Zacks gives Xcel stock a 'hold' rating

Xcel receives 'hold' rating from Zacks

Zacks Investment Research published a report on Xcel Energy last week giving it a "hold" rating. The hold rating from Zack's reflects that utilities as a whole were down in 2015. The S&P 500 Utilities Index of 29 companies was down 7.7 percent as of last week.

Minneapolis-based Xcel has done better than most of its peers, with its stock about level from the start of the year. Its long-term success may depend on its investments in green energy. Zacks analysts called out those initiatives as reasons to like Xcel, writing that "Xcel Energy's large-scale clean energy projects will prove beneficial in the long run."

Patrick Kennedy

Target also receives 'hold' rating

Last week, Zacks also gave Target Corp. a "hold" rating. The group currently likes competitors Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Foot Locker Inc. and Express Inc. more, but Zacks does credit Minneapolis-based Target for developing its omnichannel capabilities, localization of assortments and its smaller store concepts.

"Target is aggressively redefining itself amid an ever-changing and competitive retail landscape," the firm put in a note.

Arctic Cat retains 'hold' rating from analyst

Wunderlich trimmed its target price for Arctic Cat Inc. stock from $19 to $17, according to a research note from December. The brokerage did reiterate its "hold" rating on the stock.

The company has been struggling, missing analysts' consensus third-quarter estimates for both earnings per share and revenue. The revenue was down 19.5 percent over the same period a year ago.

Arctic Cat stock was trading last week at around $16, on the low end for the year. The high for the year was $39.72.

Arctic Cat in October lowered its full-year revenue and earnings outlook for fiscal 2016. The company expects full-year sales in the range of $665 million to $675 million and earnings of 5 to 15 cents per share.

'Bullish' target set for Fastenal stock

Gregory W. Harmon, founder and president of Dragonfly Capital Management, still has a "bullish" $43.75 target for Fastenal, he wrote in his blog last week.

"The stock looked good for a move higher back at the end of November as it was breaking up through the neckline of an inverse head and shoulders pattern," the blog said. The stock hasn't had much upward pressure on the high-end since then, but has been up and down, offering an opportunity if it breaks from that pattern on the high side, Harmon wrote.