Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. Acquires 41,241 Shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA)

Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Free Report) by 5.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 773,023 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 41,241 shares during the quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. owned 1.15% of Central Garden & Pet worth $24,273,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in Central Garden & Pet by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,653,753 shares of the company's stock worth $120,682,000 after buying an additional 29,780 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 1.2% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,942,422 shares of the company's stock worth $92,392,000 after purchasing an additional 36,251 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 1.8% in the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,100,751 shares of the company's stock worth $65,964,000 after purchasing an additional 38,077 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 43.0% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 941,509 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,098,000 after purchasing an additional 283,045 shares during the period. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its position in Central Garden & Pet by 5.6% during the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 631,724 shares of the company's stock worth $20,866,000 after purchasing an additional 33,379 shares during the last quarter. 50.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Down 1.3 %

NASDAQ:CENTA traded down $0.46 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $34.20. 206,588 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 278,671. Central Garden & Pet has a one year low of $27.70 and a one year high of $41.03. The company has a quick ratio of 2.19, a current ratio of 3.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The company has a market cap of $2.31 billion, a PE ratio of 21.42 and a beta of 0.78. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $31.08 and its 200-day simple moving average is $33.04.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CENTA has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Central Garden & Pet from $34.00 to $32.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Central Garden & Pet presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $41.33.

Central Garden & Pet 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.