Updating Alcoa Inc. and Boeing Co.

Article Excerpt

ALCOA INC. $9.85 (www.alcoa.com) has suffered lately as slowing industrial activity in China continues to dampen aluminum prices. In response, Alcoa is closing unprofitable smelters. Even so, declining cash flow could hurt its ability to service its debt of $9.1 billion. That’s a high 70% of its depressed $13.0-billion market cap. As a result, we’ve cut Alcoa’s TSINetwork Rating from “Average” to “Extra Risk.” However, Alcoa’s plan to spin off its engineered aluminum products business as a separate firm called Arconic (New York symbol ARNC) should help unlock some of its value. Buy. BOEING CO. $135 (www.boeing.com) is cutting production of its 777 passenger jet planes. Airlines are ordering fewer new planes, as lower fuel costs have reduced the need to buy new fuel-efficient models. In addition, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating how Boeing accounts for the costs to develop new planes. If the company has to change these estimates, that could take it longer to recoup…