Subject: sempra could be takeover candidate , newspaper says
the london telegraph newspaper quoted an analyst who said that u . k . - based
centrica could
be eyeing sempra energy as a possible takeover candidate following centrica ' s
purchase of
canadian gas and electricity supplier direct energy .
direct energy owns a 27 . 5 % stake in energy america , whose remaining equity
belongs to sempra .
the newspaper quoted simon hawkins , an analyst with ubs warburg , as saying
the direct energy
acquisition is " step one of something much bigger . " in principle , he said ,
there is no reason why
centrica shouldn ' t go after sempra . centrica told the newspaper it was
" talking to sempra about
the way forward . "