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☆ CEOs do matter when picking stocks. 5 things we look for in a leader and examples from our portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | In Kevinstankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +16 min

It's not unusual for a company's stock price to soar — or sink — on news of a CEO shakeup. So, CEOs matter when picking stocks — and at the Club, these are the five things we look for when evaluating the leaders of our holdings. A stock's day-to-day and even month-to-month performance may not truly reflect how well a CEO is leading a company. Trust has value, and the stocks of companies led by reputable CEOs with competent management teams can trade at premium valuations. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

Persons: Mary Dillon, Locker, J im Cramer, buybacks, Rainer Blair, —, Kevin Johnson, Marc Benioff, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, we've, Bruce Broussard, Humana, Jeff Smith's, Craig Jelinek, who's, that's, Jelinek, it'd, Andy Jassy, Tim Cook, he's, Cook, Jim Cramer's, Dan Schulman, Sanjiv Lamba, Linde, Lamba, Eli Lilly, Dave Ricks, Eli Lilly's, Jim, Lilly, Jim Farley, Farley, Elon Musk's Tesla, Ford, LLY, Jim Cramer, Spencer Platt Organizations: Club, McKinsey & Co, Natural Resources, GE Life Sciences, SVB Securities, Starbucks, Humana, Bain & Co, Costco, CNBC, Apple, Amazon's, Football, MGM, Management, PayPal, Linde, LIN, Ford Motor, Wall, EV, Ford, The New York Stock Exchange, Financial, Getty Locations: U.S, Manhattan, New York City

☆ Stop comparing Zuck and Cook's headsets. They're built around sharply different visions of the future.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple revealed its new headset, the Vision Pro, at its developer conference. But this comparison forgets that the two headsets are built around differing visions of future. Apple this week revealed its new Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, and comparisons were instantly drawn with Meta's own Quest headset. Then the price of Apple's headset, at $3,499, has been compared with the $500 cost of the Quest headset. Apple didn't mention the metaverse once when it unveiled the Vision Pro at WWDC, and barely mentioned gaming.

Persons: Nich Carlson, Apple, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Zuckerberg's, Zuckerberg, Alex Heath, Ben Thompson Organizations: Apple, Vision, Morning, Vision Pro

☆ Apple's Vision Pro isn't just a 'headset,' stupid — it represents the next big frontier of spatial computing
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Peter Csathy | Fearless Media | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

He writes that Apple's latest $3,500 gadget is not just a VR "headset," but a bigger tech opportunity: spatial computing. Apple at long last revealed its long-anticipated "next big thing" — its Vision Pro — two days ago at its annual WWDC. "Minority Report" come to lifeViewed with the broader lens it deserves, however, Apple's Vision Pro represents so much more. It represents the dawn of an entirely new mass market and transformational tech opportunity of so-called "spatial computing." Spatial computing is essentially the film "Minority Report" come to life, three-dimensional computing divorced from the confines of physical screens.

Persons: Peter Csathy, Nanea Reeves, Tim Cook, Ralph Lauren, Joanna Popper, Bob Cooney, Evan Helda, Pierre, Stuart Rostain, Amy Allison, Tripp, Mark Zuckerberg, Apple's, Steve Jobs, Cook, Bob Iger, Jobs, Iger, Read Organizations: Creative Media, Morning, Fearless Media, Apple, CAA, Barnum, Amazon, Spatial Computing, European VRDays Foundation, Women, Disney, Pixar, Creativie Media Locations: Malibu, Netherlands

☆ Tim Cook uses ChatGPT and says Apple is looking at it closely
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Apple CEO Tim Cook arrives for the season three premiere of "Ted Lasso" at the Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles, California, on March 7, 2023. Apple CEO Tim Cook said recently that he uses ChatGPT, the AI chatbot, and is excited about the tool's "unique applications." Cook added that large language models — the AI tools that power chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard — show "great promise" but also the potential for "things like bias, things like misinformation [and] maybe worse in some cases." The Apple CEO also offered his thoughts on regulation and guardrails, saying they're needed but that AI is powerful and the tech's development is moving quickly. "If you look down the road, then it's so powerful that companies have to employ their own ethical decisions," Cook said.

