Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Rating Increased to Buy at StockNews.com

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Thursday.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on CENTA. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Central Garden & Pet from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Argus downgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Two 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 data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $41.00.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Up 0.0 %

NASDAQ CENTA traded up $0.01 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $32.87. 186,216 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 261,140. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.06 and a beta of 0.76. Central Garden & Pet has a twelve month low of $27.70 and a twelve month high of $41.03. The business's 50-day moving average is $32.62 and its 200-day moving average is $32.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 2.19 and a current ratio of 3.47.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 earnings per share 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%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.2 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Swiss National Bank increased its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 107,637 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,557,000 after buying an additional 700 shares during the period. Amundi increased its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 190.7% in the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 26,407 shares of the company's stock valued at $809,000 after acquiring an additional 17,323 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the fourth quarter worth $473,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the fourth quarter worth $1,637,000. Finally, Keybank National Association OH increased its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 17,640 shares of the company's stock valued at $583,000 after purchasing an additional 468 shares during the last quarter. 50.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Central Garden & Pet Company Profile

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.