new Analyst coverage
Several Minnesota companies got new analyst coverage last week including Stratasys Ltd., which was picked up by FBR Capital Markets analyst Ajay Kejriwal. He started coverage with an "outperform" rating. The Mosaic Co. got an "outperform" rating from analyst Chris Nocella of RBC Capital Markets on Tuesday.
Pentair Ltd. got picked up by analyst Kevin Maczka, who gave an initial "buy" rating on Thursday, a couple of weeks after Nathan Jones of Stifel initiated coverage with a "buy" rating on November 19.
Xcel downgrade
Xcel Energy met with investors on Wednesday to update them on the utility's operations, regulatory plans and business. Before the presentation, it got an analyst downgrade.
Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta downgraded Xcel on Monday, moving to a "neutral" rating after maintaining a moderate "buy" recommendation since April. The Seeking Alpha stock market analysis website quoted Mehta's research note: "Continued rate case risk in Minnesota in 2014, higher capital spending through 2015, driving higher equity needs and lower dividend growth, and a pressured multiple."
Patrick Kennedy