Persons: Tim Cook, Ted Lasso, ABC's, Cook, Bard, they're, Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis, Dario Amodei Organizations: Apple, Village, GMA Locations: Los Angeles , California

☆ Apple CEO Tim Cook says he uses ChatGPT and is excited about the chatbot
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tim Cook didn't blink when the CEO was asked whether he uses ChatGPT. Cook has been cautious about generative AI, while other CEOs have been saying 'AI' over and over. Apple CEO Tim Cook said he uses ChatGPT and is excited about the chatbot, during an interview on Good Morning America. That last bit is Tim Cook code. "It's very important to be deliberate and thoughtful on how you approach these things," Cook said during an Apple earnings call earlier this year.

Persons: Tim Cook, Cook, Microsoft's Bing, Google's Bard Organizations: Apple, Street Journal, Morning, Microsoft, Google Locations: OpenAI

☆ Here are Wednesday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Nvidia, Chevron, Amazon, Avis, SeaWorld & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Here are Wednesday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Needham initiates Sovos Brands as buy Citi said Sovos' Brands Rao's Tomato Sauce will be a $1 billion brand in the next three-to-four years. " Citi reiterates Anheuser-Busch InBev as buy Citi said investors should buy the dip in the beer giant. Deutsche Bank upgrades Avis to buy from hold Deutsche said the rental car company that it has upside potential. "In a tougher recession and sharp travel fall-off where revenue growth is cut in half, we estimate mid to high single digit EPS risk, implying an excellent risk/reward given valuation. Citi reiterates Nvidia as buy Citi said investors should "stay long" in shares of Nvidia.

Persons: Needham, Sovos, Michael Angelo's, Bernstein, Wedbush, it's, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Bud, Baird, Mobileye, XYL, Wells, Key, AMBA, Mizuho, Piper Sandler, Piper Organizations: Brands, Citi, Amazon, Worldwide, Conference, SeaWorld, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Deutsche Bank, Avis, Deutsche, UBS, American Express, American, Palo Alto Networks, JPMorgan, Chevron, Service, Nvidia, TAM, Liberty, Microsoft Locations: US, Noosa, Cupertino, European, Wells Fargo, CrowdStrike, Zscaler, Palo, America, F2023E

☆ The average startup CEO now makes $142,000 — down from $150,000 last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

CEOs of early-stage startups now make, on average, $142,000 — down from $150,000 last year, WSJ reports. CEOs in crypto, e-commerce, and direct-to-consumer industries are most impacted by the pay cuts. In the first quarter of 2023, global venture funding reached $58.6 billion — a 13% drop from the same quarter last year, according to a report from CB Insights, a research firm. CEOs on the losing end of the funding spectrum will feel the brunt of the pay cuts. The consulting firm's findings on salary cuts come as CEOs across major corporations are taking pay cuts this year.

☆ Apple execs were reportedly skeptical on headset, with one likening it to a 'science project'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Apple's headset project suffered from CEO Tim Cook's "distant" approach and lacked the confidence of key company executives at times, Bloomberg reported Thursday. Cook isn't alone in keeping his distance, Bloomberg reported. Top executives including Apple software chief Craig Federighi and hardware executive Johny Srouji have both shown concern about the project, Bloomberg reported. Federighi seemed "wary" and kept his distance, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar, and Srouji compared the headset effort to a "science project." Apple made the decision to sell the headset product at cost as opposed to at a loss, as it originally planned to do, Bloomberg reported.

☆ Warren Buffett's Apple bet is worth $158 billion or 22% of Berkshire Hathaway's total market value. The investor gave 5 reasons why he's not stressing about the wager's size.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Warren Buffett defended the size of Berkshire Hathaway's $158 billion stake in Apple on Saturday. Buffett also underscored another benefit to holding Apple stock: share repurchases. The Berkshire chief noted an additional part of Apple's value is its appeal to customers. He gave a theoretical example of someone having to choose between parting with a second car worth $35,000, or their $1,500 iPhone. "If they had to give up a second car or give up their iPhone, they give up their second car," he said.

☆ Buffett says people would rather give up a second car than an iPhone. Here's why Apple's business is so stellar
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"If they had to give up a second car or give up their iPhone, they'd give up their second car. AAPL .SPX mountain 2016-05-16 Apple's stock performance versus the S & P 500 since May 16, 2016, the day Berkshire's stake in the iPhone maker was first disclosed. Buffett's comments Saturday were "very bullish on Apple," Jim said Monday during the Club's "Morning Meeting." Free cash flow is generally defined as operating cash flow minus capital expenditures or cash spent on purchases of plant, property and equipment (PP & E). Berkshire currently owns about 5.66% of the 15.82 billion Apple shares outstanding, according to FactSet.

