Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) Sets New 12-Month High on Strong Earnings

Key Points

• Central Garden & Pet shares hit a new 52-week high, reaching $46.21 after the company reported quarterly EPS of $1.54, narrowly beating the $1.53 consensus estimate.
• Quarterly revenue was $882.36 million, broadly in line with expectations but down 8.2% year over year; EPS also declined from $1.56 in the prior-year period.
• The company expects fiscal 2026 non-GAAP EPS of at least $2.85, below the reported $2.95 analyst consensus. Analysts nonetheless maintain an average “Buy” rating and a $54 price target.

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ:CENT - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $46.21 and last traded at $45.1840, with a volume of 7549 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $44.06.

The company reported $1.54 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $882.36 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $882.96 million. Central Garden & Pet had a net margin of 5.42% and a return on equity of 11.55%. The business's quarterly revenue was down 8.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.56 earnings per share. Central Garden & Pet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.850- EPS.

More Central Garden & Pet News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Central Garden & Pet reported fiscal Q3 EPS of $1.54, narrowly exceeding analyst expectations of $1.51–$1.53. The company also indicated fiscal 2026 non-GAAP EPS of $2.85 or better, and its TRIXIE transaction remains in progress. Central Garden Surpasses Q3 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Nylabone, a Central Garden & Pet brand, won “Chew Toy Product of the Year” in the 2026 Pet Innovation Awards for its flavored chew-toy collection. The recognition could support brand visibility and consumer demand, although the direct financial impact is likely limited. Nylabone Wins Chew Toy Product of the Year
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s $882.36 million quarterly revenue was essentially in line with the $882.96 million consensus estimate, suggesting execution was stable despite pressure on sales. Central Garden Announces Q3 Fiscal 2026 Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue declined 8.2% year over year to $882.36 million, while EPS fell from $1.56 in the prior-year quarter to $1.54. The company’s fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of at least $2.85 was also below the reported analyst consensus of $2.95, indicating a cautious outlook. Central Garden Signals Fiscal 2026 EPS Outlook

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price objective on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $51.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $54.00.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CENT. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,100,839 shares of the company's stock valued at $35,942,000 after buying an additional 32,716 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 385,957 shares of the company's stock valued at $12,409,000 after purchasing an additional 3,306 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC boosted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 39.2% in the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 259,144 shares of the company's stock worth $9,500,000 after purchasing an additional 72,977 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new position in Central Garden & Pet during the first quarter worth $7,347,000. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its position in Central Garden & Pet by 59.5% during the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 181,787 shares of the company's stock worth $6,684,000 after buying an additional 67,800 shares during the last quarter. 16.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Up 3.7%

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $42.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $38.98. The company has a market cap of $2.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.62 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a quick ratio of 2.16, a current ratio of 3.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72.

Central Garden & Pet Company Profile

Central Garden & Pet NASDAQ: CENT is a leading North American specialty retailer, manufacturer and distributor serving the lawn and garden and pet supplies markets. The company operates through two primary segments: Pet and Garden. In the Pet segment, Central Garden & Pet offers a comprehensive range of products including pet food, treats, accessories, training products and habitat solutions for dogs, cats, birds, fish and small animals. The Garden segment encompasses a wide array of lawn, garden and outdoor living products, such as soils, fertilizers, planters, pest control solutions, landscape lighting and watering equipment.

Central Garden & Pet's product portfolio includes both proprietary and branded offerings.

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