Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Stock Price Down 4.4% - Time to Sell?

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) traded down 4.4% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $32.43 and last traded at $32.69. 26,730 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 89% from the average session volume of 247,692 shares. The stock had previously closed at $34.19.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on CENTA shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price 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. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Argus downgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Two investment 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 MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $41.00.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Up 2.6 %

The company has a quick ratio of 2.19, a current ratio of 3.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.56 and a beta of 0.76. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $32.58 and a two-hundred day moving average of $32.26.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results 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 net margin of 3.77% and a return on equity of 10.08%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Central Garden & Pet

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of CENTA. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 668.6% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 930 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 809 shares during the period. CWM LLC raised its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 72.6% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,957 shares of the company's stock valued at $61,000 after acquiring an additional 823 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV lifted its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 43.8% during the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,402 shares of the company's stock worth $75,000 after purchasing an additional 732 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet in the fourth quarter worth $102,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP increased its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 253.7% in the third quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 3,891 shares of the company's stock valued at $122,000 after purchasing an additional 2,791 shares during the period. 50.82% of the stock is currently 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.