Warren Buffett praised Apple CEO Tim Cook during Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting, acknowledging that Cook’s leadership has increased Berkshire’s profits. As he prepares to retire as CEO, Buffett called Apple his best investment, highlighting the positive impact of Cook’s management since 2011.
At Berkshire Hathaway’s 2025 shareholder meeting in Omaha, Warren Buffett, 94, announced his year-end retirement and praised Tim Cook, stating, “Tim Cook has made Berkshire a lot more money than I’ve ever made,” as reported by Bloomberg. Buffett credited Cook’s management for Apple’s stellar performance, making Berkshire one of Apple’s largest non-ETF investors in 2024. “Credit should be given to him,” Buffett said, emphasising Cook’s role in scaling Apple post-Steve Jobs.
Buffett highlighted Jobs’ foresight in choosing Cook as successor in 2011, months before Jobs’ death. “Nobody but Steve could have created Apple, but nobody but Tim could have developed it as he has,” he said, thanking Cook on behalf of Berkshire. The remarks, trending on X, underscored Buffett’s admiration for Cook’s consumer-driven strategy, which fueled Apple’s market dominance.
$AAPL
Warren Buffet on Tim Cook:
“Only Steve Jobs could have created Apple, but only someone like Tim Cook could have developed it to be where it is today.”
😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/LRqiErxWFd
— amit (@amitisinvesting) May 3, 2025Berkshire’s Strategic Apple Investment
Berkshire began investing in Apple in 2016, a departure from Buffett and late partner Charlie Munger’s tech-averse strategy, as noted by Reuters. Viewing Apple as a consumer goods giant rather than a tech firm, Buffett was drawn to its brand loyalty and product demand, with iPhones and services driving massive profits. By 2024, Berkshire’s Apple stake, valued at over $170 billion at its peak, became a cornerstone of its portfolio, delivering unmatched returns compared to Buffett’s other investments.
#Berkshire2025 | "Tim Cook has made Berkshire a lot more money than I've ever made Berkshire Hathaway," says Warren Buffet.
🔴Get #live updates here👇https://t.co/I2fSZHVhiD @WarrenBuffett #BerkshireHathaway #BerkshireWeekend #Omaha #Shareholders #Investors #Business… pic.twitter.com/XW8CUBtRUY
— Moneycontrol (@moneycontrolcom) May 3, 2025Warren Buffett’s admission that Tim Cook outearned him for Berkshire Hathaway, shared at the 2025 shareholder meeting, cements Apple as his greatest investment. As Buffett prepares to step down, his praise for Cook’s leadership since 2011 underscores Apple’s transformative growth. The Oracle of Omaha’s endorsement reverberates, affirming Cook’s pivotal role in global markets.
Read: Warren Buffett to Retire, Greg Abel Named Berkshire Hathaway CEO
