Eldorado (EGO) (PXD) (SFY) (CNX) (PRU) (SUSP) (TOU) Ratings Changes

Eldorado Gold Co. (EGO), Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD), Swift Energy (SFY), CONSOL Energy Inc. (CNX), Perseus Mining Limited (PRU), Susser Petroleum Partners LP (SUSP) and Tourmaline Oil Corp (TOU) had ratings on them adjusted by analysts.

Canaccord Genuity downgraded Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) from a "Buy" rating to a "Hold" rating. They have a price target of $111.00 on the company.

Global Hunter Securities downgraded Swift Energy (SFY) from a "Buy" rating to an "Accumulate" rating. They have a price target of $28.00 on the company.

Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on CONSOL Energy Inc. (CNX). They placed an "Equal Weight" rating and price target of $37.00 on the company.

Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Eldorado Gold Co. (EGO). They placed an "Overweight" rating and price target of $19.00 on the company.

Fraser Mackenzie initiated coverage on Perseus Mining Limited (PRU). They placed a "Strong-Buy" rating and price target of $3.40 on the company.

Janney Capital initiated coverage on Susser Petroleum Partners LP (SUSP). They placed a "Buy" rating and price target of $27.00 on the company.

National Bank initiated coverage on Tourmaline Oil Corp. (TOU). They placed an "Outperform" rating on the company.

Swift (SFY) (SNI) (THOR) (CSIQ) (DFS) (DMAN) Ratings, Price Targets

Swift Energy (SFY), Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI), Thoratec (THOR), Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ), Discover Financial Services (DFS) and DemandTec, Inc. (DMAN) ratings and price targets.

KeyBanc initiated coverage on Swift Energy (SFY). They placed a “Buy” rating and a price target of $40.00 on the company.

Zacks Investment Research reiterated its “Neutral” rating on Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI). They have a price target of $44.00 on the company.

Oscar Gruss initiated coverage on Thoratec (THOR). They placed a “Hold” rating and a price target of $40.00 on the company.

Zacks Investment Research reiterated its “Underperform” rating on Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ). They have a price target of $2.25 on the company.

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) reiterated its “Neutral” rating on Discover Financial Services (DFS).

JMP Securities downgraded DemandTec, Inc. (DMAN) from an “Outperform” rating to a “Market Perform” rating.

Lear (LEA) (TTMI) (MCHP) (CBOE) (SFY) (SGEN) Price Targets Changed

Lear Co. (NYSE: LEA), TTM Tech (NASDAQ: TTMI), Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP), CBOE Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: CBOE), Swift Energy (NYSE: SFY) and Seattle Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGEN) price targets adjusted by analysts.

Lear Co. (NYSE: LEA) had its price target raised by Barclays Capital to $67.00. They have an “Overweight” rating on the company.

TTM Tech (TTMI) had its price target lowered by UBS AG from $20.00 to $17.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the company.

Microchip Technology Inc. (MCHP) had its price target lowered by UBS AG (NYSE:UBS) from $37.00 to $33.50. They have a “Neutral” rating on the company.

CBOE Holdings, Inc. (CBOE) had its price target raised by Barclays Capital to $26.00. They have an “Equal Weight” rating on the company.

Swift Energy (SFY) had its price target lowered by MKM Partners from $52.00 to $46.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the company.

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (SGEN) had its price target lowered by UBS AG from $21.00 to $16.00. They have a “Neutral” rating on the company.

Petrohawk (HK) Bid from BHP (BHP) Pushes Up (PXD) (SM) (SFY)

Shares of companies like Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE:PXD), SM Energy (NYSE:SM) and Swift Energy (NYSE:SFY), which own acreage in Eagle Ford, got a big boost from the premium offered from BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP) for Petrohawk (NYSE:HK).

BHP's bid of $38.75 a share, was a 60 percent premium over the Thursday close of $23.79 a share by Petrohawk. The $12.1 billion bid was an all-cash offer.

Immediate response from some analysts is this deal is more than likely specific to Petrohawk, rather than an industry consolidation trend. Even so, it is good news for some in the natural gas industry, which could benefit from possible higher valuations as a result.

Swift Energy was trading at $40.92, gaining $3.18, or 8.43 percent, as of 10:51 AM EDT. SM Energy was at $77.97, up $5.83, or 8.08 percent. Pioneer Natural Resources was trading at $92.91, up $6.82, or 7.92 percent. HK was at $28.21, jumping $14.72, or 62.66 percent.

