---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001157523-23-000700"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "CENT"
cik: "0000887733"
company_name: "CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO"
filed_at: "2023-05-03T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-16T02:12:27.179416+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Central Garden & Pet Q2 EPS $0.90 vs $1.27; sales down 5% to $909M; FY23 EPS guidance $2.35+

## Summary
- Net sales $909M, down 5% YoY; GAAP EPS $0.90 vs $1.27; adjusted EBITDA $107M vs $131M.
- Pet segment sales $475M (-5%); Garden segment $434M (-5%), hit by poor spring weather and retailer inventory shifts.
- Gross margin 28.6% vs 30.1%; operating margin 8.6% vs 11.2% due to Garden overhead absorption and input costs.
- Fiscal 2023 EPS guidance of $2.35 or better; expects second-half growth; multi-year cost and simplicity program underway.
- Cash $61M, debt $1.2B; leverage ratio 3.3x; repurchased ~75,000 shares for $2.7M during quarter.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001157523-23-000700
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: CENT
- cik: 0000887733
- company_name: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO
- filed_at: 2023-05-03T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887733/000115752323000700/0001157523-23-000700-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887733/000115752323000700/a53392903.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001157523-23-000700
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001157523-23-000700.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001157523-23-000700.txt

## Key facts
- Earnings Releases
  CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO reported second quarter fiscal 2023 ended March 25, 2023 results: revenue $909 million, net income $48 million, EPS $0.90. Guidance reaffirmed.
  - Period: second quarter fiscal 2023 ended March 25, 2023
  - Revenue: $909 million
  - Net income: $48 million
  - EPS: $0.90
  - Guidance: reaffirmed
  - Result: reported results
  source text: Central Garden & Pet Announces Q2 Fiscal 2023 Financial Results Fiscal 2023 Q2 net sales of $909 million Fiscal 2023 Q2 earnings per share of $0.90 Expects fiscal 2023 EPS of $2.35 or better
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887733/000115752323000700/0001157523-23-000700-index.htm

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