Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock got a boost Tuesday after launching a massive $17 billion debt offering. The proceeds will contribute to the $100 billion that Apple plans to give back to investors by way of dividend hikes and share buybacks. 

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) declined in premarket trading on Wednesday after the world’s second-largest company by market value reported late Tuesday an 18 percent profit drop and 11 percent revenue growth in fiscal second-quarter, as iPhone and iPad sales surpassed investors' lowered expectations. It also announced plans to unlock more cash for investors.

Shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) gained as much as 1.7 percent to $405.43 in afternoon trading in New York on Tuesday as investors await the company's results and outlook report due after the bell. The world’s second-largest company by market value is expected to report its first profit decline in a decade, hurt by products with lower margins and slower iPhone-sales growth.

With the worldwide unveiling of Samsung Electronics Co.’s (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) new Galaxy S4, the gloves are officially off in the battle for market share with its biggest competitor, Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone.

Once the darling of the top 50 hedge funds, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has lost its shine lately as the number of funds which list Apple as the top equity holding has declined from 12 to six in just one quarter.

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) added as much as 3.3 percent in pre-market trading on Monday morning after the U.S. personal-computer maker confirmed that it has received two rival takeover bids that may surpass the $13.65 per share deal now in place, led by CEO Michael Dell and partners.

Hewlett-Packard Co's (HP)(NYSE:HPQ) fourth-quarter sales fell short of expectations as its share of the PC market shrank and sales of its printers declined, amid an $8.8 billion non-cash charge related to serious accounting improprieties at its Autonomy business, which it acquired in 2011. 

Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) CEO Chief Executive Meg Whitman Wednesday blamed executive turnover in prior years for dragging out the turnaround of the Silicon Valley company.

Hard drive maker Western Digital Corp. (NYSE:WDC) late Thursday cut its revenue outlook for the fiscal first quarter, at the same time starting a quarterly dividend and boosting its share buyback authorization by $1.5 billion.

Computer and printer maker Hewlett-Packard’s (HP) (NYSE:HPQ) shares were down Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the company’s third quarter earnings results – due out after the bell.