Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) achieved a new milestone on Friday by reaching a 52-week high of $95.74 during trading. The stock ultimately closed at $95.13, following a significant volume of 1,533,924 shares traded. This increase marks a notable rise from the previous closing price of $92.79, reflecting growing investor interest in the company.
Analyst Ratings and Market Insights
Several research analysts have provided their assessments of Sempra Energy’s stock. On October 22, Jefferies Financial Group assigned a price target of $89.00 with a “hold” rating. In contrast, Morgan Stanley set a more optimistic target of $97.00, indicating an “overweight” rating in a report issued on February 2. Similarly, Barclays also rated the stock as “overweight,” setting a price objective of $95.00 on February 3.
In another report, UBS Group reaffirmed its “outperform” rating and established a target price of $100.00 on January 22. Meanwhile, Weiss Ratings maintained a “hold (C+)” rating on January 21. Overall, MarketBeat data shows that one analyst has given a “Strong Buy,” seven have issued “Buy” ratings, and six have assigned “Hold” ratings, resulting in an average rating of “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $95.83.
Insider Transactions and Institutional Holdings
Recent insider trading activity has also attracted attention. Chief Accounting Officer Dyan Z. Wold sold 1,510 shares on November 19, at an average price of $91.38, totaling $137,983.80. Post-transaction, Wold retains 3,481 shares valued at approximately $318,093.78, reflecting a 30.25% reduction in her holdings.
In a separate transaction, Chief Financial Officer Karen L. Sedgwick sold 7,564 shares on November 24 for an average price of $92.29, amounting to $698,081.56. After this sale, she holds 41,280 shares valued at around $3,809,731.20, indicating a 15.49% decrease in her ownership.
In the past ninety days, insiders have sold a total of 15,074 shares, valued at approximately $1,385,605. Corporate insiders currently own 0.27% of the company’s stock.
Institutional investors are also actively trading Sempra Energy shares. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings by 1.3% in the fourth quarter, acquiring an additional 1,008,476 shares, bringing its total to 76,734,070 shares valued at approximately $6.77 billion.
Other notable institutional movements include Capital International Investors, which raised its position by 9.2%, now owning 54,071,206 shares valued at $4.87 billion. State Street Corp and Morgan Stanley also increased their stakes, with ownership now at 36,810,449 and 22,330,091 shares, respectively.
Overall, institutional investors own approximately 89.65% of Sempra Energy’s stock, underscoring the company’s strong position in the market.
Sempra Energy, headquartered in San Diego, is an energy infrastructure company that develops, owns, and operates businesses delivering electricity and natural gas. Its operations encompass regulated utility services, electric and gas distribution, and large-scale energy asset management.
As Sempra Energy continues to attract both institutional investment and analyst attention, market participants may ponder whether this upward trajectory will sustain in the coming weeks.
