State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D Increases Stock Holdings in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA)

State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D boosted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) by 16.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 66,767 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 9,603 shares during the quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D owned approximately 0.10% of Central Garden & Pet worth $2,207,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 1.2% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,942,422 shares of the company’s stock worth $92,392,000 after purchasing an additional 36,251 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,175,277 shares of the company’s stock worth $68,304,000 after buying an additional 68,689 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 5.6% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 773,023 shares of the company’s stock valued at $24,273,000 after acquiring an additional 41,241 shares during the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 9.4% in the third quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 691,092 shares of the company’s stock valued at $21,700,000 after acquiring an additional 59,368 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mirabella Financial Services LLP grew its position in Central Garden & Pet by 4.5% during the third quarter. Mirabella Financial Services LLP now owns 630,051 shares of the company’s stock valued at $19,784,000 after acquiring an additional 27,249 shares during the period. 50.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Central Garden & Pet Price Performance

CENTA stock opened at $32.05 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $2.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.61 and a beta of 0.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a current ratio of 3.47. Central Garden & Pet has a 1 year low of $27.70 and a 1 year high of $41.03. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $32.27 and a 200-day simple moving average of $32.22.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $0.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.03) by $0.24. Central Garden & Pet had a net margin of 3.77% and a return on equity of 10.08%. On average, equities analysts predict that Central Garden & Pet will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. StockNews.com raised Central Garden & Pet from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Finally, Argus downgraded shares of Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $41.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Central Garden & Pet news, insider John D. Walker III sold 10,000 shares of Central Garden & Pet stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.86, for a total transaction of $328,600.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 67,111 shares in the company, valued at $2,205,267.46. The trade was a 12.97 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 20.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Central Garden & Pet Company Profile

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.