State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D Grows Position in Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA)

State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D raised its holdings in shares of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ:CENTA) by 12.2% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 57,164 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,233 shares during the period. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D’s holdings in Central Garden & Pet were worth $1,795,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Quarry LP raised its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 503.2% in the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 754 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 629 shares in the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. purchased a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. CWM LLC raised its holdings in Central Garden & Pet by 3,558.1% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,134 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 1,103 shares in the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC bought a new position in Central Garden & Pet in the second quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado lifted its position in shares of Central Garden & Pet by 37.4% during the first quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 1,650 shares of the company’s stock valued at $61,000 after buying an additional 449 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 50.82% of the company’s stock.

Central Garden & Pet Stock Performance

Shares of Central Garden & Pet stock opened at $31.76 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $30.79 and a 200 day moving average price of $33.42. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.65 and a beta of 0.73. 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 52 week low of $27.70 and a 52 week high of $41.03.

Insider Buying and Selling at Central Garden & Pet

In other Central Garden & Pet news, Chairman William E. Brown sold 60,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the chairman now owns 1,125,773 shares in the company, valued at approximately $37,758,426.42. The trade was a 5.06 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 20.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Central Garden & Pet from $34.00 to $32.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 11th. StockNews.com downgraded Central Garden & Pet from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Central Garden & Pet has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $41.33.

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.