AlphaQuest LLC Sells 17,666 Shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT)

AlphaQuest LLC trimmed its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT - Free Report) by 80.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,192 shares of the company's stock after selling 17,666 shares during the period. AlphaQuest LLC's holdings in Central Garden & Pet were worth $163,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 693.6% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,246 shares of the company's stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 1,089 shares during the last quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA grew its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 23.2% during the third quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA now owns 2,101 shares of the company's stock valued at $77,000 after purchasing an additional 395 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 193.8% in the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 4,201 shares of the company's stock worth $151,000 after purchasing an additional 2,771 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 29.0% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,521 shares of the company's stock worth $157,000 after buying an additional 1,016 shares in the last quarter. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in Central Garden & Pet during the third quarter valued at approximately $258,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 16.13% of the company's stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other Central Garden & Pet news, insider John D. Walker III sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the insider now owns 67,111 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,205,267.46. This represents a 12.97 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 8.19% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CENT has been the topic of a number of research reports. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their price objective on Central Garden & Pet from $48.00 to $45.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. Argus cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $45.00.

Central Garden & Pet Trading Down 7.3 %

Shares of Central Garden & Pet stock traded down $2.67 on Friday, reaching $33.67. The company had a trading volume of 3,002,239 shares, compared to its average volume of 130,030. The firm has a market cap of $2.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.50 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 3.47 and a quick ratio of 1.97. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $36.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.20. Central Garden & Pet has a 1 year low of $32.17 and a 1 year high of $47.48.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 predict that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.