Bessemer Group Inc. Sells 9,165 Shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA)

Bessemer Group Inc. lowered its stake in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Free Report) by 27.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 24,465 shares of the company's stock after selling 9,165 shares during the quarter. Bessemer Group Inc.'s holdings in Central Garden & Pet were worth $809,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 3.3% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,175,277 shares of the company's stock worth $68,304,000 after acquiring an additional 68,689 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its position in Central Garden & Pet by 18.3% in the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 50,425 shares of the company's stock worth $1,583,000 after buying an additional 7,810 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC lifted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 161.7% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 122,530 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,849,000 after purchasing an additional 75,718 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 154,071 shares of the company's stock worth $5,113,000 after buying an additional 6,600 shares during the period. Finally, Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 36.0% during the fourth quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 19,907 shares of the company's stock worth $658,000 after purchasing an additional 5,269 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 50.82% of the company's stock.

Central Garden & Pet Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ CENTA traded down $0.10 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $30.79. 287,786 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 309,387. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 3.47 and a quick ratio of 1.97. Central Garden & Pet has a 1 year low of $27.70 and a 1 year high of $41.03. The company's 50-day moving average is $31.87 and its two-hundred day moving average is $31.84. The company has a market capitalization of $2.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.92 and a beta of 0.75.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.03) by $0.24. Central Garden & Pet had a return on equity of 10.08% and a net margin of 3.77%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider John D. Walker III sold 10,000 shares of the firm'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 transaction of $328,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 67,111 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,205,267.46. This trade represents a 12.97 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 20.28% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have issued reports on CENTA shares. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Central Garden & Pet from $34.00 to $31.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 11th. Finally, Argus lowered Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Central Garden & Pet presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $41.00.

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.