Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT)

Central Garden & Pet Co.'s stock price has been influenced by several events in the past six months. The share price declined by 19.71% between November 21, 2024, and November 20, 2025, underperforming the S&P500 Index by -32.05%. Zacks Research downgraded the stock from a "strong-buy" to a "hold" rating on October 24, 2025. The company reported better-than-expected Q3 CY2025 results on November 24, 2025, leading to a stock increase and provided a fiscal 2026 outlook expecting non-GAAP EPS of $2.70 or better.

Demand for Central Garden & Pet Co.'s products exhibits seasonality, particularly within its Garden segment, with a significant portion concentrated in the spring and summer months. The segment is susceptible to adverse weather conditions. The Pet segment experiences relatively consistent demand for consumables, though demand for pet durables has been soft. The company's working capital needs and borrowings typically peak in the second fiscal quarter.

Central Garden & Pet Co. is a diversified consumer packaged goods company in the pet and garden industries, producing and marketing a wide array of products for both segments. The Pet segment includes dog and cat supplies, aquatics, small animals, reptiles, pet birds, equine, and livestock products. Key pet brands include Aqueon, Cadet, Comfort Zone, Farnam, Four Paws, K&H Pet Products, Kaytee, and Nylabone. The Garden segment focuses on lawn and garden consumables, including grass seed, wild bird feed, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, and live plants. Notable garden brands include Amdro, Ferry-Morse, Pennington, and Sevin.

Central Garden & Pet Co. is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, with operations and over 6,000 employees primarily in North America. The company also maintains facilities in China, Canada, and Mexico, and previously had operations in the United Kingdom.

Central Garden & Pet Co. benefits from a strong brand reputation, with many of its over 65 brands having been marketed for more than 40 years. The company was recognized as Lowe's "Vendor Partner of the Year" for the Lawn & Garden division in fiscal 2025. Recent product launches, such as the redesigned Pennington wild bird line and Farnam Endure Gold Fly Spray, demonstrate the company's commitment to innovation.

Central Garden & Pet Co. has a mixed ownership structure including institutional, insider, and retail investors. Institutional shareholders hold a significant portion of the stock, ranging from approximately 39.82% to 97.24%. Major institutional owners include BlackRock Inc., Vanguard Group Inc., Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, and State Street Corp. Insiders own between 18.88% and 27.35% of the company. Scopia Capital Management LP is a significant individual shareholder, owning 11.60% of the company's shares.