Bridgewater Associates LP Has $450,000 Stock Position in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA)

Bridgewater Associates LP cut its stake in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Free Report) by 86.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 13,614 shares of the company's stock after selling 84,458 shares during the period. Bridgewater Associates LP's holdings in Central Garden & Pet were worth $450,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CENTA. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet during the fourth quarter worth approximately $455,000. Barclays PLC raised its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 124,773 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,123,000 after acquiring an additional 2,243 shares in the last quarter. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Central Garden & Pet by 6.3% during the 4th quarter. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 5,458 shares of the company's stock worth $180,000 after acquiring an additional 325 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet in the fourth quarter worth $473,000. Finally, Capula Management Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 13.2% during the fourth quarter. Capula Management Ltd now owns 77,243 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,553,000 after purchasing an additional 9,010 shares during the period. 50.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Central Garden & Pet

In other news, insider John D. Walker III sold 10,000 shares of Central Garden & Pet stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.86, for a total value of $328,600.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 67,111 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,205,267.46. This trade 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 link. Corporate insiders own 20.28% of the company's stock.

Central Garden & Pet Price Performance

Central Garden & Pet stock traded up $0.15 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $31.11. The company's stock had a trading volume of 256,842 shares, compared to its average volume of 309,404. Central Garden & Pet has a 12 month low of $27.70 and a 12 month high of $41.03. The company has a quick ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 3.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. The company has a market capitalization of $2.04 billion, a PE ratio of 17.09 and a beta of 0.75. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $31.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $31.84.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, topping 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%. Analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CENTA has been the subject of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Argus lowered shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $34.00 to $31.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 11th. Two investment 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 a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $41.00.

Central Garden & Pet Profile

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.