gas

Toyota's new AA- rating is still higher than its auto industry peers.

The Japanese car-maker is trading down 1.4% at $90.92 per share.

Standard & Poor's cut its rating of Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE:TM) from AA to AA- Friday, "Because the company's profitability is still weak, its pace of recovery is slower than those of Japanese peers, and its profitability migh

This is another signal that Russia is opening up its massive energy reserves to foreign investors, coming on the heels of BP's (NYSE:BP) $16 billion share-swap deal for three offshore Arctic licenses with Russian energy company Ro

Total's stake will rise to 19.4% in three years, and the french company will get a seat on Novatek's board of directors.

French energy giant Total SA (NYSE:TOT) said it will pay $4 billion for a stake in Russia's largest independent gas producer, Novatek, and is joining the company's huge Arctic natural gas project.

The company has reaffirmed its projection that it will spud 36 net wells during 2011, and that it will produce an average of 6,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day for the year.

Northern Oil and Gas (NYSE:NOG) reported Q4 EPS of $0.13, below consensus estimates of $0.15 per share. Revenues for the quarter were up 54% year-over-year to $23.9 million, slightly below consensus estimates for $24.2 million.

The offering is expected to settle and close on March 4.

Western Gas Partners (WES) says it priced 3.55 million common units representing limited partner interests at $35.15 each. It granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 532,500 additional common units.

Chairman and CEO John Walker said, "We are pleased with our results for the quarter and for 2010. During the year we completed over $550 million of acquisitions, adding significantly to our Appalachian Basin and Mid-Continent regi

EV Energy Partners (NASDAQ:EVEP) reported Q4 EPS loss of $0.55. Revenues for the quarter were up 33.9% year-over-year to $47.2 million, below consensus estimates of $54.5 million.

First-quarter 2011 production volume is expected to average in the range of 390 MMcfe to 400 MMcfe per day. It has hedges in place to cover approximately 64% of expected production for the first quarter of 2011.

Quicksilver Resources (NYSE:KWK) reported Q4 EPS of $0.18, ex-items, ahead of consensus estimates of $0.15 per share. Revenues for the quarter rose 2.5% year-over-year to $239.9 million, topping consensus estimates of $221.0 milli

U.S. stock futures remain lower, an indication of early broad-market weakness as oil remains above $100 a barrel. Futures did trim losses a bit but then resumed their decline as a report showed a drop in the weekly and the four-we

Energy shares are mixed in mid-session trading as the broader market sinks, while crude futures are surging above $90 a barrel. In mid-day news, violent clashes between Libyan police and protesters has spread to Tripoli. The natio

The company sees midpoint of full year 2011 production guidance of 885 Mmcfe/d. The midpoint of Q1 2011 production guidance is 770 Mmcfe/d.

Floyd C.

Petrohawk Energy Corp. (NYSE:HK) reported Q4 EPS of $0.11, missing consensus estimates of $0.15 per share. Revenues for the quarter rose to $402.0 million, missing consensus estimates of $454.8 million.

The firm has a $95 target on company shares.

Shares of National Oilwell (NOV) are higher in pre-market trading as the company is reportedly initiated with an Outperform at Morgan Keegan.