---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000887733-26-000004"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "CENT"
cik: "0000887733"
company_name: "CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO"
filed_at: "2026-02-04T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-16T05:11:19.263279+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Central Garden & Pet Q1 FY2026 revenue down 6%; GAAP EPS $0.11 vs $0.21

## Summary
- Net sales $617M vs $656M; GAAP diluted EPS $0.11; non-GAAP diluted EPS $0.21 flat YoY.
- Gross margin expanded 110 bps to 30.9%; operating margin 2.7% (4.3% prior year).
- Garden segment sales $202M (down 12%), operating loss $10M vs $2M income; Pet sales $416M (down 3%), operating margin 12.0%.
- Reaffirmed FY2026 non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance of $2.70 or better; capex $50-60M.
- Repurchased 660k shares for $18.5M; cash $721M, debt $1.2B, gross leverage 2.9x.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000887733-26-000004
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: CENT
- cik: 0000887733
- company_name: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO
- filed_at: 2026-02-04T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887733/000088773326000004/0000887733-26-000004-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887733/000088773326000004/cent-20260204.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000887733-26-000004
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000887733-26-000004.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000887733-26-000004.txt

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.