Zacks Investment Research·Oct 20, 2026
Post Holdings' Pet E-Commerce Growth Outpaces Brick-and-MortarPOST is seeing e-commerce outpace other pet food channels as it pursues brand relaunches, premium private-label growth and cost savings.
Central Garden & Pet is executing a strategic portfolio shift away from lower-margin pet distribution, driving gross margin to 35.9% in Q3 2026 and operating margin to 14.3%, the highest in the dataset.
Price trend, volume and key moving averages
Trailing total returns as of 11/8/2026, which may include dividends or other distributions. Benchmark is S&P 500 (^GSPC).
Check whether operating performance supports the current valuation.
Recent results and news deserve attention only when they alter the forward view.
| Quarter | EPS (Act vs Est) | Revenue (Act vs Est) |
|---|---|---|
Q3 2026Latest Aug 5, 2026 | $1.54+0.7% vs $1.53 | $882M-0.1% vs $883M |
Q2 2026 May 6, 2026 | $1.29+19.4% vs $1.08 | $906M+7.0% vs $847M |
Q1 2026 Feb 4, 2026 | $0.21+90.9% vs $0.11 | $617M-1.7% vs $628M |
Q4 2025 Nov 24, 2025 | -$0.09+53.9% vs -$0.20 | $678M+3.4% vs $656M |
POST is seeing e-commerce outpace other pet food channels as it pursues brand relaunches, premium private-label growth and cost savings.
WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $CENT #CentralToHome--Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA) (“Central”), a leading consumer goods company in the pet and garden industries, today announced that it has acquired W. Atlee Burpee Company (“Burpee”), a national brand in the packet seed and young plant categories trusted by gardeners for 150 years. Burpee offers a comprehensive horticulture portfolio of seeds, plants and garden supplies. The transaction closed on September 30, 2026. “Burpee.
Central Garden and Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT - Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $40.88 and traded as high as $41.53. Central Garden and Pet shares last traded at $41.32, with a volume of 107,782 shares changing hands. Analysts Set New
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Benchmark CENT against direct peers instead of judging its metrics in isolation.
Key metrics vs top competitors for Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT)
| Company | Price | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | Rev Growth (1Y) | Net Margin | ROE | Div Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $47.78 | $2.99B | 17.80 | -2.23% | 5.39% | 10.14% | — | |
| $86.68 | $2.01B | 25.12 | -5.23% | 2.77% | 4.18% | 2.15% | |
| $5.06 | $466.82M | 7.33 | -8.49% | 4.23% | 9.73% | 5.68% | |
| $52.69 | $6.68B | 9.12 | 4.9% | 18.59% | — | 3.15% | |
| $64.39 | $3.16B | 26.80 | 13.01% | 10.9% | 10.65% | — | |
| $22.56 | $9.34B | 33.80 | 6.24% | 2.09% | 62.13% | — |
Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) vs competitors — business, growth, and fundamentals comparison against the closest industry rivals.
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Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) SEC filings — annual & quarterly reports (10-K, 10-Q)
Aug 5, 2026·SEC
Jul 27, 2026·SEC
May 6, 2026·SEC
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Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) stock FAQ — growth, dividends, profitability & financials explained
Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) reported $3.08B in revenue over the trailing twelve months. Revenue was $3.13B in fiscal year 2025. That is 405% more than the $619.6M of fiscal year 1996.
Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) revenue fell by 1.2% over the trailing twelve months, compared with the twelve months before.
Yes. Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) earned $166.3M in net income over the trailing twelve months (a 5.4% net margin).
Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) had a return on equity (ROE) of 10.1% over the trailing twelve months. That is in line with the market's typical 10-15%.
Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) generated $345.6M in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months.
