Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded shares of Akamai (NASDAQ: AKAM) to Buy from Hold following the company's Q4 results as they believe fundamentals are stabilizing. The firm raised their target price to $22 from $12.
  
• Baird upgraded Theravance (NASDAQ: THRX) to Outperform from Neutral. The firm said the company looks poised to realize the two-product success necessary to drive profitability, and Horizon will likely play a role in succeeding $7B+ Advair. Note that last night Theravance/Glaxo (GSK) reported positive results for Horizon.
  
• RBC Capital said Aeterna Zentaris (NASDAQ: AEZS) is on the cusp of a Cetrorelix deal and has turned more positive on shares. Shares were upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform.
  
• Marvell Tech (NASDAQ: MRVL) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman and added to the firm's Conviction Buy List.
  
• Sangamo BioSciences (NASDAQ: SGMO) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Merriman.
  
• Arthur J. Gallagher (NYSE: AJG) was upgraded at Piper Jaffray to Buy from Neutral.

Analyst upgrades:

• Merriman upgraded shares of Netezza (NYSE: NZ) to Buy from Neutral following the company's solid Q2 results as they believe it is well-positioned for strong operating results heading into 2H09.
  
• JP Morgan raised Cabot (NYS: CBT) to Overweight from Neutral. The firm expects 2009 to be a better year given lower raw material costs and higher contract prices.
  
• JP Morgan also upgraded Royal Ahold (OTC: AHONY) to Overweight from Neutral on valuation.
  
• Liberty International (OTC: LBYIY) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Deutsche Bank.
  
• BMO Capital upgraded Royal Bank (NYSE: RY) to Market Perform from Underperform and Bank of Montreal (NYSE: BMO) to Outperform from Market Perform.

Analyst downgrades:

• Jefferies downgraded shares of Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) to Underperform on Hold on concerns the company will come under increasing pressure to issue equity. The firm lowered its target to $60 from $71.
• Thomas Weisel downgraded Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM) to Market Weight from Overweight citing continued macro pressures.
  
• Wachovia has concerns that Kayne Anderson's (NYSE: KED) book value will be pressured by its investment in ProPetro Services, trading losses associated with SemGroup, and negative developments at Quest Midstream. The firm cut shares of Kayne to Market Perform from Outperform.
• Energy Conversion (NASDAQ: ENER) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Piper.
  
• Deutsche Bank cut International Paper (NYSE: IP) and Domtar (NYSE: UFS) to Hold from Buy.
  
• H&E Equipment (NASDAQ: HEES) was lowered at Credit Suisse to Neutral from Outperform.

Analyst initiations:

• Morgan Stanley yesterday initiated Elan Corp (NYSE: ELN) with an Overweight rating. The firm sees a low-probability of a Tysabri withdrawal.
  
• ThinkPanmure views On Semiconductor (NASDAQ: ONNN) as a nice turnaround story with opportunities for shares gains in notebooks and consumer gaming platforms. Shares were initiated with a Buy rating and $14 target.
• Petrohawk Energy (NYSE: HK) was assumed with an Outperform rating at Morgan Keegan.
  
• Regency Energy (NASDAQ: RGNC) was initiated at Merrill Lynch with a Neutral rating.

"Mainland Resources (NASDAQ: MNLU), a small natural gas play, could be a giant in the space in a short period of time," says Charles Payne.

In his WStreet Market Commentary, he explains, " The company involved in the super exciting Haynesville shale region, which could be one of the largest domestic on shore natural gas fields ever."

"The stock has been coming on lately as more investors learn about the company's potential in the Haynesville shale region.

"Discovered in March of this year, the Haynesville field -- according to Energy and Capital -- could conservatively hold 168 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) has declared Haynesville the most important find in its 19 year history.

"There was always a notion that a big find was in the space that the company currently owns (2,700 acres), but when it was first explored back in the 1950 crude oil prices were much lower and there was no technology to get to the natural gas.

Readers of this space know that one of the preferred sectors has been the oil / natural gas sector, due to the projected U.S. demand growth rates for each commodity, and due to the likely increased value of each, prompted by emerging market development. And with the above in mind, Petrohawk Energy is worth a review.

Petrohawk Energy Corporation (NYSE: HK) is an independent oil/natural gas exploration, development, and production company with operations primarily in East Texas/North Louisiana, in Gulf Coast region (onshore), and in the Permian, Anadarko, and Arkoma basins.

Petrohawk boasts 1.1 trillion cubic feet of proved natural gas reserve equivalent and 10,500 identified locations.

CMGI (NASDAQ: CMGI) is off almost 15% after posting poor earnings.

ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) is down about 4% after news that it will open new mining operations.

Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) is off 2% without any obvious news.

Petro-Hawk (NYSE: HK) is up almost 3% after positive comments from Jim Cramer.

Stocks may trade differently in the pre-market than they do in the regular session.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Tesoro, Yingli Green Energy and Ensco were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of Tesoro (NYSE: TSO) to Hold from Sell as they believe bankruptcy is not a "major danger" after meeting with management and that recent raise in indebtedness was due to rising working capital requirements combined with negative gasoline cracks.
  
• Citigroup raised Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE) to Buy from Hold following the recent weakness to reflect the company's margin improvement and better visibility into 2009.
  
• Calyon upgraded shares of Ensco (NYSE: ESV) to Add from Neutral as they believe the company's increasing exposure to the deepwater market will drive earnings growth. The firm raised their target to $85 from $74.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Petrohawk Energy (NYSE: HK) was upgraded at Lehman to Overweight from Equal Weight.
  
• Keefe Bruyette raised Sovereign Bancorp (NYSE: SOV) to Outperform from Market Perform.
  
• Tractor Supply Co (NASDAQ: TSCO) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.