What analysts are saying: Xcel investing for growth

In Xcel Energy's year-end earnings release on Feb. 1, the company laid out capital spending plans through 2017 that call for $13.2 billion in investment. So while Zachs Investment Research analysts said Xcel's 2012 revenue "lagged," the firm believes the investments will sustain the company's growth.

"We believe the long-term investments undertaken by the company will not only boost its generation capabilities but will also enhance the reliability of the service rendered." Zachs is maintaining a long-term "neutral" recommendation on Xcel.

Imperial Capital analyst Lee Giordano believes the expansion prospects for Life Time Fitness in 2013 are slowing. He's downgraded the stock from "outperform" to "in-line."

"The slowdown in membership growth and rise in membership acquisition costs in the fourth quarter may be a sign of an increasingly cautious consumer," he wrote in a Feb. 1 note.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg News reports more analysts have buys (six) than holds (five). On Thursday, Steven Wieczynski, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus, upgraded his rating on Life Time to "buy."