Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Stock Holdings Cut by Renaissance Technologies LLC

Renaissance Technologies LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA - Free Report) by 21.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 449,775 shares of the company's stock after selling 125,800 shares during the quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned 0.69% of Central Garden & Pet worth $14,865,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 668.6% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 930 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 809 shares in the last quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the 4th quarter worth $102,000. KBC Group NV lifted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 50.1% in the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 3,606 shares of the company's stock worth $119,000 after buying an additional 1,204 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its position in Central Garden & Pet by 12.6% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 6,538 shares of the company's stock valued at $216,000 after buying an additional 734 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Summit Financial Strategies Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet during the fourth quarter valued at about $237,000. 50.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

NASDAQ:CENTA traded down $0.10 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $30.79. 287,786 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 308,326. Central Garden & Pet has a 52 week low of $27.70 and a 52 week high of $41.03. The company has a quick ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 3.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.92 and a beta of 0.75. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $31.92 and a 200-day simple moving average of $31.81.

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 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%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider John D. Walker III sold 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.86, for a total transaction of $328,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 67,111 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,205,267.46. The trade was a 12.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 20.28% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CENTA has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. StockNews.com raised Central Garden & Pet from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Central Garden & Pet from $34.00 to $31.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 11th. Finally, Argus cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Central Garden & Pet currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $41.00.

About Central Garden & Pet

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.