Empowered Funds LLC Boosts Stock Holdings in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA)

Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) by 5.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 255,113 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 12,413 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC owned approximately 0.39% of Central Garden & Pet worth $8,431,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. CWM LLC boosted its position in Central Garden & Pet by 72.6% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,957 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 823 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV boosted its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 43.8% in the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,402 shares of the company’s stock worth $75,000 after buying an additional 732 shares during the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP boosted its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 253.7% in the 3rd quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 3,891 shares of the company’s stock worth $122,000 after buying an additional 2,791 shares during the last quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd grew its position in Central Garden & Pet by 32.0% during the third quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd now owns 6,154 shares of the company’s stock valued at $193,000 after buying an additional 1,492 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in Central Garden & Pet during the third quarter worth about $194,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 50.82% of the company’s stock.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

Shares of CENTA stock opened at $32.86 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $32.62 and its 200 day moving average is $32.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.05 and a beta of 0.76. Central Garden & Pet has a 12 month low of $27.70 and a 12 month high of $41.03. The company has a current ratio of 3.47, a quick ratio of 2.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.03) by $0.24. Central Garden & Pet had a return on equity of 10.08% and a net margin of 3.77%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.2 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have weighed in on CENTA shares. Argus cut shares of Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Central Garden & Pet from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Central Garden & Pet from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Central Garden & Pet currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $41.00.

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.