Pressure had already been mounting on the US tech giant to pay some of its US$137 billion cash pile back to its shareholders.
Apple’s total value is now below US$400 billion, but American business magnate Warren Buffet has defended the company from its critics.
Speaking to the CNBC news channel, he said: “I would run the business in such a manner as to create the most value over the next five or ten years. You can't run a business to try and run the stock up every day.”
David Einhorn, a hedge fund manager, is one critic pushing for a higher return for shareholders, but he dropped a lawsuit against Apple last Friday.
Apple’s shares had reached an all time high in September when it hit US$705.07.
