Company Overview - Sempra is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.21 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 9.7% [3] - Revenues are anticipated to reach $3.85 billion, which is a 5.7% increase from the previous year [3] Earnings Estimates and Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 22.86% over the last 30 days, indicating a reassessment by analysts [4] - The Most Accurate Estimate for Sempra is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of +11.05% [10][11] Earnings Surprise Prediction - A positive Earnings ESP reading suggests a potential earnings beat, particularly when combined with a strong Zacks Rank [8] - Despite the positive Earnings ESP, Sempra currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4, making it challenging to predict an earnings beat conclusively [11] Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Sempra was expected to post earnings of $1.63 per share but delivered only $1.50, resulting in a surprise of -7.98% [12] - The company has not surpassed consensus EPS estimates in any of the last four quarters [13] Industry Context - In comparison, Southwest Gas is expected to report earnings of $1.61 per share, indicating a year-over-year increase of 17.5% [17] - Southwest Gas has seen its consensus EPS estimate revised up by 11.6% over the last 30 days, but it has a negative Earnings ESP of -1.44% [18]

Core Points - Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC plans to release its first quarter 2025 results on May 8, prior to Sempra's conference call [1] - Sempra executives will host a conference call at 12 p.m. ET on May 8 to discuss Oncor's operational and financial results [2] - A replay of the conference call will be available a few hours after its conclusion on Sempra's website [3] Company Overview - Oncor is headquartered in Dallas and operates the largest electricity transmission and distribution system in Texas, serving over 4 million homes and businesses [4] - The company manages more than 144,000 circuit miles of transmission and distribution lines in Texas [4] - Oncor is owned by Sempra (indirect majority owner) and Texas Transmission Investment LLC (minority owner), with management by a Board of Directors composed of a majority of disinterested directors [4]

Earnings Release - Sempra plans to release its first-quarter 2025 earnings by 8 a.m. ET on Thursday, May 8 [1] - An accompanying slide presentation detailing the earnings results will be published to the Investors site by 8 a.m. ET on the same day [3] Conference Call - Jeffrey W. Martin, chairman and CEO, along with other senior leaders, will host a conference call at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 8 [2] - Investors, media, analysts, and the public can listen to a live webcast of the conference call by registering on Sempra's Investors site [2] Company Overview - Sempra is a leading North American energy infrastructure company serving nearly 40 million consumers [4] - The company owns one of the largest energy networks in North America and is focused on electrifying and improving energy resilience in significant markets such as California, Texas, and Mexico [4] - Sempra is recognized for its sustainable business practices and operational excellence, as evidenced by its inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America [4]

Group 1 - Sempra's shares fell nearly 20% in a single session after the company reduced its guidance in February [1] - Dominion Energy has reported solid results despite facing a different market reaction compared to Sempra [1] Group 2 - Joseph Jones, a professor with over fifteen years of market study experience, focuses on portfolio construction from a dividend growth investor's perspective [1]

Group 1 - Utilities (XLU) is one of only three S&P 500 sector ETFs that is up for the year, indicating strong performance in a generally declining market [1] - Despite a significant rebound in US equities since last week's lows, most sectors are experiencing notable declines, highlighting the defensive nature of utilities [1] - The trend suggests that defensive sectors like utilities remain in vogue as investors seek stability amid market volatility [1]

Group 1 - The article emphasizes the importance of stability in earnings and the ability to generate steady dividend income, particularly highlighting utility companies as strong candidates for meeting these criteria [2] - Sempra (NYSE: SRE) is specifically mentioned as a utility company that currently trades favorably, suggesting potential for investment [2] Group 2 - The focus of the investment service is on income-producing asset classes that provide sustainable portfolio income, diversification, and inflation hedging [1]

