argument soon....
    edited May 2018 williamlondonracerhomie3watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 6 of 21
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member


    “While much of his success stems from constant innovation, breakthrough technology, and attention to branding and customer needs...
    Them’s fight’n words for the troll army. Wait for it.
    tmaylmasantiwilliamlondonwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 7 of 21
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    “...we also know that that Cook's No. 1 spot can be attributed to the ubiquity of Apple products and services, as well as owning the lion's share of the market when he stepped in," the report said.

    The lion’s share of exactly which market?  Even when praising the company these analysts can’t pull their heads out of their asses.  Incredible.
    SpamSandwichgarwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 8 of 21
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator

    nunzy said:
    Tim knows how to turn a buck. Other than Steve, he's the best corporate CEO that ever lived.

    Now Apple is positioned to change the world.
    Perhaps including Steve Jobs...  Jobs was a visionary and driven product development genius, but as I used to tell my teams in my companies, all the potential in the world means nothing if you don’t ship.  And it’s Tim Cook’s supply chain genius that allows Apple to be as great as it is.  Consider, my investment thesis on Apple is not that they design great user experiences, or great hardware.  It’s based upon the company pouring billions of dollars and tons of engineering into advanced manufacturing processes and equipment such that Apple's suppliers can provide to Apple advancements years ahead of the competition.  So here’s my investment thesis, written in crayon on a napkin, if you will:

    If it looks like Apple’s products come from the future, it’s because they do.

    A simple statement that speaks to the core of Apple’s competence in building and shipping in vast quantities products with cutting edge capabilities.  And that’s down to Cook.  People wonder what Steve Jobs vision for Apple was upon his failing health and eventual death.  His vision wasn’t watches or self-driving cars or Apple Music or TV shows, or whatever comes next.  His vision for the future of Apple was Tim Cook and the rest of the team he put in place.
    edited May 2018 tmaywatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 21
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    “...we also know that that Cook's No. 1 spot can be attributed to the ubiquity of Apple products and services, as well as owning the lion's share of the market when he stepped in," the report said.

    The lion’s share of exactly which market?  Even when praising the company these analysts can’t pull their heads out of their asses.  Incredible.
    Apple makes all the profit. That's what matters most.
    radarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 21
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    “...we also know that that Cook's No. 1 spot can be attributed to the ubiquity of Apple products and services, as well as owning the lion's share of the market when he stepped in," the report said.

    The lion’s share of exactly which market?  Even when praising the company these analysts can’t pull their heads out of their asses.  Incredible.
    You just became my favorite mod, Radar.  ;)
    edited May 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 21
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    nunzy said:
    “...we also know that that Cook's No. 1 spot can be attributed to the ubiquity of Apple products and services, as well as owning the lion's share of the market when he stepped in," the report said.

    The lion’s share of exactly which market?  Even when praising the company these analysts can’t pull their heads out of their asses.  Incredible.
    Apple makes all the profit. That's what matters most.
    http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-products-versus-profits-2011-10
    "My passion has been to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products," Jobs told Isaacson. "[T]he products, not the profits, were the motivation. Sculley flipped these priorities to where the goal was to make money. It's a subtle difference, but it ends up meaning everything."
    Jobs... hoped he would leave behind, "a company that will still stand for something a generation or two from now." 
    "That's what Walt Disney did," said Jobs, "and Hewlett and Packard, and the people who built Intel. They created a company to last, not just to make money. That's what I want Apple to be."
    nunzymuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 12 of 21
    Fire Tim Cook! I've heard that phrase so many times I can't count the number of times I've heard it. One thing for certain, I've never heard anyone say, "Fire Jeff Bezos!" I honestly thought Tim Cook was a highly despised CEO by Apple shareholders and most Wall Street analysts and investors. I think Tim Cook has done OK with Apple financially but the company just doesn't seem the same to me when it comes to desktop computers. I guess I'm just old-fashioned because I'm still living in the desktop age of computing. I happen to like desktop iron. Smartphones are nice, but I don't have that much interest in them. I sure don't have any desire to own a $1000 smartphone. Not that I think it's too expensive. I simply don't have the need to carry a device with such advanced tech. Also, being a senior citizen, I don't want to be a walking target for thieving jackasses.

    Anyway, if Tim Cook could just keep Apple's computers updated on a timely basis and allowed user upgrades, I wouldn't have much of a beef with him. I don't care much for that LGBT stuff either but it must be important to him if he's one of them. Now if he could get all of them LGBT consumers to only buy Apple products, then fine. I'll let him campaign all he wants.
    edited May 2018 williamlondon
  • Reply 13 of 21
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,166member
    He is a supply chain efficiency guru. The best in the world.
    I don’t think he is all that visionary though.  Everyone has their blind spots. Like the Mac. Just think how much more profitable Apple would be if macs were loved as much as they used to be. The most Apple like ‘magical’ product shipped under Cook is the AirPods.

