Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 16.8x · EV/EBITDA 9.2x · ROE 10.4%. (1996–2025 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| 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 | $3.2B | $2.7B | $3.1B | $2.7B | $2.8B | $2.9B | $1.8B | $1.5B | $1.7B | $1.9B | $1.3B |
| P/E Ratio → | 16.80 | 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 | 1.72 | 1.34 | 1.57 | 1.27 | 1.20 | 1.65 | 1.50 | 1.34 | 1.58 | 2.47 | 1.83 |
| P/FCF | 9.19 | 7.28 | 6.97 | 5.64 | — | 11.84 | 7.32 | 7.70 | 19.74 | 22.63 | 8.20 |
| P/OCF | 8.05 | 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
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| 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 | 9.24 | 7.65 | 11.29 | 9.16 | 7.21 | 7.91 | 6.18 | 7.57 | 8.00 | 9.76 | 7.78 |
| EV / EBIT | 12.20 | 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 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
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% |
| 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% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| 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 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| 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 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
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 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 6.0% | 7.7% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 7.6% | 6.0% | 7.4% | 6.9% | 8.2% | 5.0% | 4.4% |
| FCF Yield | 10.9% | 13.7% | 14.4% | 17.7% | — | 8.4% | 13.7% | 13.0% | 5.1% | 4.4% | 12.2% |
| Buyback Yield | 5.8% | 7.3% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 3.6% | 4.7% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 5.8% | 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 |
Seasonal Inventory Destocking Risk
According to current market data, CENT trades at a forward P/E of 15.14, which appears to reflect a conglomerate discount relative to pure-play pet peers like Spectrum Brands, potentially undervaluing the structural stability provided by its integrated distribution network and diversified exposure to both pet and garden categories.
The current valuation multiple suggests that investors are pricing in significant cyclical risk from the garden segment, which may be an overreaction given the company's role as a consolidated category manager for major retailers. While the PEG ratio of 5.88 warrants caution regarding near-term growth expectations, the EV/EBITDA of 9.61 indicates that the market is not fully accounting for the potential earnings floor established by the recurring nature of pet consumables.
Based on reported financial statements, ROIC has fluctuated between -0.2% and 4.3% over the last ten quarters, a trend that suggests the company's ability to compound capital is heavily tethered to the timing of seasonal inventory liquidation rather than consistent operational efficiency across all fiscal periods.
The low ROIC figures, particularly when compared to the company's cost of capital, indicate that the serial acquisition strategy requires more rigorous integration to drive meaningful value creation. Investors should monitor whether management can improve asset turnover during off-peak quarters, as the current reliance on seasonal volume creates significant drag on annual return metrics.
As reported in recent quarterly filings, the cash conversion cycle remains highly volatile, peaking at 186 days in 2024Q1, which highlights the intense pressure that seasonal inventory builds place on the company's working capital efficiency and its reliance on big-box retail payment terms.
The wide variance in the cash conversion cycle suggests that the company's operational leverage is highly sensitive to inventory management, with DIO often exceeding 150 days during build-up phases. This structural reality implies that the company must maintain significant liquidity buffers to manage the cash flow gaps inherent in its hybrid manufacturing and distribution model.
Based on the provided figures, the debt-to-equity ratio has remained remarkably stable between 0.86 and 1.02, suggesting that management has maintained a disciplined approach to balance sheet health despite the capital-intensive nature of its ongoing acquisition-led growth strategy in the fragmented pet and garden markets.
The interest coverage ratio, which has shown significant volatility from 0.03 to 9.87, indicates that while the debt load is manageable, the company's ability to service interest is highly dependent on the timing of seasonal cash inflows. This warrants further investigation into whether the current debt structure provides sufficient flexibility to navigate potential downturns in discretionary consumer spending.
The P/E ratio is frequently misapplied to this business model because it fails to account for the massive seasonal swings in net income caused by the garden segment's weather-dependent revenue, which can artificially inflate or deflate the multiple depending on the specific quarter being analyzed by investors.
Analysts should instead prioritize EV/EBITDA or normalized free cash flow metrics to better capture the underlying earning power of the company's integrated distribution platform. Relying on trailing P/E ratios obscures the reality that the company's profitability is a function of seasonal inventory management rather than a linear, quarter-over-quarter growth trajectory.
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
DCF models, multiple analysis, and analyst estimates.
10-year return with dividends reinvested.
See how regular investing compounds over time.
Compare growth, multiples, and margins vs sector.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CENT stock.
Central Garden & Pet Company's current P/E ratio is 16.8x. The historical average is 16.8x. This places it at the 64th percentile of its historical range.
Central Garden & Pet Company's current EV/EBITDA is 9.2x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 9.0x.
Central Garden & Pet Company's return on equity (ROE) is 10.4%. The historical average is 5.2%.
Based on historical data, Central Garden & Pet Company is trading at a P/E of 16.8x. This is at the 64th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Central Garden & Pet Company has 31.1% gross margin and 8.5% operating margin.
Central Garden & Pet Company's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 4.1x, indicating high leverage. A ratio above 4x may signal elevated financial risk.