Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) Financial Ratios
30 years of historical data (1996–2025) · Consumer Defensive · Packaged Foods
EV/EBITDA
↓
9.30
+8% vs avg
5yr avg: 8.64
30Y Low3.5·High26.4
P/FCF
↓
9.27
+17% vs avg
5yr avg: 7.93
30Y Low2.7·High66.0
P/B Ratio
↓
1.74
↑+24% vs avg
5yr avg: 1.41
30Y Low0.2·High3.6
ROE
↓
10.4%
↓+0% vs avg
5yr avg: 10.3%
30Y Low-41%·High16%
Debt/EBITDA
↑
4.12
↓-2% vs avg
5yr avg: 4.21
30Y Low2.0·High7.1
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
CENT Valuation Multiples
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Central Garden & Pet Company trades at 16.9x earnings, roughly in line with its 5-year average of 16.8x, sitting at the 64th percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Consumer Defensive sector median P/E of 18.8x, the stock trades at a discount of 10%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 9.3x P/FCF, 17% above the 5-year average of 7.9x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $2.7B | $2.1B | $2.5B | $1.8B | $1.6B | $2.0B | $1.6B | $1.3B | $1.5B | $1.6B | $1.0B |
| Enterprise Value | $3.3B | $2.7B | $3.1B | $2.7B | $2.8B | $2.9B | $1.8B | $1.5B | $1.7B | $1.9B | $1.3B |
| P/E Ratio → | 16.93 | 13.03 | 22.62 | 18.39 | 13.16 | 16.61 | 13.45 | 14.39 | 12.16 | 20.01 | 22.84 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.86 | 0.68 | 0.77 | 0.56 | 0.48 | 0.61 | 0.60 | 0.56 | 0.68 | 0.77 | 0.55 |
| P/B Ratio | 1.74 | 1.34 | 1.57 | 1.27 | 1.20 | 1.65 | 1.50 | 1.34 | 1.58 | 2.47 | 1.83 |
| P/FCF | 9.27 | 7.28 | 6.97 | 5.64 | — | 11.84 | 7.32 | 7.70 | 19.74 | 22.63 | 8.20 |
| P/OCF | 8.11 | 6.38 | 6.21 | 4.84 | — | 8.05 | 6.13 | 6.51 | 13.19 | 13.79 | 6.70 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
CENT EV Ratios
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Central Garden & Pet Company's enterprise value stands at 9.3x EBITDA, 8% above its 5-year average of 8.6x. The Consumer Defensive sector median is 11.0x, placing the stock at a 15% discount on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.86 | 0.97 | 0.83 | 0.84 | 0.89 | 0.66 | 0.64 | 0.77 | 0.94 | 0.72 |
| EV / EBITDA | 9.30 | 7.65 | 11.29 | 9.16 | 7.21 | 7.91 | 6.18 | 7.57 | 8.00 | 9.76 | 7.78 |
| EV / EBIT | 12.28 | 9.76 | 15.59 | 12.45 | 10.92 | 11.76 | 9.01 | 9.45 | 10.25 | 12.42 | 11.71 |
| EV / FCF | — | 9.20 | 8.86 | 8.34 | — | 17.30 | 8.05 | 8.83 | 22.49 | 27.85 | 10.64 |
CENT Profitability
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Central Garden & Pet Company earns an operating margin of 8.5%, above the Consumer Defensive sector average of 3.5%. Operating margins have expanded from 6.4% to 8.5% over the past 3 years, signaling improving operational efficiency. ROE of 10.4% is modest. ROIC of 9.1% represents adequate returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 5.7%.
Margins
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 31.1% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 28.6% | 29.7% | 29.4% | 29.0% | 29.5% | 30.5% | 30.8% | 30.2% |
| Operating Margin | 8.5% | 8.5% | 5.8% | 6.4% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 7.3% | 6.4% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Net Profit Margin | 5.2% | 5.2% | 3.4% | 3.8% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.5% | 3.9% | 5.6% | 3.8% | 2.4% |
Return on Capital
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 10.4% | 10.4% | 7.2% | 9.0% | 11.9% | 13.2% | 11.6% | 9.5% | 15.5% | 13.2% | 8.4% |
| ROA | 4.5% | 4.5% | 3.1% | 3.8% | 4.8% | 5.6% | 5.5% | 4.7% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 3.8% |
| ROIC | 9.1% | 9.1% | 6.1% | 6.5% | 8.3% | 11.4% | 12.2% | 9.6% | 11.6% | 12.6% | 11.3% |
| ROCE | 8.7% | 8.7% | 6.2% | 7.3% | 9.6% | 11.4% | 10.9% | 8.8% | 12.0% | 14.9% | 13.1% |
CENT Leverage & Debt
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Central Garden & Pet Company carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 4.1x, which is highly leveraged (18% above the sector average of 3.5x). Net debt stands at $558M ($1.4B total debt minus $882M cash). Interest coverage of 4.8x is adequate, though a cyclical earnings downturn could tighten the margin of safety.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.91 | 0.91 | 0.91 | 0.95 | 1.04 | 1.11 | 0.76 | 0.70 | 0.73 | 0.62 | 0.71 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 4.12 | 4.12 | 5.14 | 4.61 | 3.55 | 3.64 | 2.82 | 3.43 | 3.23 | 1.99 | 2.33 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.35 | 0.43 | 0.61 | 0.90 | 0.76 | 0.15 | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.57 | 0.55 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.59 | 1.59 | 2.41 | 2.97 | 3.09 | 2.49 | 0.56 | 0.97 | 0.98 | 1.83 | 1.78 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 1.92 | 1.90 | 2.70 | — | 5.46 | 0.73 | 1.13 | 2.75 | 5.22 | 2.44 |
