Insider Selling: Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) CAO Sells $146,789.82 in Stock

Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) CAO Dyan Wold sold 1,539 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.38, for a total value of $146,789.82. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 4,633 shares in the company, valued at $441,895.54. This represents a 24.94% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

Sempra Energy Price Performance

Sempra Energy stock opened at $95.06 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $62.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.73. Sempra Energy has a one year low of $61.90 and a one year high of $97.44. The business has a fifty day moving average of $91.25 and a two-hundred day moving average of $89.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 1.57 and a current ratio of 1.59.

Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The utilities provider reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $3.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.82 billion. Sempra Energy had a net margin of 13.27% and a return on equity of 8.22%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.50 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Sempra Energy will post 4.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Sempra Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 19th will be given a dividend of $0.6575 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 19th. This is an increase from Sempra Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. This represents a $2.63 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. Sempra Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 93.48%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Sempra Energy from $112.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 27th. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $101.00 price target on shares of Sempra Energy in a report on Friday, February 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Sempra Energy from $98.00 to $106.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Argus raised Sempra Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Sempra Energy in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Sempra Energy has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $100.55.

Institutional Trading of Sempra Energy

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of SRE. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Sempra Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in Sempra Energy in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd grew its holdings in Sempra Energy by 57.7% during the 4th quarter. Clal Insurance Enterprises Holdings Ltd now owns 347 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Sempra Energy by 83.0% during the 4th quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 355 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Key Financial Inc increased its position in Sempra Energy by 73.6% during the fourth quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 361 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.65% of the company’s stock.

Sempra Energy Company Profile

Sempra Energy is a San Diego–based energy infrastructure company that develops, owns and operates businesses delivering electricity and natural gas. Its operations include regulated utility services that provide electric and gas distribution to residential, commercial and industrial customers, as well as non‑regulated infrastructure businesses that develop and manage large-scale energy assets.

The company’s product and service portfolio spans electricity and natural gas delivery, transmission and storage, liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, power generation and electric transmission projects.