46,095 Shares in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) Acquired by Empowered Funds LLC

Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 46,095 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,681,000. Empowered Funds LLC owned about 0.07% of Central Garden & Pet as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale acquired a new stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet during the 2nd quarter valued at $51,000. SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet during the third quarter worth approximately $111,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet in the second quarter worth $113,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC acquired a new position in Central Garden & Pet during the 2nd quarter valued at $187,000. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet during the second quarter valued at about $207,000. Institutional investors own 16.13% of the company’s stock.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

CENT stock opened at $37.37 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $35.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $38.76. Central Garden & Pet has a 1-year low of $30.75 and a 1-year high of $47.48. The firm has a market cap of $2.52 billion, a PE ratio of 17.22 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a current ratio of 3.66, a quick ratio of 2.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Canaccord Genuity Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $48.00 price objective on shares of Central Garden & Pet in a report on Monday, September 30th. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Central Garden & Pet from $50.00 to $40.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $47.50.

Insider Buying and Selling at Central Garden & Pet

In other news, Chairman William E. Brown sold 60,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.54, for a total transaction of $2,012,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 1,125,773 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $37,758,426.42. This trade represents a 5.06 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 9.53% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.