Analysts at Zachs Investment Research maintained a "neutral" rating on Xcel Energy in its latest research report but did lay out several reasons to buy the utility company. One reason to buy?

"Xcel Energy continues to be proactive with its significant investments in transmission to deliver reliable energy to its customers."

Underscoring that point, Zachs pointed out that the company's capital outlay for the next five years will be $13 billion

Expect Stratasys to Add metal

Canaccord Genuity analyst Bobby Burleson covers 3-D printing companies including Stratasys (SSYS) and 3D Systems Corp. (DDD).

He expects that the "additive manufacturing'' story will grow more complex in 2014 as investors push companies to make more acquisitions. DDD, Stratasys' chief competitor, added 3-D metal-printing capability through an acquisition of Phenix Systems in July.

"Investors now expect SSYS to make an acquisition in the metal arena," Burleson wrote.

Patrick Kennedy