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 Inco Ltd. posted a 35% decline in third-quarter net income, a performance 
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that was in line with analysts' expectations.
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 The nickel producer also raised its quarterly dividend to 25 cents a share from 20 cents
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 and said
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 it may buy back as much as 4.8% of its common outstanding.
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 Inco shares fell after the announcements.
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 Analysts said 
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some investors were disappointed 
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that the cash-rich company had failed to announce a special dividend.
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 Inco closed at $31.125 a share, down 62.5 cents, in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
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 Some analysts said
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 Inco,
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 which had cash reserves of $272 million as of Sept. 30,
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 could still announce a special dividend in the next few months,
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 though it would be smaller than the $10-a-share special dividend 
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it paid last year.
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 The quarterly dividend is payable Dec. 1 to shares of record Nov. 3.
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 Inco's net fell to $129.3 million, or $1.23 a share, in the third quarter from $200.3 million, or $1.88 a share, a year earlier.
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 Sales rose 8.2% to $848.7 million from $784.5 million.
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 Excluding special gains from tax-loss carry-forwards,
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 earnings in the latest quarter were $117.7 million, or $1.12 a share,
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 compared with $187.4 million, or $1.76 a share.
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 Inco said
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 the drop in earnings resulted mainly from lower nickel prices for the period and a temporary cut in nickel output at the company's Manitoba operations due to high levels of arsenic in the ore.
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 Inco said 
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it plans to buy back as many as five million common shares over the next 12 months 
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if nickel market conditions are favorable.
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 Under a previous buyback program, Inco has purchased 1.7 million of its shares since April.
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