Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) PT Lowered to $32.00

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) had its price objective lowered by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $34.00 to $32.00 in a research report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price target points to a potential upside of 8.73% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the company. StockNews.com raised Central Garden & Pet from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $41.33.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

NASDAQ CENTA opened at $29.43 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $32.46 and its 200 day moving average price is $34.33. The company has a quick ratio of 2.16, a current ratio of 3.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. The firm has a market cap of $1.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.20 and a beta of 0.72. Central Garden & Pet has a 52-week low of $27.70 and a 52-week high of $41.03.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.07. Central Garden & Pet had a return on equity of 10.66% and a net margin of 4.42%. The business had revenue of $996.35 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.01 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.40 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Central Garden & Pet

In related news, Director Brooks Pennington III sold 1,486 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.80, for a total value of $48,740.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 40,743 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,336,370.40. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Director John Ranelli sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.28, for a total transaction of $85,700.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 822 shares in the company, valued at $28,178.16. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Brooks Pennington III sold 1,486 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.80, for a total value of $48,740.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 40,743 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,336,370.40. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 63,986 shares of company stock worth $2,146,841. 20.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Central Garden & Pet

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the fourth quarter worth about $281,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,330,010 shares of the company’s stock valued at $190,694,000 after buying an additional 29,072 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its position in Central Garden & Pet by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 9,693 shares of the company’s stock valued at $427,000 after buying an additional 341 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 61.3% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,366 shares of the company’s stock worth $50,000 after buying an additional 519 shares during the period. Finally, Congress Asset Management Co. MA increased its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 22.7% in the first quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. MA now owns 183,737 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,784,000 after acquiring an additional 33,983 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 50.82% of the company’s stock.

About Central Garden & Pet

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 products, waste management, and training pads; supplies for aquatics, small animals, reptiles, and pet birds, including toys, cages and 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.