Proficio Capital Partners LLC Takes Position in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 49,542 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,637,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC owned about 0.08% of Central Garden & Pet as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in CENTA. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in Central Garden & Pet by 39.2% in the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 12,650 shares of the company's stock worth $397,000 after purchasing an additional 3,560 shares during the period. CWA Asset Management Group LLC bought a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the third quarter worth about $413,000. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D raised its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 12.2% in the third quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D now owns 57,164 shares of the company's stock worth $1,795,000 after buying an additional 6,233 shares in the last quarter. Entropy Technologies LP bought a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the third quarter worth about $215,000. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 1.2% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,942,422 shares of the company's stock worth $92,392,000 after buying an additional 36,251 shares in the last quarter. 50.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NASDAQ:CENTA traded up $0.21 during trading on Friday, reaching $32.67. 324,800 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 289,361. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $31.78 and a two-hundred day moving average of $32.10. Central Garden & Pet has a 52-week low of $27.70 and a 52-week high of $41.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a current ratio of 3.47. The stock has a market cap of $2.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.95 and a beta of 0.70.

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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 (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, sell-side analysts expect that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Central Garden & Pet news, insider John D. Walker III sold 10,000 shares of the 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 in the company, valued at approximately $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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 20.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CENTA has been the subject of a number of research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Argus cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Central Garden & Pet currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price 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.