Other companies with large exposure to natural gas were also trading up on the day. EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG) was trading at $100.98, up $4.27, or 4.42 percent. EQT Corporation was at $57.13, gaining $2.40, or 4.39 percent. Carrizo Oil & Gas was at $39.44, up $1.45, or 3.82 percent. Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK) was at $32.12, soaring $1.91, or 6.32 percent.

Pioneer Natural Resources holds 310,000 acres in the Eagle Ford. SM Energy holds 250,000 acres in the Eagle Ford, and Swift Energy holds 79,000 acres in the Eagle Ford.

BHP was trading at $91.15, down $1.13, or 1.22 percent.

ReneSola (SOL) (SFY) (MRO) (FAST) (ERTS) Price Targets Changed by Analysts

ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL), Swift Energy (NYSE: SFY), Marathon Oil Co. (NYSE: MRO), Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST), Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS) had their price targets adjusted by analysts.

Pritchard cut its price target on Swift Energy (SFY) to $54.00.

Collins Stewart lowered its price target on ReneSola (SOL) from $6.50 to $3.60. They have a “Neutral” rating on the company.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) cut its price target on Marathon Oil Co. (MRO) to $35.00.

Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) boosted its price target on Fastenal (FAST) to $39.00. They have a “Neutral” rating on the company.

UBS AG (NYSE:UBS) raised its price target on Electronic Arts to $27.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the company.

Electronic Arts closed Wednesday at $23.91, falling $0.26, or 1.08 percent. Fastenal closed at $34.50, up $0.02, or 0.06 percent. Marathon Oil ended the session at $31.71, rising $0.19, or 0.60 percent. ReneSola closed at $4.81, jumping $0.10, or 2.12 percent. Swift Energy closed at $38.41, gaining $1.17, or 3.14 percent.

Ratings on (SFY) (SLAB) (TCAP) (TRGT) Upgraded

Ratings on Swift Energy (NYSE: SFY), Silicon Laboratories (NASDAQ: SLAB), Triangle Capital Corp. (NASDAQ: TCAP) and Targacept Inc. (NASDAQ: TRGT) upgraded by analysts today.

Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) upgraded shares of Swift Energy (SFY) from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating. They have a price target of $46.00 on the company, up from $44.00.

JMP Securities upgraded Silicon Laboratories (SLAB) from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating. They have a price target of $52.00 on the company.

Robert W. Baird upgraded Triangle Capital Cor (TCAP) from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating. They have a price target of $21.00 on the company, up from $20.00.

Needham & Company upgraded Targacept Inc. (TRGT) from a “buy” rating to a “strong buy” rating. They have a price target of $32.00 on the company.

Approach Resources (NASDAQ:AREX), Cimarex (NYSE:XEC), Magnum Hunter (Amex:MHR), Northern Oil & Gas (Amex:NOG), Swift (NYSE:SFY) Top E&P Picks of Canaccord for 2011

Approach Resources (NASDAQ:AREX), Cimarex Energy (NYSE:XEC), Magnum Hunter (Amex: MHR), Northern Oil & Gas (Amex: NOG), and Swift Energy (NYSE:SFY) were identified by Canaccord Genuity as their top exploration and production picks in oil and gas for 2011.

Canaccord said, "We still believe there is appreciable upside remaining in our best ideas despite a 25% run in our E&P coverage universe since mid-October. In our view, this upside will become clear over the next three to four months. While most are focused on 2010 year-end updates and 2011 outlooks, we are turning our attention to 2012. Assuming a relatively constant BTU relationship and producers continuing to invest in their highest IRR projects, we believe 2012 serves as an important inflection point for many of our covered companies. We are specifically focused on early-stage transformation stories with increasing leverage to oil and underappreciated growth stories with decreasing 2012 multiples and free cash flowing assets. With that backdrop in mind, the stocks that we believe are best positioned to outperform in 2011 include Approach Resources, Cimarex Energy, Magnum Hunter, Northern Oil & Gas, and Swift Energy."

Approach Resources closed Friday at $20.91, up $0.86, or 4.29 percent. Cimarex Energy closed at $88.22, down $0.18, or 0.20 percent. Magnum Hunter closed at $6.24, up $0.06, or 0.97 percent. Northern Oil & Gas closed at $25.19, up $0.19, or 0.76 percent. Swift ended Friday at $39.50, down $0.10, or 0.25 percent.

Canaccord maintains a "Buy" rating on all the companies listed above. The price target on them are $95 on XEC, AREX at $24, $6.75 for MHR and $48 for SFY.