Analysts Issue Forecasts for CENTA FY2026 Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research forecasts FY2026 EPS of $2.94 for Central Garden & Pet, below the $3.00 consensus estimate, and maintains a “Hold” rating.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed: MarketBeat reports a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with a $46.67 price target, while recent firms have issued both upgrades to targets and rating downgrades.
• CENTA recently beat quarterly EPS estimates, reporting $1.54 versus the expected $1.51, but shares opened at $38.06 near their 52-week high and the company’s FY2026 guidance is approximately $2.85 EPS.

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ:CENTA - Free Report) - Investment analysts at Zacks Research issued their FY2026 earnings per share estimates for Central Garden & Pet in a report issued on Wednesday, August 19th. Zacks Research analyst Team forecasts that the company will earn $2.94 per share for the year. Zacks Research currently has a "Hold" rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Central Garden & Pet's current full-year earnings is $3.00 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Central Garden & Pet's Q4 2026 earnings at ($0.10) EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.14 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $1.26 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $1.58 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at ($0.05) EPS, FY2027 earnings at $2.93 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $0.16 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $1.28 EPS, Q3 2028 earnings at $1.60 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $3.02 EPS.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Central Garden & Pet from $32.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Wall Street Zen lowered Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. Weiss Ratings cut Central Garden & Pet from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group cut their price target on Central Garden & Pet from $54.00 to $53.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $46.67.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

CENTA stock opened at $38.06 on Friday. The business's 50-day moving average price is $38.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $35.26. Central Garden & Pet has a 1-year low of $25.97 and a 1-year high of $40.79. The company has a current ratio of 3.79, a quick ratio of 2.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The firm has a market cap of $2.38 billion, a PE ratio of 14.20 and a beta of 0.59.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $1.54 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.03. Central Garden & Pet had a return on equity of 11.13% and a net margin of 5.39%.The firm had revenue of $882.36 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $882.96 million. Central Garden & Pet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.850- EPS.

Insider Activity

In other Central Garden & Pet news, insider John D. Walker III sold 5,000 shares of Central Garden & Pet stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.50, for a total transaction of $192,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 64,679 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,490,141.50. The trade was a 7.18% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 20.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Central Garden & Pet

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of CENTA. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the third quarter worth $29,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 444.0% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,001 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 817 shares during the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc raised its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 198.4% during the fourth quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,131 shares of the company's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 752 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its position in Central Garden & Pet by 577.9% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,654 shares of the company's stock worth $48,000 after purchasing an additional 1,410 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 50.82% of the company's stock.

More Central Garden & Pet News

Here are the key news stories impacting Central Garden & Pet this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks projects EPS of $3.02 for fiscal 2028, modestly above its $2.94 estimate for fiscal 2026. The forecast implies gradual earnings improvement over the next two years, which could support the valuation if margins and demand remain stable.
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks maintained a “Hold” rating on Central Garden & Pet. Its estimates include fiscal 2027 EPS of $2.93 and quarterly EPS forecasts of $0.14 in Q1 2027, $1.26 in Q2, and $1.58 in Q3, indicating that profitability remains heavily weighted toward the company’s seasonal periods.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks’ fiscal 2026 EPS forecast of $2.94 is below the current consensus estimate of $3.00. The firm also expects a $0.10-per-share loss in Q4 2026, while fiscal 2027 EPS of $2.93 suggests little near-term annual earnings growth. These figures may limit upside for CENTA, particularly with the shares trading near their 52-week high and above the 200-day moving average.

Central Garden & Pet Company Profile

Central Garden & Pet Co is a leading producer, marketer and distributor of branded consumable gardening products and pet supplies in North America. Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, the company serves both retail and wholesale customers through a network of distribution centers across the United States and Canada. Operating under the ticker symbol CENTA on the NASDAQ exchange, Central Garden & Pet has been publicly traded since 2003.

The company's Garden segment offers a broad portfolio of lawn and garden care solutions, including fertilizers, weed and pest control products, soil and mulch, and plant care accessories.

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