Apple’s CEO Tim Cook: Record Sales, Joining Dow Jones, More Diversity, ‘Unbelievable’ Year

Apple CEO Tim Cook took a symbolic victory lap at the recent shareholder meeting of the company. During the yearly meeting he mentioned highlights during the past "unbelievable" year: record sales, preparations to join the Dow Jones, and increased diversity.

One year ago, some shareholders were requesting that Cook return additional cash to them. However, Apple stocks are up nearly two-thirds from one year ago. Its market value of over $700 billion earns it the title of the U.S.'s all-time most valuable company.

Apple also sold 200 million iPhones in 2014, which is a company record. This comprised the bulk of Apple's yearly revenue of $200 billion, according to The Kansas City Star.

The good news does not end there. Apple will also soon be added to the Dow Jones industrial average, replacing telecom giant AT&T.

These are some of the milestones that Cook mentioned as part of Apple's "unbelievable" year.  In addition, Apple gave back $57 billion to its shareholders in 2014.

While Cook was upbeat, one question mark is whether the new Apple smartwatch will be a hit or a miss. Still, the company's CEO has promised that the Apple Watch will revolutionize the way people use the Internet, mirroring the iPad and iPhone.  

In terms of future projects for Apple, Cook mentioned that it is teaming up with IBM to produce new business software for iPad. Also, tech buzz is that Apple is developing an iPad with a bigger screen.

Cook avoided questions about Apple's possible purchase of Tesla, an e-car company. However, he mentioned the company's work on Car Play, Apple's automobile software.

Apple also acknowledged that it has room for improvement in terms of diversity. Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson encouraged Cook to boost diversity in the company, praising it as having the "vision" and "commitment" to increase diversity, according to The Washington Post.

Here are the numbers. None of Apple's directors are black or Latino. Meanwhile, four-fifths of its top executives are white men.

However, even in this area Apple is having success. Cook stated that its diversity is "increasing" and that it will become "better."