Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Sees Large Growth in Short Interest

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) was the target of a large increase in short interest in January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totalling 948,400 shares, an increase of 5.2% from the January 15th total of 901,600 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 293,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.2 days.

Central Garden & Pet Trading Down 1.2 %

Shares of Central Garden & Pet stock opened at $32.84 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.04 and a beta of 0.76. Central Garden & Pet has a 52-week low of $27.70 and a 52-week high of $41.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 2.19 and a current ratio of 3.47. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $32.41 and its 200 day simple moving average is $32.23.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) last announced its quarterly 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 net margin of 3.77% and a return on equity of 10.08%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.2 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on CENTA shares. StockNews.com upgraded Central Garden & Pet from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered 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 research report on Thursday, January 16th. Finally, Argus cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Two equities 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 company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $41.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Central Garden & Pet

In other news, insider John D. Walker III sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.86, for a total value of $328,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 67,111 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,205,267.46. This represents a 12.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 20.28% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Central Garden & Pet

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

About Central Garden & Pet

Central Garden & Pet Co engages in the production and distribution of branded and private label products for the lawn, garden, and pet supplies markets. It operates through the Pet and Garden segments. The Pet segment focuses on 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, food and supplements, products for equine and livestock, animal and household health and insect control products, live fish and small animals as well as outdoor cushions.