JPMorgan Chase & Co. Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) Stock

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) had its price target boosted by stock analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $30.00 to $31.00 in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s target price would suggest a potential downside of 0.93% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on CENTA. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their target price on Central Garden & Pet from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 7th. Wall Street Zen lowered Central Garden & Pet from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Zacks Research cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 24th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Central Garden & Pet in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $50.00 target price on shares of Central Garden & Pet in a research note on Tuesday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $41.50.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

Shares of Central Garden & Pet stock traded up $2.70 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $31.29. 132,710 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 365,650. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 2.28 and a current ratio of 3.56. Central Garden & Pet has a 12 month low of $25.97 and a 12 month high of $37.35. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $28.73 and its 200 day moving average is $31.38. The stock has a market cap of $1.97 billion, a PE ratio of 14.16 and a beta of 0.63.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) last posted its earnings results on Monday, November 24th. The company reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.20) by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $678.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $657.86 million. Central Garden & Pet had a net margin of 4.44% and a return on equity of 10.77%. Central Garden & Pet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.700- EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.38 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Central Garden & Pet

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CENTA. Federated Hermes Inc. grew its stake in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 164.0% in the 3rd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 858 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 533 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Central Garden & Pet by 444.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,001 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 817 shares during the last quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. grew its position in Central Garden & Pet by 152.1% in the second quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 1,215 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 733 shares during the last quarter. Finally, EMC Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Central Garden & Pet in the second quarter valued at $87,000. 50.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.