ALCOA INC. $12 (New York symbol AA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $13.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 1.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.alcoa.com) is doubling production of aluminum truck wheels at its plant in Hungary. Demand for these wheels is strong, as they are much more resistant to rust and corrosion than steel wheels. Engineered products like these also cut Alcoa’s reliance on selling less-profitable bulk aluminum.
The company will spend $13 million to upgrade the facility. That’s equal to 4% of the $357 million, or $0.33 a share, that Alcoa earned in 2013. It expects to complete the project in early 2015.
Alcoa is a buy.