Apple shares rose 3% on September 1 after John Ternus formally became CEO, succeeding Tim Cook after Cook’s 15-year tenure. Ternus, 51, has spent 25 years at Apple and has led major hardware programs including AirPods, Apple Watch, Vision Pro and the MacBook Neo. His first message to employees focused on the September 9 product showcase. Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management identified retaining engineering talent as Ternus’ top challenge, citing OpenAI’s recruiting efforts and the risk that Apple could lose control of the consumer interface with AI. Wall Street analysts retain a Moderate Buy consensus, with a $330.82 average price target implying about 3% downside from current trading levels.