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Central Garden & Pet Company (CENTA)

POSITIVE
Consumer DefensivePackaged FoodsUnited States

Fundamental

78

Price

$38.06

Market Cap

$2.42B

Part 1 · What the company is worth

Overview

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 items, waste management, and training pads; supplies for aquatics, small animals, reptiles, and pet birds, including toys, enclosures, 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. This segment sells its products under the Aqueon, Cadet, Comfort Zone, Farnam, Four Paws, K&H Pet Products, Kaytee, Nylabone, and Zilla brands. Its Garden segment offers lawn and garden supplies products that include grass seed; vegetable; flower and herb packet seed; wild bird feed, bird feeders, bird houses, and other birding accessories; fertilizers; decorative products; live plants; and weed and grass, as well as other herbicides, insecticide, and pesticide products. This segment sells its lawn and garden supplies products under the Amdro, Ferry-Morse, Pennington, and Sevin brands. The company sells its products to independent distributors, big-box retailers, national and regional retail chains, eCommerce and online retailers, grocery stores, nurseries, and mass merchants. Central Garden & Pet Company was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California.

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Direct competitors

Who this company fights with for the same customers

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No competitor list for this company yet.

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Revenue

$3.08B

Trailing 12 months (through 6/27/2026)

Net Income

$166M

Trailing 12 months (through 6/27/2026)

Free Cash Flow

$291M

Total Equity

$1.58B

Total Liabilities

$2.04B

Current Ratio

3.79

Interest Coverage

4.37

Debt/EBITDA

4.21

Earnings Per Share

Revenue & Net Income

Free Cash Flow

Income Breakdown

Historical statement

Margins over time

Debt over time

How heavy the debt is

Growth grid

Growth — Revenue

Fair Value Estimation

General caseUndervalued

Fair Value

$121.14

Current Price

$38.06

Margin of Safety

+68.6%

Fair Value Range

$78.74 - $163.55

Estimation Methods

Analyst price target:$46.25
Discounted cash flow (DCF):$526.12
Earnings multiple (P/E):$38.00
Graham growth formula:$34.21
Earnings power value (EPV):$40.17
Justified P/B:$36.04
Dividend discount (Gordon):Not enough data to compute it
P/FFO, funds from operations:Not enough data to compute it
Mid-cycle earnings:$266.78
Revenue multiple:Not enough data to compute it
Analyst Consensus:Strong Buy (9B / 1H / 1S)
Last Earnings Surprise:-1.45%

Valuation Metrics

P/E Ratio

14.31

ROE

10.3%

P/B Ratio

0.27

P/FCF

1.36

Gross Margin

32.5%

ROIC

6.1%

Profitability Radar

Value Creation (Economic Moat)

ROIC

6.1%

WACC

6.4%

ROIC − WACC

-0.3 pp

ROIC is roughly in line with the cost of capital — the company is barely covering its capital cost.

Fundamental Analysis Criteria

Passed (23)

  • EPS shows upward trend
  • EPS CAGR 6.44%
  • ROIC 6.1%
  • Gross Margin 32.5%
  • P/FCF 1.36
  • P/B Ratio 0.27
  • Debt/Equity ratio
  • Operating Margin 8.1%
  • Positive Free Cash Flow
  • CapEx intensity
  • Current Ratio
  • Interest Coverage
  • Debt/EBITDA
  • Return on Tangible Assets
  • Price below Graham Number
  • DCF valuation (Undervalued)
  • ROE 10.7%
  • Analyst Consensus 82% Buy
  • Earnings Surprise avg 29.5%
  • Earnings Quality (OCF/NI) 2.35
  • Share Dilution -4.2%
  • Net Margin Trend 5.4% vs 4.4%
  • Piotroski F-Score 7/9

Failed (4)

  • Price CAGR 4.51%
  • Low reliance on intangibles
  • Revenue Growth 5Y 3.0%
  • PEG Ratio 4.96

Unavailable (1)

  • Dividend Payout NaN%

Piotroski F-Score

7/9

Strong financial health

score
criteria

Earnings Quality

2.35

High quality: earnings backed by cash

Share Dilution

-4.2%

Buying back shares. Shareholder friendly

Governance

Executive Team

NameTitleAge
Mr. William E. BrownFounder & Chairman84
Mr. Nicholas LahanasCEO & Director56
Mr. Bradley G. SmithChief Financial Officer59
Mr. John D. Walker IIIPresident of Garden Consumer Products67
Mr. John Edward HansonPresident of Pet Consumer Products60
Mr. Howard A. Machek CPASenior VP & Chief Accounting Officer62
Mr. Chris WalterSenior VP & Chief Information Officer-
Ms. Friederike EdelmannVice President of Investor Relations-
Mr. Apur PatelChief Legal Officer-
Ms. Marilyn LeahySenior Vice President of Human Resources-

Part 2 · The price and when to enter

This part won't tell you whether the company is worth owning: it helps you choose when to buy it, once the fundamentals have convinced you. Inside: technical analysis, potential, historical drawdowns, gamma exposure.

Latest News

Recent headlines for CENTA, sourced from Markets Gazette.

No recent news for CENTA.