Amazon Has Badly Underperformed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 Since Jeff Bezos Stepped Down as CEO. Could Apple Do the Same Starting Sept. 1 When Tim Cook Steps Down?

Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to step down on Sept. 1, prompting questions about how the company’s strategy in AI may change—and whether Apple’s stock could start lagging the broader market. The article points to Amazon as a reference case: since Jeff Bezos left as CEO in mid-2021, Amazon has underperformed. It notes Amazon’s roughly 50% price advance versus gains of more than 100% for the Nasdaq-100 and about 90% for the S&P 500 (as of the piece). The piece says AI infrastructure spending is a key factor, including Amazon’s expected $220 billion investment in 2026.