Sep 21, 2026 · 44 min
Tim Cook’s Apple legacy faces the Steve Jobs comparison
Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer 9/21/26
The retrospective examines how Cook has expanded Apple beyond devices while sustaining its culture, customer loyalty, shareholder returns, and manufacturing ambitions.
- 1Cook frames Apple’s growth around long-term leadership, services, health technology, and products such as Apple Watch.
- 2Apple’s customer ecosystem and installed base support loyalty, upgrades, and new product adoption across its retail network.
- 3The company’s American manufacturing investments connect shareholder value with jobs, suppliers, education, and local communities.
Don't miss
The Kentucky manufacturing visit shows Cook connecting Apple’s investment with suppliers, education, jobs, and the wider economic impact on communities.
The brief
Jim Cramer marks Mad Money’s anniversary with a retrospective on Apple and Tim Cook, using past conversations to examine how the company’s mission has changed under new leadership.
Cook discusses Apple Pay, ResearchKit, health technology, services, and future products while arguing that durable leadership matters more than short-term stock movements.
At Apple Park and in Cupertino, Cook links customer loyalty, the installed base, stores, and products such as AirPods and Apple Watch to Apple’s innovation culture.
A visit to Harrodsburg, Kentucky, shifts the focus from products to industrial policy, as Apple and Corning discuss manufacturing, suppliers, training, jobs, and community impact.
Cramer closes by weighing Cook’s tenure against Steve Jobs’s legacy, asking whether Apple’s extraordinary performance can also represent a distinct leadership achievement.
What was said on this episode
12 statements · 10 positive · 2 negative
Apple will become a major health and credit-card company.
“I basically am looking at your company as being the health company of the future. I'm looking at you as being the credit card company of the future.”
Listen at 2:32
Customers will demand Apple Pay from every major retailer worldwide.
“it's perfectly realistic to believe that the customers will demand it from every major retailer in the world.”
Listen at 3:28
Investors should own Apple rather than trade it.
“my mantra, people should own Apple, not trade it.”
Listen at 4:15
Apple stock rose nearly 2,300% during Cook’s leadership.
“The stock rallied nearly 2300 percent under his leadership.”
Listen at 39:34
iPhone reached 55–60% U.S. market share when Cook retired.
“When Tim retired, the iPhone had 55 to 60 percent market share in this country, leaving Android in the dust.”
Listen at 40:20
Apple services account for 26% of total business.
“The service stream is now 26% of the total business.”
Listen at 41:16
Apple reduced its share count by more than 40% since 2011.
“Since Cook took over in 2011, he shrunk Apple's share count by an astounding more than 40%.”
Listen at 41:27
Only NVIDIA has done a really good job with AI besides possibly others.
“Outside of NVIDIA, I don't think anyone's done a really good job with AI.”
Listen at 41:38
Hyperscalers have severely damaged their balance sheets building data centers.
“The hyperscalers have wrecked their balance sheets to build these data centers.”
Listen at 41:41
Apple benefits substantially from its Google search arrangement.
“Apple comes out way ahead.”
Listen at 42:18
Tim Cook has made Apple Watch repeatedly lifesaving.
“He's worked tirelessly to make the Apple Watch a lifesaver many times over.”
Listen at 42:24
Tim Cook has substantially reduced risks to life, limb, and heart.
“he's eliminated substantial risk to life. limb and heart.”
Listen at 42:28
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.