“Though billionaire Julian Robertson once considered Apple to be one of the world’s greatest companies and a sound investment, the renowned hedge funder told CNBC on Monday he has dumped all shares because founder Steve Jobs was a ‘really awful’ person,” Drew Sandholm reports for CNBC.
“Robertson said he came to his decision after recently reading a biography about the late technology innovator. Though he said the stock performed well for him, he decided to sell all of his shares in January,” Sandholm reports. “‘We’ll let somebody else make the money from now on,’ he said on Closing Bell. ‘I came to the conclusion that it was unlikely that a man as really awful as I think that Steve Jobs was, could possibly create a great company for the long term. I just don’t believe bad guys do well in the long run,’ Robertson said.”
“Still, he acknowledged Jobs’ many inventions, including everything from the iPhone to the iPad,” Sandholm reports. “‘There’s no question that — and I think if he were still there, I’d still be in it,’ Robertson said. ‘I think he’s one of the great geniuses of the world. But — he’s not the kind of guy I think that would develop a long-standing company.'”
MacDailyNews Take: So, if the devil incarnate was still drawing breath, Robertson would have no problem owning shares, but because the “awful” being has been dispatched to the netherworld, he’s dumped all of his shares?
Total nonsense.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Senility isn’t pretty.
I like Julian Robertson in Pretty Woman.
He must be mad because Jobs was an Atheist, and that he is a stupid Christian for believing in that garbage. Jealous of Steve’s intelligence, maybe?
I never thought Jobs was all that great a ‘genius’. He had
a lot more in common with J Robert Oppenheimer than any
real “industrialist”. Both men were good at cajoling the
best work out of talented nerds.
People need to really to take a closer read at that Isaacson
book than they do, especially fans of the grate Steve Jobs.
What an asshole. This guy can go pack sand along with all his money. The hubris of these people is beyond reproach. At least he didn’t throw office chairs at employees like that joke of a CEO Monkey Boy Ballmer. Steve may have had a harsh way of motivating his workers, but the results speak louder than anything this idiot does. Wall Street is a pox upon this world, and this guy is a shining example of it.
A previous MDN article about Steve Jobs and the development of the iPhone indicates that Jobs wasn’t afraid to push people to their limits with respect to developing innovative new products. Apple wouldn’t be where it is today without Jobs’ leadership skills.
Wonder how much MSFT he owns? They’re angels.
Steve Jobs was not always mean. He felt his brusk manner was necessary at times. I suspect now he knows there are better ways.
Steve was never an atheist. Not at all. The opposite 🙂
Unfortunately not many ppl know what Steve is really like. If you paid attention over the years, you’d know.
Have you noticed that only “believers” and people hanging on religions give any credit to the existence of a “hell” or a “devil”?…
Though Steve might not have been an “atheist” in the pure sense, but he certainly wasn’t a blind bigot neither. 😛
He does know that Steve Jobs is dead, doesn’t he?
I’d rather have a meanie CEO, than a monkey CEO any day!
How long did Thomas Alva Edison’s company last? He was really really awful and unethical.
a ‘really awful’ person …Is any standard biznizz CEO of today. Top of the list: Any of the loser companies/banks who exploited a handout from the US government. AIG, Citi, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, GM, blahblahblah. Those companies that failed as Apple thrived.
Steve Jobs? Way too genius for Julian Robertson to comprehend, apparently. Yes, Julian. Send your investment money off to LESS worth companies. Please. Those hellholes run by the psychopathic destroyers of modern culture and capitalism, pulling the strings of puppet politicians, driving the USA into bankruptcy. You know, those guys.
He is right. Jobs was a child abandoner as well. Glad this piece of shit is gone!
X, still here? Sad this piece of shit isn’t gone!
Attilla the Hun wasn’t successful for very long, if long is measured in dinosaur years.
He made his pot of gold from his investment, if he really is a good Hedge fund trader I dont think it matters what kind of person is running the company as long as his investments return a profit but he sure did get the attention of a lot of people.
Do I have to sell aapl coz Tim Cook is gay ?
For God’s sake, someone but that man a copy of ‘Anatony of an Apple – the lessons Steve taught us.’
I it, i completely debunk that tabloid version of Steve that got presented. His sections had sound business basis, when examined honestly.
Sounds like another “Anti Bulling” advocate.
Hah- I meant “Anti Bullying”. Apologies for the lazy post
Who knows.
My picture of Steve is a little but of a dictator. He was running Apple with an iron fist even though it was a public company. How ever, that’s why they were successful and the board let him run the company as it was private because they realised how much Apple’s success was because of Steve. Every one here have seen Pirates of Silicon Valley. There we see a young Steve jobs being brutally honest. I don’t know if it was that Steve he was referring too. How ever. I don’t think you can say he was an awful person if you don’t know him. He may be brutal when running Apple but might be a really nice guy otherwise. Either way he has my full respect. Always.
Sandholm does make a valid point. It is similar to buying a sole proprietorship. The owner is generally the business and a new owner stands little chance for success. Mr. Jobs was without a doubt an incredible innovator. His personality is that of a I or me only person who took no prisoners and allow no room for error. With his personality, it is difficult to see how Mr. Jobs would have accepted a predecessor.