Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Stock Rating Upgraded by StockNews.com

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Thursday.

CENTA has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Argus cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Central Garden & Pet has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $41.00.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Down 3.9 %

CENTA stock opened at $32.86 on Thursday. Central Garden & Pet has a one year low of $27.70 and a one year high of $41.03. The firm has a market cap of $2.16 billion, a PE ratio of 20.31 and a beta of 0.76. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $32.62 and its 200-day moving average price is $32.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 2.19 and a current ratio of 3.66.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.03) by $0.24. Central Garden & Pet had a return on equity of 9.31% and a net margin of 3.37%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.22 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Central Garden & Pet

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 668.6% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 930 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 809 shares during the period. CWM LLC grew its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 72.6% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,957 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 823 shares in the last quarter. KBC Group NV increased its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 43.8% during the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,402 shares of the company’s stock worth $75,000 after purchasing an additional 732 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Central Garden & Pet in the 4th quarter valued at about $102,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP boosted its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 253.7% in the 3rd quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 3,891 shares of the company’s stock valued at $122,000 after buying an additional 2,791 shares during the period. 50.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.