Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Reaches New 1-Year High on Strong Earnings

Key Points

• Shares hit a new 52-week high after Central Garden & Pet reported an EPS of $1.29 (vs. $1.08 expected) and revenue of $906.15M (vs. $846.58M), trading intraday as high as $37.71.
• The company set FY2026 guidance at about 2.70 EPS and shows a market capitalization of $2.25B with a PE of 14.7, a net margin of 5.04% and strong liquidity (current ratio 3.42).
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but averages a Moderate Buy with a $44 average target, while insiders have been selling (directors trimmed positions) and institutions own roughly 50.8% of the stock.

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock traded as high as $37.71 and last traded at $36.87, with a volume of 39643 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $33.66.

The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $906.15 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $846.58 million. Central Garden & Pet had a net margin of 5.04% and a return on equity of 10.99%. Central Garden & Pet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.700- EPS.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CENTA has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Central Garden & Pet to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings raised Central Garden & Pet from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Central Garden & Pet from $33.00 to $32.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $44.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Central Garden & Pet news, Director John Ranelli sold 3,668 shares of the business's 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 in the company, valued at $22,287. The trade was a 85.03% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Brendan Dougher sold 3,250 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.38, for a total transaction of $108,485.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 12,845 shares in the company, valued at approximately $428,766.10. This represents a 20.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 20.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Central Garden & Pet

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Federated Hermes Inc. lifted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 164.0% during the 3rd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 858 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 533 shares during the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 444.0% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,001 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 817 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc lifted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 198.4% during the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,131 shares of the company's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 752 shares during the last quarter. 50.82% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Central Garden & Pet Price Performance

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 capitalization of $2.25 billion, a PE ratio of 14.70 and a beta of 0.59. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $33.11 and a 200-day simple moving average of $31.12.

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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