| Interest Coverage | 4.76 | 4.76 | 3.48 | 3.85 | 4.41 | 4.28 | 4.49 | 3.80 | 4.27 | 5.53 | 2.63 |
CENT Liquidity & Efficiency
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
Central Garden & Pet Company's current ratio of 3.67x is well above the 1.0 safety threshold, indicating strong short-term liquidity with ample room to cover current liabilities. The quick ratio of 2.33x is notably lower than the current ratio, indicating a significant portion of current assets is tied up in inventory. The current ratio has declined from 3.73x to 3.67x over the past 3 years.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 3.67 | 3.67 | 3.66 | 3.73 | 3.34 | 2.96 | 3.46 | 4.69 | 5.72 | 3.10 | 3.53 |
| Quick Ratio | 2.33 | 2.33 | 2.19 | 1.90 | 1.32 | 1.64 | 2.47 | 3.02 | 3.71 | 1.37 | 1.74 |
| Cash Ratio | 1.64 | 1.64 | 1.46 | 1.07 | 0.38 | 0.82 | 1.48 | 1.79 | 2.26 | 0.15 | 0.46 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.86 | 0.90 | 0.98 | 1.02 | 1.06 | 1.15 | 1.18 | 1.16 | 1.57 | 1.51 |
| Inventory Turnover | 2.99 | 2.99 | 2.98 | 2.82 | 2.50 | 3.40 | 4.35 | 3.60 | 3.60 | 3.72 | 3.52 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 37.95 | 37.20 | 36.71 | 41.19 | 42.58 | 53.05 | 45.97 | 45.46 | 42.26 | 40.14 |
CENT Shareholder Yields
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Central Garden & Pet Company returns 5.7% to shareholders annually primarily through share buybacks. The earnings yield of 5.9% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Dividends
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Payout Ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Total Shareholder Return Metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 5.9% | 7.7% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 7.6% | 6.0% | 7.4% | 6.9% | 8.2% | 5.0% | 4.4% |
| FCF Yield | 10.8% | 13.7% | 14.4% | 17.7% | — | 8.4% | 13.7% | 13.0% | 5.1% | 4.4% | 12.2% |
| Buyback Yield | 5.7% | 7.3% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 3.6% | 4.7% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 5.7% | 7.3% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 3.6% | 4.7% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $64M | $67M | $53M | $54M | $55M | $55M | $58M | $53M | $52M | $51M |
Peer Comparison
Compare CENT with 10 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 CENTYou | $3B | 16.9 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 31.1% | 8.5% | 10.4% | 9.1% | 4.1 |
 SPB | $2B | 21.8 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 36.7% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 3.9% | 2.9 |
 ACCO | $360M | 8.9 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 29.8% | 7.1% | 6.5% | 5.5% | 5.1 |
 HRB | $4B | 7.8 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 44.5% | 22.0% | 675.0% | 46.4% | 2.5 |
 FRPT | $3B | 20.8 | 16.4 | 218.4 | 38.6% | 8.6% | 12.3% | 5.3% | 3.1 |
 CHWY | $8B | 35.0 | 18.9 | 13.4 | 29.8% | 2.0% | 58.7% | 105.2% | 1.5 |
 IDXX | $45B | 43.0 | 31.1 | 42.4 | 61.8% | 31.6% | 66.2% | 42.5% | 0.7 |
 PETS | $37M | -0.6 | — | — | 28.1% | -17.5% | -100.4% | -119.4% | — |
 SYM | $5B | -260.5 | — | 6.1 | 18.8% | -5.1% | -3.9% | — | — |
 WOOF | $748M | 82.6 | 10.6 | 4.0 | 38.7% | 2.0% | 0.8% | 2.4% | 9.0 |
 SHW | $79B | 31.2 | 21.3 | 29.8 | 48.9% | 16.1% | 59.4% | 16.5% | 3.3 |
| Consumer Defensive Median | — | 18.8 | 11.0 | 15.3 | 40.8% | 3.5% | 6.5% | 5.7% | 3.5 |
Peer selection based on competitive and market overlap. Compare multiple stocks →
Download Financial Ratios Data
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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CENT — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CENT stock.
What is Central Garden & Pet Company's P/E ratio?
Central Garden & Pet Company's current P/E ratio is 16.9x. The historical average is 16.8x. This places it at the 64th percentile of its historical range.
What is Central Garden & Pet Company's EV/EBITDA?
Central Garden & Pet Company's current EV/EBITDA is 9.3x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 9.0x.
What is Central Garden & Pet Company's ROE?
Central Garden & Pet Company's return on equity (ROE) is 10.4%. The historical average is 5.2%.
Is CENT stock overvalued?
Based on historical data, Central Garden & Pet Company is trading at a P/E of 16.9x. This is at the 64th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
What are Central Garden & Pet Company's profit margins?
Central Garden & Pet Company has 31.1% gross margin and 8.5% operating margin.
How much debt does Central Garden & Pet Company have?
Central Garden & Pet Company's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 4.1x, indicating high leverage. A ratio above 4x may signal elevated financial risk.