Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 967,600 shares, an increase of 33.3% from the February 14th total of 725,800 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 296,800 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.3 days.
Central Garden & Pet Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ CENTA traded down $0.91 during trading on Thursday, hitting $36.47. The company had a trading volume of 263,788 shares, compared to its average volume of 281,031. The company has a market cap of $2.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.54 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a current ratio of 3.47. The business’s 50-day moving average is $35.01 and its 200 day moving average is $29.04. Central Garden & Pet has a 52 week low of $27.02 and a 52 week high of $39.55.
Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The company reported $0.01 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.14) by $0.15. The company had revenue of $634.53 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $620.11 million. Central Garden & Pet had a net margin of 4.06% and a return on equity of 10.32%. Equities research analysts predict that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Central Garden & Pet Dividend Announcement
The business also recently announced a — dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 8th. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 8th were given a $20.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 9th.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, Director John Ranelli sold 2,400 shares of Central Garden & Pet stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.34, for a total transaction of $92,016.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 41 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,571.94. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, insider John Edward Hanson sold 5,321 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.19, for a total transaction of $197,887.99. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 35,460 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,318,757.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director John Ranelli sold 2,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.34, for a total value of $92,016.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 41 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,571.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 25,822 shares of company stock worth $965,026 in the last 90 days. 20.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet in the second quarter worth about $42,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 538.6% during the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 1,456 shares of the company’s stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 1,228 shares during the last quarter. State of Wyoming boosted its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 66.8% during the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 1,583 shares of the company’s stock valued at $58,000 after purchasing an additional 634 shares during the period. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Central Garden & Pet in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $100,000. 67.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several research analysts have recently commented on CENTA shares. Truist Financial lifted their price target on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Central Garden & Pet from $40.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. StockNews.com lowered Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, TheStreet cut Central Garden & Pet from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Central Garden & Pet presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $45.00.
Central Garden & Pet Company Profile
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.