Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ:CENTA) Given Average Rating of "Hold" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: Seven analysts give CENTA an average rating of "Hold" (1 sell, 3 hold, 2 buy, 1 strong buy) with a 12‑month average price target of $41.75.
• Recent results and guidance: Central Garden & Pet beat quarterly EPS estimates ($0.21 vs. $0.11) but missed revenue expectations, and set FY2026 guidance at about $2.70 EPS versus a sell‑side forecast near $2.83.
• Insider activity and ownership: Two directors recently sold shares (notable reductions in their positions); insiders own 20.28% of the stock while institutions own 50.82%.

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of "Hold" by the seven analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have given a hold recommendation, two have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $41.75.

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on CENTA shares. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $33.00 to $32.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 17th.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

NASDAQ:CENTA opened at $33.94 on Wednesday. The company's 50-day moving average price is $33.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $30.93. The company has a current ratio of 3.42, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The company has a market cap of $2.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.85 and a beta of 0.58. Central Garden & Pet has a twelve month low of $25.97 and a twelve month high of $37.35.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.11 by $0.10. Central Garden & Pet had a net margin of 5.04% and a return on equity of 10.99%. The company had revenue of $617.37 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $636.62 million. Central Garden & Pet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.700- EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Brendan Dougher sold 3,250 shares of Central Garden & Pet stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.38, for a total value of $108,485.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 12,845 shares in the company, valued at approximately $428,766.10. The trade was a 20.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director John Ranelli sold 3,668 shares of Central Garden & Pet stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.50, for a total transaction of $126,546.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 646 shares of the company's stock, valued at $22,287. This trade represents a 85.03% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 20.28% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CENTA. Federated Hermes Inc. lifted its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 164.0% in the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 858 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 533 shares during the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 444.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,001 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 817 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc lifted its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 198.4% in 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 during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 50.82% of the company's stock.

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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