    That said, it must be really irritating being constantly compared with Steve Jobs all the time, who maxed out the messiah complex by returning, a second coming if you will, to save the company and then dying early.
    Wonderful motivator (/Sarc)
    edited May 2018 williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 21
    lkrupp said:
    maestro64 said:
    so where are our friends who keep calling for Tim's head and how he is failing the company and consumers.
    They’re in a meeting with the analysts and “Steve is dead” crowd who predicted the iPhone X would be a flop and that it was all over for Apple. It’s a strategy meeting to come up with a new narrative of Apple’s impending doom. Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon.
    I'm sure they'll be back in droves.  I'm really worried about the day Amazon beats Apple to that $1T market cap mark.  The news media will certainly be calling for Tim Cook's head and how he turned Apple's 'ginormous' profits lead into a corporate loss of dignity.  I know having the largest market cap doesn't mean all that much but I'd almost swear Apple should have had an unbeatable lead by now if they really wanted to grow the company to enormous proportions quickly.  Large acquisitions could have turned that trick.  It's as though Apple totally neglected the computer side of the company just to sell more iPhones.  However, why should I complain.  I feel Apple is a solid company, despite its lack of growth.  I get my quarterly dividends and I'm doing a lot better than most investors that I know are doing.  I think the most I can about Tim Cook is he's doing an OK job as Apple's CEO.  Maybe there's someone who could do a better job but I'm sure there's plenty who could do a lot worse.  I sure wouldn't want Elon Musk running Apple no matter how much he's praised for his genius.
    edited May 2018
  • Reply 15 of 21
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    entropys said:
    He is a supply chain efficiency guru. The best in the world.
    I don’t think he is all that visionary though.  Everyone has their blind spots. Like the Mac. Just think how much more profitable Apple would be if macs were loved as much as they used to be. The most Apple like ‘magical’ product shipped under Cook is the AirPods.

    That said, it must be really irritating being constantly compared with Steve Jobs all the time, who maxed out the messiah complex by returning, a second coming if you will, to save the company and then dying early.
    Wonderful motivator (/Sarc)
    I don't think Tim Cook minds the comparison, as he clearly worshipped Steve also.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 21
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    nunzy said:
    “...we also know that that Cook's No. 1 spot can be attributed to the ubiquity of Apple products and services, as well as owning the lion's share of the market when he stepped in," the report said.

    The lion’s share of exactly which market?  Even when praising the company these analysts can’t pull their heads out of their asses.  Incredible.
    Apple makes all the profit. That's what matters most.
    http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-products-versus-profits-2011-10
    "My passion has been to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products," Jobs told Isaacson. "[T]he products, not the profits, were the motivation. Sculley flipped these priorities to where the goal was to make money. It's a subtle difference, but it ends up meaning everything."
    Jobs... hoped he would leave behind, "a company that will still stand for something a generation or two from now." 
    "That's what Walt Disney did," said Jobs, "and Hewlett and Packard, and the people who built Intel. They created a company to last, not just to make money. That's what I want Apple to be."
    Steve was a great corporate CEO. He made billions for his investors.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,808member
    Fire Tim Cook! I've heard that phrase so many times I can't count the number of times I've heard it. One thing for certain, I've never heard anyone say, "Fire Jeff Bezos!" I honestly thought Tim Cook was a highly despised CEO by Apple shareholders and most Wall Street analysts and investors. I think Tim Cook has done OK with Apple financially but the company just doesn't seem the same to me when it comes to desktop computers. I guess I'm just old-fashioned because I'm still living in the desktop age of computing. I happen to like desktop iron. Smartphones are nice, but I don't have that much interest in them. I sure don't have any desire to own a $1000 smartphone. Not that I think it's too expensive. I simply don't have the need to carry a device with such advanced tech. Also, being a senior citizen, I don't want to be a walking target for thieving jackasses.

    Anyway, if Tim Cook could just keep Apple's computers updated on a timely basis and allowed user upgrades, I wouldn't have much of a beef with him. I don't care much for that LGBT stuff either but it must be important to him if he's one of them. Now if he could get all of them LGBT consumers to only buy Apple products, then fine. I'll let him campaign all he wants.
    I see where you're coming from and I think there's a lot similar to you where they wish it was Apple Computer, Inc again and not just Apple, Inc. I'm sure Apple could have done something to some of its Macs, but I don't totally blame Apple (or Tim) for this. Intel has really dropped the ball and for a while, wasn't doing squat and it was making it hard for Apple to do the things it wanted to do with its products. Kinda rings a bell with the PPC G5 if any of us remember that era. That's not a free pass for Apple, but I have to think its part of the reason were seeing what we see now. 

