| Factor | Score | Distribution | Value | Avg | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valuation | 85 | 14.6x | 17.3x | Top tier | |
Growth | 27 | -1.2% | 7.1% | Bottom tier | |
Quality | 65 | 6.4% | 4.5% | Around median | |
Safety | 67 | 1.2x | 2.6x | Top tier | |
Capital Return | 54 | 0.00% | 0.06% | Around median | |
Momentum | 88 | 20.7% | -1.6% | Top tier | |
Sentiment | 78 | 4 | 3 | Top tier |
The floor: what the company is worth if growth stopped today
19% of today's price is what a buyer pays for growth that has not happened yet.
10-year US Treasury yield 4.96% as of 2026-10-22. Estimates computed from company data and analyst targets, not investment advice.
Ten ratios that matter, each compared against its sector median and average — so you can see whether a number is rich or cheap relative to peers in the same sector.
Central Garden & Pet Company, listed under the ticker CENTA on NASDAQ, sells pet and garden care products through its brands and private-label programs for retailers. Its pet business includes chews, treats, equine care, and flea and tick control products, while its garden business includes grass seed, fertilizers, and wild bird products. Its business mix is influenced by growth in recurring pet consumables and seasonal garden demand, with some sales shifting to e-commerce, mass merchants, and warehouse clubs.
In quarter 3 of fiscal year 2026, ended 2026-06-27, revenue according to EL7 data was approximately 882.4 million dollars, net income was 89.9 million dollars, and diluted earnings per share were 1.46 dollars. Gross margin was 35.9%, and operating margin as calculated by EL7 was approximately 14.3%. Net income in quarter 3 of fiscal year 2025 was approximately 95.0 million dollars, and diluted earnings per share were 1.52 dollars; therefore, positive operating profitability did not prevent net income and earnings per share from declining compared with the same quarter of the previous fiscal year. A reliable year-over-year revenue comparison is unavailable because the line item is defined differently by the two comparison data sources.
Over the last 12 months through 2026-06-27, revenue was 3.1 billion dollars and net income was 166.3 million dollars, while operating cash flow according to EL7 data was approximately 390.3 million dollars. Free cash flow as calculated by EL7 (operating cash flow minus capital expenditures) for the last 12 months was approximately 345.6 million dollars. On 2026-09-30, the company closed its acquisition of Burpee, adding home gardening operations, digital capabilities, and sales channels including e-commerce and catalogs to its garden portfolio.
Q3 FY2026
Last 12 months to 2026-06-27
When: 2026-11-23
Adjusted diluted earnings per share for fiscal year 2026 at the 2.70-dollar threshold in the expected earnings announcement
Earnings conversion into operating cash flow at the 235% threshold for the last 12 months in the expected earnings announcement
The median analyst target is 53 dollars from two analysts, a low-confidence indicative estimate reflecting growth expectations, and analyst targets inherently tend toward optimism. The industry-multiple value is 35 dollars, within a range of 23 to 54 dollars, based on next year's earnings at a median multiple of 11.5 across 41 companies, meaning the company is priced using its peers' multiples. The no-growth value is 27 dollars, measuring the value of holding current after-tax operating profit constant forever at a discount rate of 8.7%. The industry-multiple value and no-growth value are relatively close, while the analyst target sits at the upper end of the industry-multiple method's range; the differences in results reflect the varying weight the methods give to expected growth compared with constant earnings and relative peer pricing.
Figures in the text are as of 2026-10-19; the live price is shown at the top of the page.
Central Garden & Pet Company relies on selling pet and garden products under its brands and through private-label programs for retailers. Its products include Nylabone, Farnam Endure Gold Killer Fly & Mosquito Control Spray, and The Rebel Sun & Shade. It closed the Burpee acquisition on 2026-09-30 to add home gardening operations, digital capabilities, and channels including e-commerce and catalogs. Burpee will continue operating as a separate entity, retaining its headquarters in Pennsylvania and its announced executive leadership.
Operating cash flow according to EL7 data was approximately 390.3 million dollars over the last 12 months through 2026-06-27, versus net income of 166.3 million dollars for the same period. This represents earnings-to-cash conversion of 235%. Free cash flow as calculated by EL7 (operating cash flow minus capital expenditures) for the last 12 months was approximately 345.6 million dollars. These figures cover a full trailing period, while operating cash flow according to EL7 data for quarter 3 of fiscal year 2026, ended 2026-06-27, was approximately 327.5 million dollars.
Automated analysis for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
Management explained on the 2026-05-06 call that Central would retain a 20% stake in the joint venture with Phillips Pet Food & Supplies rather than owning the entire distribution business. It estimated that the change would reduce reported revenue in the second half of fiscal year 2026 by a percentage in the low teens, with the lost revenue having a limited impact on earnings because of the business's low margin. Nevertheless, it estimated a negative impact on earnings per share of between 0.03 and 0.05 dollars in the same period as a result of initial losses and acquisition accounting effects. The targeted operating benefit rests on reducing the complexity of a business that carried 26,000 items and focusing resources on Central's products.
The expected earnings announcement date is 2026-11-23, and a key benchmark is adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance for fiscal year 2026 of at least 2.70 dollars, which management maintained on the 2026-05-06 call. That guidance excludes the impact of acquisitions, divestitures, and restructuring actions occurring after its issuance date. The sustainability of cash collection also warrants monitoring after the operating cash flow-to-net income ratio reached 235% over the last 12 months through 2026-06-27. The results' details help distinguish the impact of weather and shipment timing from the impact of distribution and demand for products such as The Rebel Sun & Shade.
The median analyst target is 53 dollars from two analysts, so it remains a low-confidence indicative estimate reflecting their growth expectations. The industry-multiple value is 35 dollars, within a range of 23 to 54 dollars, using a median multiple of 11.5 on next year's earnings across 41 companies. The no-growth value is 27 dollars at a discount rate of 8.7%, assuming current after-tax operating profit remains constant forever. The differences in values reflect different assumptions about growth, peer pricing, and earnings persistence, so these methods do not represent a single identical measurement.