PART II

Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

      Shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Stock, referred to collectively as the "Capital Stock," are each entitled to one vote and 95% of one vote, respectively. Each share of Class B Stock is entitled to a $0.50 per share preference in the event of liquidation or dissolution. Further, each share of Class B Stock is convertible into one share of Common Stock at the option of the holder.

      Our Class A Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol BRY. The Class B Stock is not publicly traded. The market data and dividends for 2009 and 2008 are shown below:

 

 

2009

 

 

2008

 

 

 

Price Range

 

 

Dividends

 

 

Price Range

 

 

Dividends

 

 

 

High

 

 

Low

 

 

Per Share

 

 

High

 

 

Low

 

 

Per Share

 

First Quarter

 

$

13.10

 

 

$

5.50

 

 

$

.075

 

 

$

47.20

 

 

$

33.41

 

 

$

.075

 

Second Quarter

 

 

22.76

 

 

 

10.52

 

 

 

.075

 

 

 

62.15

 

 

 

45.73

 

 

 

.075

 

Third Quarter

 

 

28.46

 

 

 

14.90

 

 

 

.075

 

 

 

61.72

 

 

 

30.99

 

 

 

.075

 

Fourth Quarter

 

 

31.37

 

 

 

24.87

 

 

 

.075

 

 

 

37.76

 

 

 

6.02

 

 

 

.075

 

Total Dividends Paid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

.300

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

.300

 

      The number of holders of record of our Class A Common Stock was 544 as of February 1, 2010. There was one Class B Shareholder of record as of February 1, 2010.

Dividends. Our regular annual dividend is currently $0.30 per share, payable quarterly in March, June, September and December.

      Since our formation in 1985 through December 31, 2009, we have paid dividends on our Common Stock for 81 consecutive quarters and previous to that for eight consecutive semi-annual periods. We intend to continue the payment of dividends, although future dividend payments will depend upon our level of earnings, operating cash flow, capital commitments, financial covenants and other relevant factors. Dividend payments are limited by covenants in our 1) senior secured revolving credit facility to the greater of $20 million or 75% of net income, and 2) bond indentures of up to $20 million annually irrespective of our coverage ratio or net income if we have exhausted our restricted payments basket, and up to $10 million in the event we are in a non-payment default.

Equity Compensation Plan Information.

 

 

Number of securities to be

 

 

 

 

 

 

issued upon exercise of

 

Weighted average exercise

 

Number of securities

 

 

outstanding options,

 

price of outstanding options,

 

remaining available for

Plan category

 

warrants and rights

 

warrants and rights

 

future issuance

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

 

3,653,340

 

$25.36

 

218,635

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

 

 none

 

 none

 

 none

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

      None.

Performance Graph

      This graph shall not be deemed “filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

      Total returns assume $100 invested on December 31, 2004 in shares of Berry Petroleum Company, the Russell 2000, the Standard & Poors 500 Index (S&P 500) and a Peer Group, assuming reinvestment of dividends for each measurement period. The information shown is historical and is not necessarily indicative of future performance. The 15 companies which make up the Peer Group are as follows: Bill Barrett Corp., Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., Cimarex Energy Co., Comstock Resources Inc., Denbury Resources Inc., Encore Acquisition Co., Forest Oil Corp., Petrohawk Energy Corp., Plains Exploration & Production Co., Quicksilver Resources Inc., Range Resources Corp., St. Mary Land & Exploration Co., Stone Energy Corp., Swift Energy Co. and Whiting Petroleum Corp.


 

 

 

12/04

 

 

 

12/05

 

 

 

12/06

 

 

 

12/07

 

 

 

12/08

 

 

 

12/09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berry Petroleum Company

 

 

100.00

 

 

 

121.11

 

 

 

132.63

 

 

 

191.74

 

 

 

33.06

 

 

 

130.22

 

S&P 500

 

 

100.00

 

 

 

104.91

 

 

 

121.48

 

 

 

128.16

 

 

 

80.74

 

 

 

102.11

 

Russell 2000

 

 

100.00

 

 

 

104.55

 

 

 

123.76

 

 

 

121.82

 

 

 

80.66

 

 

 

102.58

 

Peer Group

 

 

100.00

 

 

 

148.61

 

 

 

150.33

 

 

 

218.15

 

 

 

116.04

 

 

 

179.66

 

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