Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Purchases 5,571 Shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) by 0.7% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 777,297 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,571 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP’s holdings in Central Garden & Pet were worth $29,926,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale bought a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the 2nd quarter valued at $51,000. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 24.5% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 162,647 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,262,000 after buying an additional 32,009 shares in the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet in the second quarter worth approximately $295,000. Versor Investments LP purchased a new position in Central Garden & Pet during the second quarter valued at $270,000. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 6.2% in the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 885,333 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,085,000 after acquiring an additional 51,454 shares in the last quarter. 16.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Central Garden & Pet to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 1st. Canaccord Genuity Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $48.00 price objective on shares of Central Garden & Pet in a research report on Monday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $52.50.

Central Garden & Pet Price Performance

Shares of CENT opened at $34.82 on Thursday. Central Garden & Pet has a 1-year low of $30.75 and a 1-year high of $47.48. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $38.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $40.27. The stock has a market cap of $2.35 billion, a PE ratio of 15.61 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 3.66 and a quick ratio of 2.16.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $996.35 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1 billion. Central Garden & Pet had a net margin of 4.42% and a return on equity of 10.66%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.40 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.11 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Central Garden & Pet

In related news, Director Brooks Pennington III sold 1,486 shares of Central Garden & Pet stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.80, for a total value of $48,740.80. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 40,743 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,336,370.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Central Garden & Pet news, Director John Ranelli sold 2,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.28, for a total transaction of $85,700.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 822 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,178.16. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Brooks Pennington III sold 1,486 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.80, for a total transaction of $48,740.80. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 40,743 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,336,370.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 63,986 shares of company stock worth $2,146,841. Company insiders own 9.53% of the company’s stock.

About Central Garden & Pet

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.