Sempra Energy Raises Dividend 23 Percent
Company Targets Payout Ratio of 45 Percent to 50 Percent of Earnings
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 22, 2011 - Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) today announced that its board of directors has approved a 23-percent increase in the dividend on shares of the company's common stock to $1.92 per share, on an annualized basis, from $1.56 per share.
The first quarterly installment of the new dividend is payable April 15, 2011, to shareholders of record on March 18, 2011.
"With our exit from commodities trading, we now are focused on utilities and contracted energy infrastructure," said Donald E. Felsinger, chairman and chief executive officer of Sempra Energy. "This mix of businesses reduces our risk profile and offers a more predictable earnings stream, enabling us to significantly raise our dividends to shareholders."
Sempra Energy's board of directors also established a targeted payout ratio of 45 percent to 50 percent of earnings.
Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2009 revenues of more than $8 billion. The Sempra Energy companies' 13,800 employees serve about 25 million consumers worldwide.
This press release contains statements that are not historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by words like "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "may,""will," "would," "could," "should," "potential," "target," "depends," or similar expressions, or discussions of strategies, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Future results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon various assumptions involving judgments with respect to the future and other risks, including, among others: local, regional, national and international economic, competitive, political, legislative and regulatory conditions and developments; actions by the California Public Utilities Commission, California State Legislature, California Department of Water Resources, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Reserve Board, and other regulatory and governmental bodies in the United States and other countries where the company does business; capital market conditions and inflation, interest and exchange rates; energy markets, including the timing and extent of changes and volatility in commodity prices; the availability of electric power, natural gas and liquefied natural gas; weather conditions and conservation efforts; war and terrorist attacks; business, regulatory, environmental and legal decisions and requirements; the status of deregulation of retail natural gas and electricity delivery; the timing and success of business development efforts; the resolution of litigation; and other uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of the company. These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that Sempra Energy has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on the company's website at www.sempra.com.
Sempra Pipelines & Storage, Sempra Generation, Sempra LNG and Sempra Energy Trading LLC are not the same companies as the utility, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), and Sempra Pipelines & Storage, Sempra Generation, Sempra LNG and Sempra Energy Trading LLC are not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
Media Contact:
Doug Kline/Sabra Lattos
Sempra Energy
(877) 340-8875
www.sempra.com
Financial Contacts:
Scott Tomayko/Victor Vilaplana
Sempra Energy
(877) 736-7727
investor@sempra.com