Based on the aggregated intelligence of 165,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, copper giant Southern Copper (NYSE: SCCO) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Southern Copper's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Southern Copper facts

Headquarters (Founded)

Phoenix (1952)

Market Cap

$24.6 billion

Industry

Copper

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$4.33 billion

Management

CEO Oscar Rocha (since 2004)

CFO Genaro Mercado (since 2008)

Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years)

39.1%

Cash/Debt

$672 million / $1.28 billion

Dividend Yield

6.6%

Competitors

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX)

Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP)

Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 96% of the 4,128 members who have rated Southern Copper believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include uclayoda87 and WPThatcher, who is ranked in the top 25% of our community.

Just last week, uclayoda87 tapped Southern Copper as an interesting income opportunity: "As long as it keep paying out a dividend, the stock will be supported by investors looking for steady income and the potential for price appreciation, which would be expected from either an economic recovery or a weakening US dollar."

In addition to the yummy yield, CAPS Fools are particularly drawn to Southern Copper's massive reserve base and high profitability. Though Southern Copper doesn't attract as much attention as behemoth Freeport-McMoRan, it's actually the world's largest publically traded copper miner in terms of reserves and also has one of the lowest cost profiles. Importantly for investors, Southern Copper's stock has reflected that operational edge, outperforming Freeport and its other main rival, Rio Tinto, over the last three, five, and 10-year time periods.

CAPS member WPThatcher elaborates on the bull case:

The price of copper is a solid proxy for economic activity. This is a bet not only on recovery but on continued scarcity. Southern Copper has tremendous reserves and one of the [l]owest cost copper producers out there. The dividend is generous and solid. This is not a cheap stock if you merely look at [price-to-sales]. You have to really believe in the growth story to justify the investment.Also, keep in mind the great geographic concentration of this company (they principally operate in Mexico and Peru).

What do you think about Southern Copper, or any other stock for that matter? If you want to retire rich, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future, and on Motley Fool CAPS, thousands of investors are working every day to find them. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!