Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) Shares Sold by Pacer Advisors Inc.

Pacer Advisors Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) by 15.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,747,414 shares of the company’s stock after selling 511,073 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Central Garden & Pet were worth $100,198,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in CENT. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the third quarter valued at about $1,681,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 32.4% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 41,862 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,793,000 after purchasing an additional 10,237 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 24.5% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 162,647 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,262,000 after acquiring an additional 32,009 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 748.5% during the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 84,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,234,000 after purchasing an additional 74,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in Central Garden & Pet by 2.2% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 86,877 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,345,000 after acquiring an additional 1,873 shares during the last quarter. 16.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In related news, Chairman William E. Brown sold 60,000 shares of the company’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 transaction, the chairman now directly owns 1,125,773 shares in the company, valued at $37,758,426.42. This represents a 5.06 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 9.53% of the company’s stock.

Central Garden & Pet Trading Up 2.6 %

Shares of CENT stock opened at $38.36 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $35.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $38.75. The company has a quick ratio of 2.16, a current ratio of 3.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. Central Garden & Pet has a fifty-two week low of $31.31 and a fifty-two week high of $47.48. The stock has a market cap of $2.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.69 and a beta of 0.75.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

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

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.