    I also remember back when the iPhone was first being developed. You didn't see much coming out of Apple when iPhone was being developed. I gotta believe a lot of resources were put into the iPhone back then. I don't think people were kidding when they said Apple was betting their entire company on this product.  There were few updates to the Mac lineup at that time too. I don't think there were even much for iPod updates at the time either. So, perhaps maybe Apple is doing something similar? 

    I think we'll get our Mac updates in time. I'm sure Apple is well aware of its product line up and the age of some of its products. The only thing that gets me is the same people here (and some newbies) just continuously harp time and time again like its gonna change anything. If Apple is working on a completely new Mac mini then its ready when its ready. I'd rather they not rush something to market just because a few people are constantly complaining about it. Maybe they lose a few sales over it, but if they do something right they'll gain more than they'll lose in the end. 

    I'm interested to see what Apple is gonna do at WWDC. I'm sure we'll see our usual updates for all of Apple's operating systems, but I wonder if they'll have something else to announce? The rumor mill on WWDC has been very quiet from what I see/read and its not that far away. I don't expect any new products, but I guess you never know. It's a developer conference so the focus should be on its software and services, not its hardware unless its something that relates to its developer community. 
    radarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 21
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,808member

    entropys said:
    He is a supply chain efficiency guru. The best in the world.
    I don’t think he is all that visionary though.  Everyone has their blind spots. Like the Mac. Just think how much more profitable Apple would be if macs were loved as much as they used to be. The most Apple like ‘magical’ product shipped under Cook is the AirPods.

    That said, it must be really irritating being constantly compared with Steve Jobs all the time, who maxed out the messiah complex by returning, a second coming if you will, to save the company and then dying early.
    Wonderful motivator (/Sarc)
    I would argue that Apple Watch has been a pretty damn good success under Tim Cook as well to the doubts of many many people and I think it's only going to get better and better. 

    That being said, if anyone ever expected Tim to be Steve or anywhere close then I think they were setting themselves up for failure from the get go. I think Steve chose Tim because he wasn't Steve and wouldn't try to be Steve, but would also hold the values he brought to Apple at the same time. I honestly don't think you'll ever find another Steve Jobs. I think in today's Apple, you need more than just a visionary. You almost need a combination of Steve Jobs and Tim Cook together and I just don't think you'll ever find that. Some of us (I'm not saying you specifically) just need to drop this notion that Tim is not Steve and there has to be a Steve Jobs out there somewhere or things were so much better when Steve was CEO. I just don't think there's a better CEO for Apple out there right now. I've never read anyone say anything differently either. I read lots of complaints about Tim, but never any solutions. 
    edited May 2018 radarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 21
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    lkrupp said:
    maestro64 said:
    so where are our friends who keep calling for Tim's head and how he is failing the company and consumers.
    They’re in a meeting with the analysts and “Steve is dead” crowd who predicted the iPhone X would be a flop and that it was all over for Apple. It’s a strategy meeting to come up with a new narrative of Apple’s impending doom. Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon.
    I'm sure they'll be back in droves.  I'm really worried about the day Amazon beats Apple to that $1T market cap mark.  The news media will certainly be calling for Tim Cook's head and how he turned Apple's 'ginormous' profits lead into a corporate loss of dignity.  I know having the largest market cap doesn't mean all that much but I'd almost swear Apple should have had an unbeatable lead by now if they really wanted to grow the company to enormous proportions quickly.  Large acquisitions could have turned that trick.  It's as though Apple totally neglected the computer side of the company just to sell more iPhones.  However, why should I complain.  I feel Apple is a solid company, despite its lack of growth.  I get my quarterly dividends and I'm doing a lot better than most investors that I know are doing.  I think the most I can about Tim Cook is he's doing an OK job as Apple's CEO.  Maybe there's someone who could do a better job but I'm sure there's plenty who could do a lot worse.  I sure wouldn't want Elon Musk running Apple no matter how much he's praised for his genius.
    AMZN, as far as I’m aware, hasn’t bought back any stock.  Apple has spent more than any company ever, I think, on buybacks.  That reduces the market cap because the share price is multiplied by fewer shares. Ideally, the price would rise to equally offset that effect, but it doesn’t always do that.  But even without the $1t market cap, we long-term shareholders are doing just fine. 
    SpamSandwichwatto_cobrawilliamlondon
  • Reply 20 of 21
    Truly a great CEO running a ginormous money machine. I'm all for opening new markets and developing new and ground-breaking devices.  I regret, however, the loss of focus on professional Macs and the Mac mini. Clearly, it's not a fixed sized research and development pie as witnessed by the increased R&D sending, but that doesn't seem so true of professional Macs and the Mac mini.
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