Central Garden & Pet Company (CENTA)Consumer Defensive | Packaged Foods | Walnut Creek, United States | NasdaqGS
36.05 USD
+0.38
(1.065%)
⇧
(Oct. 15, 2026, 4 p.m.
EDT)
|
Hot Take ↕ | Oct. 10, 2026, 7:14 a.m. EDT
The investment case for Central Garden & Pet is currently fractured by a lack of growth and a missing income stream. Fundamentally, the company is struggling with a double-digit contraction in both revenue (-8.2%) and earnings (-4.6%), which has dragged the stock down for two consecutive years. While the valuation appears cheap with a P/E under 13 and a forward P/E near 11, this discount reflects the reality that the business is shrinking, not that it is a hidden gem. The balance sheet is healthy, but without top-line growth to leverage that capital, the stock offers limited upside potential. Crucially, the income story has vanished entirely; there is no dividend history in the last five years, eliminating the 'bond-like' appeal that often supports mature consumer staples. For investors seeking stability, the lack of yield combined with negative earnings growth makes the risk-reward profile unattractive. The recent price action shows the stock hovering near its 200-day moving average, failing to generate the momentum needed to break out of its downtrend. With analysts offering only a modest 'Moderate Buy' rating and a target price that implies limited appreciation, the consensus is cautious. Until the company demonstrates a reversal in its sales trajectory or initiates a meaningful shareholder return program, this remains a hold for the patient, but not a buy for the active. |
| Model | MAE |
|---|---|
| AutoETS ✓ | 0.082727 |
| AutoARIMA | 0.082728 |
| MSTL | 0.084039 |
| AutoTheta | 0.085058 |
Forecast horizon: 45 days | Selected: AutoETS
| Forecast Reliability | |
|---|---|
| Score | 44% |
| H-stat | 14.47 |
| Ljung-Box p | 0.000 |
| Jarque-Bera p | 0.087 |
| Excess Kurtosis | -1.26 |
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Sector | Consumer Defensive |
| Debt to Equity Ratio | 80.634 |
| Revenue per Share | 50.161 |
| Market Cap | 2,256,463,104 |
| Trailing P/E | 13.35 |
| Forward P/E | 11.80 |
| Beta | 0.59 |
| Profit Margins | 5.39% |
| Website | https://www.central.com |
As of Oct. 10, 2026, 7:14 a.m. EDT: Options activity is sparse and lacks directional conviction. Call volume is negligible, while put open interest is concentrated in the money at the $30 strike, suggesting a defensive floor rather than a bearish bet. Implied volatility is elevated relative to the low trading volume, indicating uncertainty rather than a clear speculative thesis.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| 52 Week Change | 0.30332613 |
| Address1 | 1,340 Treat Boulevard |
| Address2 | Suite 600 |
| All Time High | 44.656 |
| All Time Low | 1.608 |
| Ask | 46.05 |
| Ask Size | 2 |
| Average Daily Volume10 Day | 296,920 |
| Average Daily Volume3 Month | 301,554 |
| Average Volume | 301,554 |
| Average Volume10Days | 296,920 |
| Beta | 0.589 |
| Bid | 26.1 |
| Bid Size | 2 |
| Book Value | 27.911 |
| City | Walnut Creek |
| Compensation As Of Epoch Date | 1,767,139,200 |
| Country | United States |
| Crypto Tradeable | 0 |
| Currency | USD |
| Current Price | 36.05 |
| Current Ratio | 3.787 |
| Custom Price Alert Confidence | HIGH |
| Date Short Interest | 1,790,726,400 |
| Day High | 36.67 |
| Day Low | 35.93 |
| Debt To Equity | 80.634 |
| Display Name | Central Garden & Pet |
| Dividend Yield | 0.0 |
| Earnings Call Timestamp End | 1,785,961,800 |
| Earnings Call Timestamp Start | 1,785,961,800 |
| Earnings Growth | -0.046 |
| Earnings Quarterly Growth | -0.054 |
| Earnings Timestamp | 1,785,960,000 |
| Earnings Timestamp End | 1,795,636,800 |
| Earnings Timestamp Start | 1,795,636,800 |
| Ebitda | 338,489,984 |
| Ebitda Margins | 0.10975 |
| Enterprise To Ebitda | 7.887 |
| Enterprise To Revenue | 0.866 |
| Enterprise Value | 2,669,577,216 |
| Eps Current Year | 2.97309 |
| Eps Forward | 3.05594 |
| Eps Trailing Twelve Months | 2.7 |
| Esg Populated | 0 |
| Exchange | NMS |
| Exchange Data Delayed By | 15 |
| Exchange Timezone Name | America/New_York |
| Exchange Timezone Short Name | EDT |
| Fifty Day Average | 36.1064 |
| Fifty Day Average Change | -0.0564003 |
| Fifty Day Average Change Percent | -0.0015620582 |
| Fifty Two Week Change Percent | 30.332613 |
| Fifty Two Week High | 40.8 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change | -4.75 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change Percent | -0.11642157 |
| Fifty Two Week Low | 26.99 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change | 9.059999 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change Percent | 0.33567986 |
| Fifty Two Week Range | 26.99 - 40.8 |
| Financial Currency | USD |
| First Trade Date Milliseconds | 1,170,772,200,000 |
| Float Shares | 57,529,483 |
| Forward Eps | 3.05594 |
| Forward P E | 11.796698 |
| Free Cashflow | 342,347,872 |
| Full Exchange Name | NasdaqGS |
| Full Time Employees | 6,000 |