☆ Apple's results send shares surging to nine-month high
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Noel Randewich | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

With Apple's results helped by emerging markets like India, executives said gross profit margins for the current quarter would be better than forecast. Apple's stock market value climbed by over $100 billion to about $2.7 trillion, extending its lead over Microsoft, the world's second most valuable company, at $2.3 trillion. Apple's stock has recovered almost 40% from its closing low in January, and it is now down just 4.7% below its record high close in January 2022. By comparison, the S&P 500 remains down 15% from its record high close, also in January 2022. At least 13 analysts raised their price targets for Apple's stock following its report, with the median target climbing to $180 from $170 before the report, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ Tim Cook says AI is 'huge,' but flags the need to be 'deliberate and thoughtful' on how Apple deploys it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AI is "huge," but Apple will remain careful folding it into products, CEO Tim Cook said Thursday. Cook said Apple has already been incorporating AI technology into some of its products. "It's very important to be deliberate and thoughtful on how you approach these things," Cook said during the company's earnings call Thursday. "We view AI as huge and we'll continue weaving it in our products on a very thoughtful basis." Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has himself been among those in the field sounding concerns about the potential directions generative AI technology could take.

☆ Some Apple staff are sounding off about Tim Cook's back-to-office drive and say it's 'silly, and very un-Apple'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some Apple staff say they're unhappy with Tim Cook's push to get staff going in three days a week. "It's very un-Apple," one employee said about its explanation for the back-to-office push. Some Apple staff are not happy about CEO Tim Cook's back-to-the-office drive, which he's previously said was essential for the company. But in an open letter posted on Apple Together's website, the union demands "location-flexible work." They said Apple's explanation that it had always operated that way to be "both silly and very un-Apple.

☆ Everyone knows Siri is way behind. It's partly why top Apple engineers have jumped ship to Google, report says.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple is having a hard time convincing workers that Siri can keep up with new AI rivals. Apple lost three top engineers working on AI technology to Google, The Information reported. It's the latest example of how far behind Apple is seen to be on AI versus Google and OpenAI. Apple has lost three top engineers working on ChatGPT-like technology to Google, in a sign the iPhone-maker is struggling to supercharge its AI efforts and Siri as large language models go mainstream. They were personally poached by Google CEO Sundar Pichai after shunning Apple boss Tim Cook's efforts to keep them, the report said.

☆ Opinion: I’m a Wiradjuri man. Forgive me for not cheering King Charles’ coronation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Opinion Stan Grant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

White Australia. Martial law was declared on my people, the Wiradjuri nation, during the 1820’s in what was referred to as an “exterminating war.”The survivors were locked away on segregated missions and reserves. I knew standing there alongside so many white Australian faces that I did not belong. Her mother – a white Australian woman – was turned away from a hospital having her first child. We are only roughly 3% of the Australian nation yet more than a third of prison population.

☆ Tim Cook uses a 1-sentence mantra to process criticism—without it, he 'wouldn't be able to function'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When Cook took the helm of the tech giant in August 2011, he faced widespread skepticism that he could effectively fill Steve Jobs' shoes, he recently told GQ. The criticism didn't stop there — Cook has since faced backlash for his pay package, Apple's return to work policy and his idea of innovation. Cook even faced criticism from Jobs himself, according to Walter Isaacson's 2011 biography "Steve Jobs." Cook himself has a net worth of $1.9 billion, according to Forbes — much of that due to Apple's financial success. I think he was a once-in-a-hundred-years kind of individual, an original by any stretch of the imagination," Cook told GQ.

Apple mainly assembles iPhones in India through Taiwan contract manufacturers but plans to expand into iPads and AirPods, as it looks to cut reliance on China. His comments came after a meeting on Wednesday with Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook in the capital, New Delhi. He inaugurated an Apple store in New Delhi on Thursday two days after opening its first outlet in Mumbai, the commercial capital. "We've come here only to see Tim Cook," said Manika Mehta, 32, an Android phone user who queued at the Delhi store. I'm drawn to Tim Cook, seeing the man he is and the journey."

