Apple CEO Tim Cook should step down, says analysts at research firm LightShed, although it doesn’t expect to see the company make any changes soon.
In a note to clients seen by Bloomberg, LightShed analysts Walter Piecyk and Joe Galone say that “Apple now needs a product-focused CEO, not one centered on logistics.”
Apple shares have taken a bit of a hit this year, as Apple has proven to not be up to competing in the Artificial intelligence race. While Meta and Microsoft shares have enjoyed gains of 25% and 19%, respectively, Apple share prices have taken a 16% hit so far in 2025.
From Piecyk and Joe Galone’s note:
Missing on AI could fundamentally alter the company’s long-term trajectory and ability to grow at all. AI will reshape industries across the global economy, and Apple risks becoming one of its casualties.
It should be noted that since Cook took over, Apple shares have gained over 1,400% , compared to 430% for the S&P 500. This indicates that this year’s stock price slide is but a blip in Apple’s overall performance under Cook.
LightShed’s note to investors comes in the wake of the announcement that Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams will be stepping down from his position later this month. Sabih Khan will be stepping into the COO role once Williams vacates his office. 30-year Apple veteran Williams had been considered as a potential successor for Cook. Now, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, is now considered to be the top candidate for the job.
LightShed says “Tim Cook was the right CEO at the time of his appointment and unquestionably has done a great job,” but now that Williams is departing, “it’s time for more disruptive change, not less.”
However, we shouldn’t expect to see Cook step down from his CEO role anytime soon. As pointed out by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, there are no immediate successors on the horizon. Plus, Cook doesn’t appear to be ready to step down and hasn’t shown any willingness to groom a successor.
Plus, as Gurman points out, the Apple board seems content to keep having Cook pilot the company’s direction.Apple’s board of directors includes several Cook loyalists, such as Susan Wagner, Ronald Sugar, and Arthur Levinson.
Gurman believe Cook could even tighten his grip on the Apple reins, as he could take over the role of Chairman, as Apple’s current Chairman, Levinson has already passed the company’s recommended board retirement age. Levinson could retire and Cook could slip into the Chairman role. We’ve seen this happen at other tech firms, with Cisco Systems Inc.’s Chuck Robbins, as well as Microsoft Corp.’s Satya Nadella making that move at their companies.
