ALCOA INC. $9.27 - New York symbol AA

ALCOA INC. $9.27 (New York symbol AA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $10.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 1.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.alcoa.com) owns 25.1% of a joint venture that operates a new aluminum smelter in Saudi Arabia; a state-owned mining company owns the remaining 74.9%.

This facility recently suffered problems while ramping up its production, which forced it to shut down one of its two production lines. Repairs will take about six months, but the other production line should let the plant make its initial deliveries on time.

Alcoa is a buy.

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