Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Receives Average Rating of “Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Buy” from the five research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, two have assigned a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $41.33.

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Central Garden & Pet from $34.00 to $32.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 11th. StockNews.com cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Central Garden & Pet

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 30.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,636,319 shares of the company’s stock valued at $208,093,000 after purchasing an additional 1,306,309 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in Central Garden & Pet by 43.0% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 941,509 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,098,000 after acquiring an additional 283,045 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC bought a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the 3rd quarter valued at $7,621,000. LSV Asset Management boosted its position in Central Garden & Pet by 85.8% during the 2nd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 439,066 shares of the company’s stock worth $14,502,000 after acquiring an additional 202,761 shares during the period. Finally, Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC acquired a new position in Central Garden & Pet during the 2nd quarter worth $5,508,000. 50.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Central Garden & Pet Trading Down 1.0 %

Shares of NASDAQ CENTA opened at $33.79 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.16, a current ratio of 3.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $30.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $33.15. Central Garden & Pet has a 52-week low of $27.70 and a 52-week high of $41.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.88 and a beta of 0.73.

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.