☆ Apple CEO meets India PM Modi, commits to growth and investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, April 19 (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook on Wednesday committed to growth and investment across India in meeting with the country's prime minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi. Cook is on a visit to India this week and inaugurated the iPhone maker's first retail store in the country on Tuesday in Mumbai. Apple will also open a retail store in New Delhi on Thursday. "Glad to exchange views on diverse topics and highlight the tech-powered transformations taking place in India," Modi said. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

MUMBAI, April 18 (Reuters) - About 300 people queued at Apple's (AAPL.O) store in Mumbai on Tuesday, as fans took selfies with Chief Executive Tim Cook, who inaugurated the first retail store run by the tech giant in India, underscoring the importance of its market. "We are so excited to open ... our first store in India." People flocked to the store from across India, hoping to be among the first to enter, in an opening event featuring local music and folk dancers. Some queued outside from the previous night to get their hands on Apple products, even though they are available online in India. [1/8] Apple CEO Tim Cook interacts with people as Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail and People looks on, during the inauguration of India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 18, 2023.

☆ Video shows Apple CEO Tim Cook at Coachella
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

In a TikTok video, Apple CEO Tim Cook was shown walking around Coachella over the weekend. In 2022, Cook was seen standing front-row at Harry Styles's Coachella set. Apple Ceo Tim Cook made an appearance at Coachella this weekend. In 2022, a video posted to Twitter showed Cook standing front-row at pop singer Harry Styles' Coachella set. Cook, who took over as Apple's CEO in 2011 after Steve Jobs, has talked about his love for music in the past.

Cook will meet Modi on Wednesday in New Delhi, said the two sources, who included an Indian government official. One of the sources added the Apple chief would also meet India's deputy IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Modi's office declined to comment, while Apple and the IT ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The sources did not elaborate, but Cook's meetings come amid Apple's growing focus on India, the world's second-largest smartphone market. The Mumbai store is in the premier Reliance Jio World Drive mall, home to luxury clothing and jewellery brands like Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Swarovski.

☆ US finding it tough to fill Swanson's shoes 100 days before World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Apr 11, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; U.S. Womens National Team goalkeeper Casey Murphy (18) makes a save against the Republic of Ireland Womens National Team during the first half at CITYPARK. / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY SportsApril 11 (Reuters) - The United States were no closer to filling the void left by injured striker Mallory Swanson on Tuesday, securing an uneasy 1-0 victory against Ireland in a friendly just 100 days before the Women's World Cup. "The team was built - or was going to build - around Mal and Soph and their attacking power. Andonovski told reporters he gave as many players as possible the chance to stake a claim before he names his World Cup squad. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Apple to open first stores in India next week underscoring CEO Tim Cook's bullish view on the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A view of Apple's first company-owned store in India to be launched inside the Jio World Drive mall at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai. Apple is set to open its first physical stores in India next week, highlighting the country's importance to the U.S. tech firm's future in iPhone sales and manufacturing,The Cupertino giant will open a store in Mumbai on Apr. Apple CEO Tim Cook may travel to India to open the stores, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Apple is "putting a significant amount of energy" in India, Cook stressed at the time. The manufacturing push in India comes as Apple is looking to reduce its reliance on China, where it currently makes the bulk of its iPhones.

☆ Apple's esteemed reputation brings a competitive edge to its VR rollout, says GQ's Zach Baron
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailApple's esteemed reputation brings a competitive edge to its VR rollout, says GQ's Zach BaronZach Baron, senior staff writer at GQ, and CNBC's Steve Kovach join 'The Exchange' to discuss Tim Cook's future career plans, the Apple VR headset, and Apple's creative reputation.

☆ Apple CEO Tim Cook keeps his email address public, and says he starts each day at 5 a.m. reading customers' feedback
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tim Cook told GQ that he starts every day by reading emails from customers at 5 a.m. According to GQ's profile of Cook, he often forwards these emails to other Apple employees. Cook is one of the few CEOs of big tech companies to have his email address open to the public. By keeping his email open, Cook is likely showing that the company is motivated by customer feedback. Insider previously reported that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates starts his day with an hour on the treadmill while his wife says he doesn't eat breakfast.

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