Rating agencies may change their practices for rating the notes, which change may affect the market price of the notes. In addition, we may redeem the notes if a rating agency makes certain changes in the equity credit methodology for securities such as the notes.
The rating agencies that currently or may in the future publish a rating for Sempra, including Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, Inc., each of which is expected to initially publish a rating of the notes, may, from time to time in the future, change the way they analyze securities with features similar to the notes. This may include, for example, changes to the relationship between ratings assigned to an issuer’s senior securities and ratings assigned to subordinated securities with features similar to the notes. If any rating agencies change their practices for rating these types of securities in the future, and the ratings of the notes are subsequently lowered, the trading price of the notes could be negatively affected. In addition, we may redeem the notes, at our option, in whole but not in part, if a rating agency makes certain changes in the equity credit methodology for securities such as the notes. See “Description of the Notes—Redemption—Redemption Following a Rating Agency Event.”
An active trading market for the notes does not exist and may not develop, and any such market may be illiquid.
The notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market, and we do not intend to apply for the listing or trading of the notes on any securities exchange or trading facility or for inclusion of the notes in any automated quotation system. We have been informed by the underwriters that they intend to make a market in the notes after the offering is completed. However, the underwriters may cease their market-making at any time. In addition, the liquidity of any trading market in the notes that may develop, and the market prices quoted therefor, may be adversely affected by, among other things, changes in the overall market for this type of security and changes in our financial performance or prospects or the prospects for companies in our industry generally. As a result, an active after-market for the notes may not develop or be sustained and holders of the notes may not be able to sell their notes at favorable prices or at all. The difference between bid and ask prices in any secondary market for the notes could be substantial. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or trading market for, the notes, and holders of the notes may be required to bear the financial risks of an investment in the notes for a significant period of time.
The notes are subject to early redemption.
As described under “Description of the Notes—Redemption,” we may at our option redeem the notes in whole or in part at the times and the applicable redemption price described thereunder. Consequently, we may choose to redeem your notes at a time when prevailing interest rates are lower than the effective interest rate paid on your notes and at times when the trading price of your notes is above the redemption price. You may not be able to reinvest the redemption proceeds in an investment with a return that is as high as the return you would have earned on the notes if they had not been redeemed and with a similar level of investment risk.
Investors should not expect us to redeem the notes on the first or any other date on which they are redeemable.
We may redeem some or all of the notes, at our option, in whole or in part, (i) on any day in the period commencing on the date falling 90 days prior to the First Reset Date and ending on and including the First Reset Date and (ii) after the First Reset Date, on any interest payment date, at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed, plus, subject to the terms described in the first paragraph under “Description of the Notes—Redemption—Redemption Procedures; Cancellation of Redemption” in this prospectus supplement, accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to be redeemed to, but excluding, the redemption date. In addition, the notes may be redeemed by us at our option, in whole but not in part, following the occurrence and during the continuance of either a Tax Event or a Rating Agency Event (as those terms are defined under “Description of the Notes—Redemption” in this prospectus supplement). Any decision we may make at any time to redeem the notes before their final maturity date will depend upon, among other things, the strength of our balance sheet, our results of operations, our access to the capital markets, interest rates, our
growth strategy, and general market conditions at such time. Accordingly, while we may decide to do so, investors should not expect us to redeem the notes on the first or any other date on which they are redeemable.
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