SEMPRA

Current report

Changing conditions in global markets, including the impact of tariffs and other trade actions, may materially and adversely affect us.

Current report

Our businesses import various materials, including steel and aluminum, and purchase foreign-sourced goods, such as electrical transformers, from domestic distributors. Sempra Infrastructure also generates a material portion of its earnings from LNG exports to customers located outside the U.S., including countries in Asia and Europe. Our ability to continue importing materials, purchasing foreign-sourced goods and exporting LNG profitably, or at all, into international markets is subject to a number of risks, including adverse impacts of (i) legal and regulatory requirements or limitations imposed by foreign governments, including tariffs, quotas or other trade barriers, sanctions, adverse tax law changes, nationalization, currency restrictions, or import restrictions, and (ii) disruptions or delays in shipments caused by customs compliance or other actions of government agencies.

Current report

In 2018, the U.S. imposed tariffs on certain imported steel and aluminum products, as well as tariffs in various ranges on imports from China. Those tariffs remain in effect. Beginning in January 2025, the U.S. Administration has announced a number of new tariffs, both threatened and imposed, including a higher total tariff on goods from China and numerous other tariffs in various ranges on imports from all countries with only limited exclusions, including a temporary exclusion for goods that enter the U.S. as qualifying goods under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, such as electrical transformers. Additionally, the U.S. Administration has expanded the application of the 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs to countries and products that had previously been excluded, including a broad range of derivative products, and increased the amount of the aluminum tariff. These tariffs have created uncertainty in our business development efforts and for projects currently under construction, and we expect them to impact our businesses’ costs related to construction, pipeline transportation, electricity procurement and financing, among other areas, and increase costs across the LNG value chain. These impacts may result in delays, cost overruns or reduced profitability for our construction and development projects, denials or delays of recovery in rates of higher costs at our regulated utilities, or other adverse effects, any of which could be material.

Current report

We also face uncertainty in the interpretation and application of these tariffs, including with respect to customs valuation, product classification and country-of-origin determinations. Any disagreement with regulators on these matters could result in the retroactive assessment of additional tariffs with interest, the imposition of penalties, or other enforcement actions, any of which could be material.

Current report

These recent tariffs, along with other U.S. trade actions, have triggered retaliatory actions by certain affected countries, including China’s announcement of a tariff on U.S. LNG. Other foreign governments, such as the European Union, may also impose trade measures, including reciprocal tariffs, on LNG or other U.S. goods in the future. These tariffs and other trade actions could negatively impact demand for our LNG exports, which would adversely impact our LNG projects and development pipeline.

Current report

Although there is uncertainty regarding the scope and duration of these trade actions by the U.S. and other countries, such actions and any resulting economic, financial or geopolitical instability could materially adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and/or prospects.

Previous report

Settlement provisions contained in the forward sale agreements we may enter into in connection with our ATM program subject us to certain risks.

Previous report

In November 2024, Sempra established an ATM program, which we discuss in Note 9 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and in part (a) of “Part II - Item 5. Other Information” below. We are permitted to sell shares of our common stock in the ATM program pursuant to forward sale agreements, which grant each counterparty (each a forward purchaser) the right to accelerate its forward sale agreement (or, in certain cases, the portion thereof that the forward purchaser determines is affected by the relevant event) and require us to physically settle the forward sale agreement on a date specified by the forward purchaser if, subject to a prior notice requirement:

Previous report

▪the forward purchaser determines in its commercially reasonable judgment that it is unable to hedge in a commercially reasonable manner its exposure to the applicable forward sale agreement because insufficient shares of our common stock are made available for borrowing by securities lenders or that, with respect to borrowing such number of shares of our common stock, it would incur a rate that is greater than the borrow cost specified in the forward sale agreement;

Previous report

▪we declare any dividend, issue or distribution to existing holders of shares of our common stock that constitutes an extraordinary dividend under the forward sale agreement or is payable in (i) cash in excess of specified amounts (unless it is an extraordinary dividend), (ii) securities of another company that we acquire or own (directly or indirectly) as a result of a spin-off or similar transaction or (iii) any other type of securities (other than our common stock), rights, warrants or other assets for payment at less than the prevailing market price;

Previous report

▪an event (i) is announced that, if consummated, would result in an extraordinary event (including certain mergers and tender offers, our nationalization, our insolvency and the delisting of the shares of our common stock) or (ii) occurs that would constitute a hedging disruption or change in law;

Previous report

▪an ownership event (as such term is defined in the forward sale agreement) occurs; or

Previous report

▪certain other events of default, termination events or other specified events occur, including, among other things, a change in law.

Previous report

A forward purchaser’s decision to exercise its right to accelerate all or a portion of the settlement of its forward sale agreement and to require us to physically settle the relevant shares will be made irrespective of our interests, including our need for capital. In such cases, we could be required to issue and deliver shares of our common stock under the terms of the physical settlement, which would result in dilution to our EPS and may adversely affect the market price of our common stock, Series C preferred stock and any other series of preferred stock we may issue in the future.

Previous report

The forward price that we expect to receive upon physical settlement of a forward sale agreement will be subject to adjustment on a daily basis based on a floating interest rate factor. If the specified daily rate is less than the applicable spread on any day, this will result in a daily reduction of the forward price. In addition, the forward price will be subject to decrease on certain dates specified in the relevant forward sale agreement by the amount per share of quarterly dividends we expect to declare on our common stock during the term of such forward sale agreement.

Previous report

We will generally have the right, in lieu of physical settlement of any forward sale agreement, to elect cash or net share settlement in respect of any or all of the shares of our common stock subject to such forward sale agreement. If we elect to cash or net share settle all or any part of any forward sale agreement, we would expect to issue a substantially lower number of shares than if we settled by physical delivery, but would not receive the cash for the shares that would have otherwise been issued if we settled the entire forward sale agreement by physical delivery and, as a result, would not derive the same credit metrics benefits.

Previous report

If the price of our common stock at which these purchases are made by such forward purchaser (or its affiliate) exceeds the applicable forward price, we will pay such forward purchaser an amount in cash equal to such difference (if we elect to cash settle) or we will deliver to such forward purchaser a number of shares of our common stock having a market value equal to such difference (if we elect to net share settle). Any such difference could be significant and could require us to pay a significant amount of cash or deliver a significant number of shares of our common stock to such forward purchaser.

Previous report

The purchase of shares of our common stock by a forward purchaser or its affiliate to unwind the forward purchaser’s hedge position could cause the price of our common stock to increase above the price that would have prevailed in the absence of those purchases (or prevent a decrease in such price), thereby increasing the amount of cash (in the case of cash settlement) or the number of shares (in the case of net share settlement) that we would owe such forward purchaser upon settlement of the applicable forward sale agreement or decreasing the amount of cash (in the case of cash settlement) or the number of shares (in the case of net share settlement) that such forward purchaser would owe us upon settlement of the applicable forward sale agreement.