What is Zacks Research’s Forecast for CENT Q2 Earnings?

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ:CENT) – Research analysts at Zacks Research boosted their Q2 2026 earnings estimates for Central Garden & Pet in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, February 18th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the company will earn $1.08 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $1.06. Zacks Research currently has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Central Garden & Pet’s current full-year earnings is $2.38 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Central Garden & Pet’s Q3 2026 earnings at $1.59 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.84 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.18 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $1.10 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $1.62 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $0.20 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $2.95 EPS.

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.11 by $0.10. Central Garden & Pet had a return on equity of 10.99% and a net margin of 5.04%.The company had revenue of $617.37 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $636.62 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.21 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. Central Garden & Pet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.700- EPS.

A number of other research firms have also commented on CENT. Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $50.00 price objective on shares of Central Garden & Pet in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Weiss Ratings raised Central Garden & Pet from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Finally, CJS Securities raised Central Garden & Pet to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $42.50.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

Shares of CENT opened at $39.08 on Friday. Central Garden & Pet has a 52-week low of $28.77 and a 52-week high of $41.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.43 billion, a PE ratio of 15.95 and a beta of 0.73. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $33.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $33.68. The company has a quick ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 3.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76.

Insider Activity at Central Garden & Pet

In related news, Director Brendan Dougher sold 3,250 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.38, for a total value of $108,485.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 12,845 shares in the company, valued at $428,766.10. This trade represents a 20.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 8.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CENT. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 632.3% in the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 974 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 841 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Stenger Family Office LLC purchased a new position in Central Garden & Pet during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $48,000. CWM LLC grew its position in Central Garden & Pet by 222.4% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,412 shares of the company’s stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 974 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its stake in Central Garden & Pet by 152.3% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,920 shares of the company’s stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 1,159 shares during the period. 16.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Central Garden & Pet

Here are the key news stories impacting Central Garden & Pet this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple EPS estimates across 2026–2028 (Q1, Q2, Q3 and full-year updates), lifting FY2026 from $2.75 to $2.84 and FY2028 to $2.95 — suggesting analysts expect better near-term margins/cash conversion. (This is a primary reason for upside pressure on the stock.)
• Positive Sentiment: Central boosted its share buyback authorization by $100M, citing undervaluation and strong cash reserves — a direct capital-return action that typically supports the share price and signals management confidence. Central Garden & Pet Company Ups Share Buyback Authorization
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks retained a “Hold” rating despite the estimate increases — upgrades in models improve fundamentals but the unchanged rating tempers immediate analyst-driven upside.
• Neutral Sentiment: Management will participate in investor conferences (including a March J.P. Morgan session) — useful for longer-term visibility and institutional interest but not an immediate catalyst. Central Garden & Pet to Participate in Investor Conferences
• Neutral Sentiment: A reported “large increase” in short interest contains inconsistent/zero values (data glitch), so it provides no clear bearish signal at this time.

Central Garden & Pet Company Profile

Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT) is a leading North American specialty retailer, manufacturer and distributor serving the lawn and garden and pet supplies markets. The company operates through two primary segments: Pet and Garden. In the Pet segment, Central Garden & Pet offers a comprehensive range of products including pet food, treats, accessories, training products and habitat solutions for dogs, cats, birds, fish and small animals. The Garden segment encompasses a wide array of lawn, garden and outdoor living products, such as soils, fertilizers, planters, pest control solutions, landscape lighting and watering equipment.

Central Garden & Pet’s product portfolio includes both proprietary and branded offerings.