CENTA News & Events

Central Garden & Pet announced that its board of directors has authorized an increase in its stock repurchase program to purchase up to an additional $100M of the company's common stock and Class A common stock. The company stated that the acquisition of the company's common stock at this time appeared to be advantageous to the company and its stockholders because management considers the market price of its shares to be currently undervalued.

Reports Q1 revenue $617M, consensus $631.0M. "We delivered a solid start to the fiscal year, with disciplined execution across the business, particularly when measured against a strong prior-year first quarter," said Niko Lahanas, CEO of Central Garden & Pet. "First quarter results also reflected shipment timing, with volumes shifting into the second quarter. With Cost and Simplicity firmly embedded in our operations, we are sharpening our focus on growth and innovation across the portfolio, recognizing that results will build over time. We remain encouraged by the momentum in the business and confident in our outlook for the year as we advance our Central to Home strategy."

Central "continues to expect fiscal 2026 non-GAAP diluted EPS of $2.70 or better, reflecting continued margin discipline, cost efficiency initiatives, and portfolio optimization. The outlook incorporates current assumptions regarding a competitive and promotional retail environment, value-oriented consumer behavior, current tariffs, and inflation in select commodity categories, within a dynamic macroeconomic and geopolitical environment. Capital expenditures are projected to be approximately $50 million to $60 million, focused on maintenance, productivity initiatives, and targeted growth investments across both segments."

Central Garden & Pet Company announced the appointment of Apur Patel as Chief Legal Officer, effective January 26. Patel succeeds George Yuhas, who will retire from the company. In this role, Patel will oversee all legal matters for Central, including corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, securities and compliance, litigation, intellectual property, and enterprise risk management. He will report directly to Niko Lahanas, CEO of Central Garden & Pet. Patel is a senior in-house legal executive with more than 30 years of global experience across consumer packaged goods, technology, and healthcare. He joins Central from The Clorox Company, where he most recently served as Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, leading a team of more than 20 attorneys and paralegals and overseeing Intellectual Property, Commercial and Technology Transactions, Licensing, and Marketing Communications and Advertising. Earlier in his career, Mr. Patel held senior legal roles at Cisco, Cargill, and UnitedHealth Group, supporting complex global businesses and leading cross-functional initiatives. He is widely respected for his executive presence, strong business acumen, and ability to build and lead high-performing legal teams. Patel holds a Juris Doctor degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law and a bachelor's degree from Colgate University.