Apple Boosts Buyback, Splits Stock 

Apple Inc., in a nod to restive shareholders, added $30 billion to its stock-buyback plan, raised its dividend about 8% and declared an unusually large 7-for-1 stock split Wednesday as it reported strong iPhone sales that defied expectations of a slowdown.

 
 Facebook Net Triples, Sales Up 72% 

Facebook Inc. proved its recent advertising windfalls were no fluke, nearly tripling profit on a 72% increase in revenue in its first quarter, surpassing Wall Street expectations.

 
 Alstom Denies GE Takeover Bid 

Alstom said it wasn't aware of any potential takeover bid for the company from General Electric. Alstom was responding to a report by Bloomberg, which said the U.S. firm was in takeover talks with the French engineer.

 
 Unilever First-Quarter Sales Fall 

The consumer-products giant Unilever reported a fall in first-quarter sales as currency weakness across emerging markets continued to weigh on its performance.

 
 AstraZeneca Dented by Generic Competition 

AstraZeneca posted a 67% fall in first-quarter profit, below analyst expectations, as sales of its best-selling drugs continued to be dented by generic competition.

 
 Heineken's 1Q Profit Hit by Currency Losses 

Heineken reported a 37% drop in first-quarter net profit as revenue fell on divestments and currency losses.

 
 Schneider Electric Confirms 2014 Target 

France's Schneider Electric said sales rose during the first quarter boosted by revenue from recently acquired Invensys and despite the negative effect of currency swings.

 
 Novartis 1Q Profit Rises About 23% 

Novartis said sales of newly-launched drugs helped push 1Q net profit about 23% higher, as the pharmaceutical giant embarks on an overhaul of its product portfolio.

 
 Pernod Ricard Seeks U.S. Aquisitions 

France's Pernod Ricard said it is looking to bolster its presence in the U.S. with further acquisitions to make up for faltering growth in some emerging markets.

 
 Anglo American Output Up, Except Platinum 

Globally diversified miner Anglo American reported higher output in the first quarter, boosted by iron ore and copper production, but warned its platinum unit continues to suffer from industrial action in South Africa.

 
 Barrick Sends Revised Terms to Newmont 

Barrick Gold has sent an email outlining revised terms to Newmont Mining for a deal between the two gold mining giants, according to people familiar with the matter.

 
 Lenovo to Raise $1 Billion Via USD Bond Issue 

Lenovo Group plans to raise $1 billion by issuing U.S. dollar bonds, according to a person familiar with the matter, after the Chinese personal-computer maker announced multi-billion-dollar acquisitions of U.S. technology businesses earlier this year.

 
 Emirates NBD 1st Quarter Profit Rises 25% 

Dubai's economic rebound helped its largest lender, Emirates NBD, post a 25% jump in first-quarter net profit, and become the latest Emirati bank to report a sharp increase in earnings after the financial crisis dented profits in previous years.

 
 Japan Tobacco Net Profit Slides 14% 

Japan Tobacco said its net profit slid 14% in the January-March quarter from a year earlier, partly because of a higher corporate tax burden.