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Central Garden and Pet Co supplies products that U.S. consumers use to care for pets and maintain lawns and gardens. Pet supplies are the larger business, with brands such as Nylabone and Kaytee; Garden includes seeds, plants, fertilizers and pest controls under names such as Pennington and Amdro. Most revenue comes from branded products. The company also makes retailers’ private-label products and resells products from other manufacturers.
Retailers buy its products for resale to consumers. Central’s distribution network combines its own and other manufacturers’ goods into shipments and helps retailers stock and replenish shelves. Sales depend heavily on a few large buyers: Walmart and The Home Depot are its largest customers, and together with Costco, Lowe’s and Amazon they provide most revenue. Garden is especially reliant on The Home Depot and Walmart; Bell Nursery supplies plants to Home Depot stores in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Pet supplies sell year-round, while Garden depends on spring and summer demand and favorable gardening weather. Central builds inventory ahead of that season, tying up cash before sales arrive. Government restrictions on pet-bird imports and small-animal supplies have also reduced animal availability and demand for related food and supplies.
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Central Garden & Pet Company's results also hinge on competition with privately held Mars in pet products and S.C. Johnson in yard and household insecticides.
Spectrum Brands Holdings competes with Central Garden & Pet Company for retailers' purchases of pet supplies and lawn-and-garden insect controls. Its new pet products and improvements to their functionality are worth watching for pressure on Central's competing range.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company competes with Central Garden & Pet Company for consumers buying grass seed, fertilizers and pesticides for their lawns and gardens. Its Scotts, Miracle-Gro and Ortho products are the relevant competition to watch, rather than its indoor-gardening business.
Central Garden & Pet Company depends heavily on Home Depot's purchases: the retailer accounted for approximately 37% of its Garden segment net sales in fiscal 2025. Home Depot's consumer lawn-and-garden sales are worth watching, especially plant demand: Central's Bell Nursery is its primary plant supplier in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Petco Health and Wellness Company buys Central Garden & Pet Company's pet products, so household spending at this retailer matters to Central's Pet segment. Watch Petco's pet-care supplies and companion-animal sales, which overlap with Central's supplies, live fish and small animals.
J.M. Smucker's branded pet snacks compete with Central Garden & Pet Company's dog-and-cat treats for consumers' purchases through retailers. Its pet-snack sales are the relevant line to watch for Central, rather than its coffee or other food businesses.
Central Garden & Pet Company relies on Walmart to buy pet and garden products for resale to shoppers: its largest customer accounted for approximately 17% of total net sales and 29% of Garden net sales in fiscal 2025. Reduced Walmart orders or adverse changes in that relationship could materially hurt Central's results.
Costco's purchasing decisions matter to Central Garden & Pet Company's largest segment: it bought approximately 15% of Central's Pet segment net sales in fiscal 2025 for its membership retail business. Watch its selection of pet merchandise, since Costco keeps a limited product assortment.
Fed Interest Rate Decision
The Fed’s decision sets the benchmark for borrowing costs across the economy, which can raise or lower interest paid on Central Garden & Pet’s variable-rate credit facility and leave less or more cash for its pet and garden businesses.
Expected4.0%Last release4.0%
If it comes in above expectations
Higher rates can raise the cost of any credit-facility borrowing that reprices, leaving less cash for Central Garden & Pet’s operations and investment.
If it comes in below expectations
Lower rates can reduce the cost of any credit-facility borrowing that reprices, leaving more cash for Central Garden & Pet’s operations and investment.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company earningsSMG
Scotts Miracle-Gro’s grass-seed, fertilizer and pesticide sales will show how demand is moving in lawn-care categories Central Garden & Pet also serves.
Focus on Scotts’ grass seed, fertilizers and pesticides, not indoor gardening. Steady sales in those categories would suggest consumers are still buying lawn-care products, supporting demand for Central’s overlapping garden lines; weaker sales would point to a softer shared market, though Central’s own results also depend on its products and channels.
Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. earningsSPB
Spectrum Brands’ pet supplies and garden insect-control products will show how strongly it is competing with Central Garden & Pet for retailers’ orders.
Look for traction in new pet products and performance in garden insect controls. Strong uptake would suggest Spectrum is winning retailer orders and raising competitive pressure on Central’s overlapping products; weak traction would suggest less pressure from this rival, but would not establish that Central’s sales are growing.
Home Depot, Inc. earningsHD
Home Depot’s lawn-and-garden and plant sales will show how demand is changing at a major buyer of Central Garden & Pet’s garden products.
Watch Home Depot’s lawn-and-garden sales, especially plant demand. Healthy demand would support its purchases from Central and give Bell Nursery a stronger outlet for plants at Home Depot stores in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic; weaker demand would raise the risk of lower orders and Garden sales for Central.
Walmart Inc. earningsWMT
Walmart’s pet and garden sales will show whether Central Garden & Pet’s largest customer has reason to sustain its purchases.
Watch Walmart’s pet and garden sales and any sign of changing purchases. Steady sales would support continued orders from Central; weaker sales or reduced purchases could lower Central’s revenue, particularly in Garden, where Walmart accounts for a substantial share of sales.
Central Garden & Pet Company earningsThis company
Central Garden & Pet’s report will show whether sales of pet and garden products are supporting its margins.
Compare sales and operating margins in Pet and Garden. Steady sales with stable or rising margins would show that demand and pricing are covering product and operating costs; falling sales or shrinking margins would show that weaker demand or cost pressure is squeezing profit.
Costco Wholesale Corp earningsCOST
Costco’s pet-merchandise sales and selection will show whether this significant Central Garden & Pet customer is sustaining demand for its Pet products.
Watch Costco’s pet-merchandise sales and whether it continues to carry Central’s relevant products. Steady sales and a maintained selection would support orders for Central’s Pet segment; weaker sales or a narrower assortment could put those purchases under pressure.
