Securian Asset Management Inc. Lowers Position in Sempra (NYSE:SRE)

Securian Asset Management Inc. lessened its stake in Sempra (NYSE:SRE) by 2.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 34,042 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 975 shares during the quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Sempra were worth $2,986,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Great Lakes Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Sempra by 3.2% in the fourth quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC now owns 49,058 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $4,303,000 after buying an additional 1,513 shares in the last quarter. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP lifted its holdings in shares of Sempra by 10.6% in the fourth quarter. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP now owns 1,129,048 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $99,040,000 after buying an additional 108,279 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Sempra by 21.9% in the fourth quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,554 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $750,000 after buying an additional 1,534 shares in the last quarter. Wealth High Governance Capital Ltda purchased a new stake in Sempra during the fourth quarter valued at $1,089,000. Finally, Glaxis Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Sempra during the fourth quarter valued at $263,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.65% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Sempra

In related news, Director Michael N. Mears purchased 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $67.70 per share, for a total transaction of $67,700.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 5,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $338,500. This trade represents a 25.00 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Cynthia J. Warner purchased 700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 6th. The stock was bought at an average price of $70.65 per share, for a total transaction of $49,455.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 8,759 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $618,823.35. The trade was a 8.69 % increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Company insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on SRE shares. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Sempra from $100.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Sempra from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price target for the company from $99.00 to $76.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $77.00 price target (down previously from $96.00) on shares of Sempra in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. UBS Group downgraded shares of Sempra from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price target for the company from $95.00 to $78.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. Finally, Guggenheim decreased their price target on shares of Sempra from $95.00 to $87.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $81.50.

Sempra Trading Up 0.3 %

SRE stock opened at $69.00 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. Sempra has a twelve month low of $64.89 and a twelve month high of $95.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.76. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $80.31 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $84.16.

Sempra (NYSE:SRE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 25th. The utilities provider reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $3.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.73 billion. Sempra had a net margin of 22.63% and a return on equity of 8.06%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.13 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Sempra will post 4.76 earnings per share for the current year.

Sempra Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 20th will be issued a $0.645 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 20th. This is a boost from Sempra’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. This represents a $2.58 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.74%. Sempra’s dividend payout ratio is presently 58.37%.

About Sempra

Sempra operates as an energy infrastructure company in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Sempra California, Sempra Texas Utilities, and Sempra Infrastructure. The Sempra California segment provides electric services; and natural gas services to San Diego County.