DESCRIPTION OF SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK
The following is a description of certain provisions of our4.875% Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, which we refer to as our “Series C Preferred Stock.” A copy of the certificate of determination setting forth the terms of the Series C Preferred Stock, which we refer to as the “Series C Certificate of Determination,” as well as our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, including by the Series C Certificate of Determination, which we refer to as our “Charter,” is available upon request from us at the address set forth in the section of the accompanying prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.” This summary of the terms of the Series C Preferred Stock is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of our Charter, including the Series C Certificate of Determination.
As used in this section, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires, the terms “Sempra Energy,” “us,” “we” or “our” refer to Sempra Energy and not any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.
General
Under our Charter, our board of directors is authorized, without further shareholder action, to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series by filing a certificate of determination with the Secretary of State of the State of California. Such certificate of determination may set forth the designations, privileges, preferences and rights of the shares of each such series of preferred stock and the restrictions thereof, including the dividend rate, the amount payable in the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation,winding-up or dissolution, the terms and conditions, if any, of conversion and the voting rights. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, 17,250,000 shares of our Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, 5,750,000 shares of our Series B Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock and no shares of our Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding. At the consummation of this offering, we will issue 900,000 shares of the Series C Preferred Stock.
The shares of Series C Preferred Stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a single series of our preferred stock, initially consisting of 900,000 shares. We may at any time and from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock, issue additional shares of our Series C Preferred Stock, and all such additional shares would be deemed to form a single series with the Series C Preferred Stock offered hereby. Each such additional share of Series C Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to the shares of Series C Preferred Stock offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement, except, if applicable, with respect to the date from which dividends thereon will accumulate.
When issued, the Series C Preferred Stock will be fully paid and nonassessable. The holders of the Series C Preferred Stock will have no preemptive or preferential rights to purchase or subscribe for stock, obligations, warrants or other securities of ours of any class. American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC will serve as transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent for the Series C Preferred Stock.
The Series C Preferred Stock will not be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any of our other classes or series of capital stock or other securities. The Series C Preferred Stock has no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking fund, retirement fund or purchase fund or any other obligation for us to redeem, repurchase or retire the Series C Preferred Stock.
Ranking
The Series C Preferred Stock will rank, with respect to dividend rights and distribution rights upon our liquidation,winding-up or dissolution:
| • | | senior to our common stock and each other class or series of our capital stock established after the original issue date of the Series C Preferred Stock (which we refer to as the “initial issue date”) the |
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