Core Viewpoint - The utility sector is viewed as a safe investment during economic turbulence, providing essential services that consumers prioritize even in difficult times [1][7][8]. Group 1: Definition and Characteristics of Utility Stocks - Utility stocks are companies primarily involved in distributing essential services such as electricity, gas, and water [5][6]. - The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) categorizes the utility sector to include electric, gas, and water utilities, as well as independent power producers and energy traders [6]. - Utility companies exhibit low economic sensitivity, generating stable revenues and profits, and are known for their substantial dividends [8][9]. Group 2: Investment Appeal - Investors are drawn to utility stocks due to their "stickiness" in revenues, similar to healthcare and consumer staples, making them defensive stocks [7][8]. - Utilities are often among the best-yielding market sectors, providing safety and potential upside during market downturns [9]. - The sector's stability allows for gradual rate increases, although growth is typically capped at low single-digit rates [11]. Group 3: Recent Trends and Opportunities - The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to significantly increase power usage over the next decade, presenting a unique growth opportunity for utility companies [12][13]. - This trend may enable utilities to enhance their business results in a way that has not been seen before [13]. Group 4: Criteria for Selecting Utility Stocks - A quality screen for selecting utility stocks includes companies within the S&P Composite 1500, with a long-term estimated earnings-per-share growth rate of at least 5% [15]. - Stocks should have a dividend yield of at least 2.5%, with a history of growing dividends by at least 5% over the past year [16][17]. - Companies should have at least five covering analysts and a consensus Buy rating of 2.5 or less on S&P Global Market Intelligence's ratings scale [18][19]. Group 5: Recommended Utility Stocks - Recommended utility stocks include: - IDACORP (IDA): 2.9% yield, 5.5% estimated annual dividend growth, 8.3% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 1.75 [19]. - NiSource (NI): 2.8% yield, 6.8% estimated annual dividend growth, 8.0% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 1.53 [19]. - DTE Energy (DTE): 3.1% yield, 6.9% estimated annual dividend growth, 8.0% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 2.05 [19]. - New Jersey Resources (NJR): 3.6% yield, 5.4% estimated annual dividend growth, 7.6% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 2.22 [19]. - CMS Energy (CMS): 2.9% yield, 5.8% estimated annual dividend growth, 7.3% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 2.21 [19]. - Sempra (SRE): 3.7% yield, 5.6% estimated annual dividend growth, 7.0% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 2.11 [19]. - Ameren (AEE): 2.6% yield, 6.3% estimated annual dividend growth, 6.9% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 2.24 [19]. - Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG): 3.1% yield, 5.7% estimated annual dividend growth, 6.6% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 2.35 [19]. - Essential Utilities (WTRG): 3.2% yield, 6.6% estimated annual dividend growth, 6.5% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 1.46 [19]. - FirstEnergy (FE): 4.1% yield, 5.6% estimated annual dividend growth, 5.7% long-term EPS growth, consensus rating 2.39 [20].

Core Viewpoint - Sempra is taking strategic actions to simplify its portfolio and recycle capital to support growth in its Texas and California utilities, including the sale of certain energy infrastructure assets in Mexico and a minority stake in Sempra Infrastructure Partners [1][2]. Asset Sales - Sempra Infrastructure plans to sell Ecogas México, which operates three utility franchises and has over 5,000 kilometers of distribution pipelines serving more than 600,000 consumers in Mexico [3]. - The sale of Ecogas is part of a strategy to divest non-core assets and focus on the U.S. utilities [14]. Minority Stake Sale - The company is initiating a process to sell a minority interest in Sempra Infrastructure, which has a strong position in liquefied natural gas (LNG) assets [4]. - Previous sales of non-controlling interests in Sempra Infrastructure were valued at approximately $16.9 billion in 2021 and $17.9 billion in 2022 [4]. LNG Growth Opportunities - Sempra Infrastructure is expanding its LNG franchise, with projects like Energía Costa Azul LNG Phase 1 expected to commence operations in spring 2026, and Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 on track for 2027 and 2028 [5][6]. - The company is in discussions for Phase 2 of Port Arthur LNG, which has strong commercial interest and aims for a final investment decision in 2025 [6][7]. Value Creation Initiatives - The announced sales are part of five value creation initiatives for 2025, aimed at increasing long-term value for shareholders and stakeholders [8]. - These transactions are expected to be accretive to earnings-per-share forecasts and enhance the company's credit profile [9].

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Sempra (SRE) . Shares have lost about 2.9% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Sempra due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It turns out, estimate ...

Investors in Sempra (SRE) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Apr 17, 2025 $40.00 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there ...