Alcoa Inc. (AA): Alcoa Inc. (AA): Recommended on 3-1-09 @ $5.81; now trades at $14.04. Alcoa is one of the world's largest aluminum producers, with over 300 operating and sales sites in 35 countries. Earnings and dividends rise and fall just about every five years or so. The book value stands at $14.59 per share. AA has since streamlined, becoming more focused, cutback production, reduced headcount, and achieved significant savings in key raw materials. AA produces branded products under the Reynolds Wrap and Baco brand names. Foreign sales accounted for 47% of revenues. Officers and directors own 2% and Capital World Investors owns 8.5% of the 974.4 million outstanding shares. (No fees)

Bank of America Corp. (BAC): Submitted for approval on 04/11/2012: Bank of America provides various banking and financial products and services to individual consumers, small-and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The Deposits segment provides traditional savings, money market, checking, and investment accounts. The Card Services segment issues credit and debit cards, including co-branded and affinity products. The Consumer Real Estate Services segment offers fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages and refinancing, lines of credit, and home equity loans. The Global Commercial Banking segment provides integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to banking and middle-market companies, commercial real estate firms, and governments. The Global Banking & Markets segment offers advisory services, financing, securities clearing, settlement, and custody services, underwriting and distribution, and risk management products. The Global Wealth & Investment Management segment provides brokerage, banking, and retirement products, investment management, trust and banking needs, asset management, and retirement solutions. As of December 31, 2011, the company served customers through a network of 5,700 banking centers, 17,750 ATMs, call centers, and online and mobile banking platforms. Bank of America was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Extract from Yahoo)

ConAgra Foods, Inc. (CAG): This leading domestic food company provides prepared foods for retailers and restaurants, and its brand names include Healthy Choice, Chef Boyardee, Wesson, Slim Jim, Hunt’s, Orville Redenbacher, and Reddi-wip. State Street owns 5.2% of the 442.7 million outstanding shares, which is down from 520 million in 2004. ConAgra Foods (CAG) earnings are trending back up, from just $1.06 per share in fiscal 2008 (ends May 31) to $1.52 in 2009 and $1.74 for 2010. But the sluggish economy may limit earnings to about $1.80 in 2011 before a pick-up to $1.95 in 2012. Meanwhile, the 4% dividend yield and cash of over $800 million should make this a worthwhile holding. (No fees)

Duke Energy (DUK): Duke Energy (DUK): After the spin-off of Spectra Energy (gas operations), Duke is now an electric utility servicing 3.9 million electric customers in North and South Carolina and parts of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. It also has 500,000 gas customers in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The quarterly dividend was raised in September 2008, to 23¢ per share. Book value is $16.50 per share and the dividend yields 6.6%, which is 1% higher than the industry average. (No fees)

General Electric Company (GE): General Electric (GE) is a diversified industrial company that develops, manufactures, and markets a broad array of products ranging from aircraft engines to locomotives and to services such as water remediation and processing, security, consumer and business financing, and medical imaging. The shares are currently regarded as undervalued, a residue of the economic disaster that has burdened the entire country. The company recently announced the purchase of Wellstream Holdings, a large British manufacturer of high quality and specialty pipeline products for subsea oil and gas transportation. That deal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2011. General Electric raised its quarterly dividend by 17%, from 12¢ to 14¢ per share, payable on January 25, 2011. Indications are that GE might evaluate its dividend on a twice yearly or even quarterly basis through 2012. With the current 3.2% dividend yield, investors may begin to once again look forward to continued growth. Management's recent focus on infrastructure in both the industrial and technology markets, bodes well for its profit picture long-term. ($3 fee for cash, co. pays fee for dividend reinvestment)

H.B. Fuller Company (FUL): H.B. Fuller (FUL): Fuller had annual sales of $1.39 billion in 2008, of which 3.3% was allocated to research and development. It manufactures adhesives, sealants, and various coatings used in packaging, home improvements, construction, insulated glass, cigarettes, automobiles, furniture, shoes, fiberglass, carpets, paints, cleaning and sanitizing products, and specialty waxes. Mairs & Powers owns 6.4% of the 51 million outstanding shares. A dividend has been paid since 1953 and increased for 40 straight years, to the current annual rate of 26¢ per share. (No fees)

Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC): Northrop Grumman (NOC): Recommended on 1-15-09 @ $47.38; now trading @ $50.80. NOC makes military aircraft, space systems, electronic systems, and specialty vehicles, as well as supplying information services. It produces aircraft for the military and makes fuselages for Boeing's 747 airliners, manufactures avionics for aircraft and missiles, and builds cargo and warships. Three funds own 25.1% of the 318 million outstanding shares. NOC gets 90% of its business from the U.S. Government, so earnings are not impacted much by the overall economy. NOC has a production backlog of over $70 billion. (No fees)

Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR): *Otter Tail Corp. (OTTR) is the parent of Otter Tail Power, an electric utility serving 129,000 customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. With low electric rates and service to a primarily rural population, the company faces limited competition for its market share. The current dividend yields 5.6% and has been increased every year since 1973, while earnings per share have grown by 5% over the past five years. The company is branching out into both wind power generation and wind tower production. The share price is down more than 50% from its high and the book value is just over $19 per share.

PepsiCo Inc. (PEP): PepsiCo is a leader in two highly profitable fields: soft drinks and snack foods. In the beverage arena, Pepsi is a household name, with Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Gator Aid, and Tropicana adding to the sales. Snack foods include names like Doritos, Ruffles, Lays, Fritos, Quaker Oats, and Cheetos. Dividends have been paid since 1952, raised annually since 1972, and currently total $1.92 per share. PEP earned $3.77 in 2009 and should earn $4.10 in 2010. Its 10-year average P/E is around 20 (presently at 16), so by 2013-14, when earnings should have reached $6 per share, a $100 price tag on PEP is not unreasonable. Two of our staff owns this stock.

Pfizer Inc. (PFE): Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer) is a research-based, global pharmaceutical company. The Company discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines for humans and animals. It operates in two business segments: Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. Pfizer also operates several other businesses, including the manufacture of gelatin capsules, contract manufacturing and bulk pharmaceutical chemicals. **Taken from Google Finance**