Apple Inc. (AAPL), Google Inc (GOOG): Hedge Fund Manager Julian Robertson Speaks Out

Curious what one major hedge fund manager thinks about the tech giants? Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) are the two clear tech powerhouses on Wall Street and in everyday tech consumers’ lives, and fund manager Julian Robertson has been around to see the growth and evolution of both companies  since he opened hedge fund Tiger Management in 1980. He has seen both companies become  well-respected and formidable tech and computer forces in the world, and they seemed to have done it in different ways.

Recently, Robertson sat down with Tom Keene of Bloomberg TV for an interview and gave his general assessments of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) as companies and as investing entities, perhaps giving his hints as to where he thinks the companies will go from here.

When asked about their business models and leadership, Robertson seemed pretty certain that when it comes to long-term success, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is in better position.

“I think that the Google people have a better way of getting things done,” Robertson said. He has always been positive on Google, but his outlook on Apple, he admitted, changed a bit once he read the Steve Jobs biography.

Jobs “was a maverick person and really couldn’t establish a great, long-term entity,” Robertson said. “I had a tremendous amount of respect for (Jobs’) intellect, but I feel that he was a very mercurial, tough guy, and I’m not sure that bodes well for his company in terms of leadership.”

Overall, it seems like Robertson has been right, at least if one looks at the performance of the respective stocks. According to Bloomberg, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) stock has gone up 25 percent since Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock peaked at $705 a share in mid-September 2012, and is up about 80 percent  since Jobs passed away in October 2011. By contrast, Apple stock has gained just 12 percent since Jobs’ passing, and is down about 40 percent from the peak.

What are your thoughts about Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)? Do you agree with Robertson, that Google has better leadership for long-term success?

What do you think about Tim Cook’s leadership at Apple, and what are your thoughts about Eric Schmidt and Larry Page?

If you had to choose, would you invest in Apple like fund manager David Einhorn (see his full equity portfolio), or would you invest in Google like fund manager George Soros (see his full equity portfolio)? Give us your feedback in the comments section below.

DISCLOSURE: None