Based on the aggregated intelligence of 130,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, Brazilian mining giant Vale (NYSE:RIO) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

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

Vale facts

Headquarters (founded)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1942)

Market Cap

$81.17 billion

Industry

Diversified Metals and Mining

TTM Revenue

$37.43 billion

Management

CEO Roger Agnelli (since 2001)

CFO Fabio Barbosa (since 2002)

Return on Equity (average, last three years)

37.3%

Dividend Yield

3.1%

Competitors

Rio Tinto (NYSE:RTP)

BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP)

CAPS members bullish on RIO also bullish on

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX)

Transocean (NYSE:RIG)

CAPS members bearish on RIO also bearish on

General Motors (NYSE:GM)

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC)

Sources: Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's, and Motley Fool CAPS. TTM = trailing 12 months.

Over on CAPS, fully 6,148 of the 6,283 members who have rated Vale -- some 98% -- believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include mpendragon, who is ranked in the top 10% of our community, and dudemonkey.

Two weeks ago, mpendragon noted that Vale's revenue "has fallen off sharply with the global economy but they are still making money and seem solid." Our CAPS member concludes, "Brazil has a lot of growth potential and Vale will continue to provide them with the materials to make that happen. This is a good stock on the cheap."

In a pitch from last week, dudemonkey also taps Vale as a "Real" bargain:

Vale is one of the backbones of the Brazilian economy. In addition to its core business, it owns a lot of its own distribution methods (railroads and tanker ships). Vale has manageable debt, one of the lowest ratios in the diversified mining sector.

At the time of this pick, the dollar was strong vs the Brazilian Real and I don't believe that strength can continue. With the Brazilian economy already showing many signs of recovery, exports picking up, internal consumption increasing by leaps and bounds, and a US that seems determined to borrow itself into dirt, just about any Brazilian company is a no-brainer to buy.

What do you think about Vale, or any other stock for that matter? Make your voice heard on Motley Fool CAPS today. More than 130,000 investors are waiting to hear what you have to say. CAPS is 100% free, so simply click here to get started.