| Fullday Change | 0.38000107 |
| Fullday Change Percent | 1.0653241 |
| Fullday Price | 36.05 |
| Gmt Off Set Milliseconds | -14,400,000 |
| Gross Margins | 0.32571998 |
| Gross Profits | 1,004,555,008 |
| Has Pre Post Market Data | 1 |
| Held Percent Insiders | 0.035550002 |
| Held Percent Institutions | 0.97399 |
| Implied Shares Outstanding | 62,592,598 |
| Industry | Packaged Foods |
| Industry Disp | Packaged Foods |
| Industry Key | packaged-foods |
| Ir Website | http://ir.central.com/ |
| Is Earnings Date Estimate | 1 |
| Language | en-US |
| Last Fiscal Year End | 1,758,931,200 |
| Last Split Date | 1,707,436,800 |
| Last Split Factor | 125:100 |
| Long Business Summary | Central Garden & Pet Company produces and distributes various products for the lawn and garden, and pet supplies markets in the United States. It operates through two segments: Pet and Garden. The Pet segment provides dog and cat supplies, such as dog treats and chews, toys, pet beds and containment, grooming items, waste management, and training pads; supplies for aquatics, small animals, reptiles, and pet birds, including toys, enclosures, habitats, bedding, and food and supplements; products for equine and livestock; animal and household health and insect control products; aquariums and terrariums, including fixtures and stands, water conditioners and supplements, water pumps and filters, and lighting systems and accessories; and live fish and small animals, as well as outdoor cushions. This segment sells its products under the Aqueon, Cadet, Comfort Zone, Farnam, Four Paws, K&H Pet Products, Kaytee, Nylabone, and Zilla brands. Its Garden segment offers lawn and garden supplies products that include grass seed; vegetable; flower and herb packet seed; wild bird feed, bird feeders, bird houses, and other birding accessories; fertilizers; decorative products; live plants; and weed and grass, as well as other herbicides, insecticide, and pesticide products. This segment sells its lawn and garden supplies products under the Amdro, Ferry-Morse, Pennington, and Sevin brands. The company sells its products to independent distributors, big-box retailers, national and regional retail chains, eCommerce and online retailers, grocery stores, nurseries, and mass merchants. Central Garden & Pet Company was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. |
| Long Name | Central Garden & Pet Company |
| Market | us_market |
| Market Cap | 2,256,463,104 |
| Market State | PRE |
| Max Age | 86,400 |
| Message Board Id | finmb_325333 |
| Most Recent Quarter | 1,782,518,400 |
| Net Income To Common | 166,312,000 |
| Next Fiscal Year End | 1,790,467,200 |
| Non Diluted Market Cap | 2,197,626,078 |
| Number Of Analyst Opinions | 4 |
| Open | 36.11 |
| Operating Cashflow | 390,320,992 |
| Operating Margins | 0.14262 |
| Payout Ratio | 0.0 |
| Peg Ratio | 1.87 |
| Phone | (925) 948-4000 |
| Previous Close | 35.67 |
| Price Eps Current Year | 12.125432 |
| Price Hint | 2 |
| Price To Book | 1.2916055 |
| Price To Sales Trailing12 Months | 0.73165226 |
| Profit Margins | 0.05393 |
| Quick Ratio | 2.585 |
| Quote Source Name | Nasdaq Real Time Price |
| Quote Type | EQUITY |
| Recommendation Key | none |
| Region | US |
| Regular Market Change | 0.380001 |
| Regular Market Change Percent | 1.06532 |
| Regular Market Day High | 36.67 |
| Regular Market Day Low | 35.93 |
| Regular Market Day Range | 35.93 - 36.67 |
| Regular Market Open | 36.11 |
| Regular Market Previous Close | 35.67 |
| Regular Market Price | 36.05 |
| Regular Market Time | 1,792,094,401 |
| Regular Market Volume | 279,417 |
| Return On Assets | 0.043080002 |
| Return On Equity | 0.099709995 |
| Revenue Growth | -0.082 |
| Revenue Per Share | 50.161 |
| Sand P52 Week Change | 0.16207206 |
| Sector | Consumer Defensive |
| Sector Disp | Consumer Defensive |
| Sector Key | consumer-defensive |
| Shares Outstanding | 51,340,003 |
| Shares Percent Shares Out | 0.0241 |
| Shares Short | 1,510,331 |
| Shares Short Previous Month Date | 1,788,134,400 |
| Shares Short Prior Month | 1,348,978 |
| Short Name | Central Garden & Pet Company |
| Short Percent Of Float | 0.0416 |
| Short Ratio | 4.76 |
| Source Interval | 15 |
| State | CA |
| Symbol | CENTA |
| Target High Price | 50.0 |
| Target Low Price | 39.0 |
| Target Mean Price | 46.25 |
| Target Median Price | 48.0 |
| Total Cash | 996,710,016 |
| Total Cash Per Share | 15.924 |
| Total Debt | 1,408,593,024 |
| Total Revenue | 3,084,065,024 |
| Tradeable | 0 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Rate | 0.0 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Yield | 0.0 |
| Trailing Eps | 2.7 |
| Trailing P E | 13.351851 |
| Trailing Peg Ratio | None |
| Triggerable | 1 |
| Two Hundred Day Average | 34.62525 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change | 1.4247475 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change Percent | 0.04114764 |
| Type Disp | Equity |
| Volume | 279,417 |
| Website | https://www.central.com |
| Zip | 94,597 |