Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Receives $41.33 Average Target Price from Analysts

Shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Buy” from the five analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $41.33.

CENTA has been the topic of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price 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.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Up 1.1 %

Shares of CENTA opened at $34.13 on Monday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $30.82 and its 200 day moving average is $33.23. The company has a current ratio of 3.66, a quick ratio of 2.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. Central Garden & Pet has a 12-month low of $27.70 and a 12-month high of $41.03. The company has a market capitalization of $2.30 billion, a PE ratio of 21.41 and a beta of 0.73.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Chairman William E. Brown sold 60,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.54, for a total transaction of $2,012,400.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 1,125,773 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $37,758,426.42. The trade was a 5.06 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 20.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 53.2% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 34,773 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,284,000 after purchasing an additional 12,068 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 30.2% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,636,319 shares of the company’s stock worth $208,093,000 after purchasing an additional 1,306,309 shares during the last quarter. American International Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 30.0% during the first quarter. American International Group Inc. now owns 27,964 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,032,000 after purchasing an additional 6,455 shares during the period. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 79.4% in the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 76,298 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,815,000 after purchasing an additional 33,770 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PEAK6 Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Central Garden & Pet in the 1st quarter valued at about $709,000. 50.82% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.