Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) KeyBanc Capital Markets Consumer Conference 2025 summary

Leadership and organizational changes

• Leadership transition to a more agile, business unit-led culture has increased organizational pace and focus.

• Collaboration and trust between business units and corporate are at an all-time high, unlocking cost savings and innovation opportunities.

• The company is positioned to be greater than the sum of its parts due to enhanced collaboration.

Market share, innovation, and category performance

• Gained share in garden and held share in pet, with pet impacted by SKU exits and e-commerce pricing challenges.

• Distribution gains are driving share growth, with further gains expected in both segments by 2026.

• Innovation is a growing focus, with digital marketing already delivering results, such as a successful wild bird launch.

• Cat ownership is growing steadily, while dog, fish, and small animal demand is stabilizing, with a turnaround expected by 2027.

Garden and pet segment outlook

• Garden segment finished with record POS despite challenging weather, supported by strong performance in wild bird, grass seed, and fertilizer.

• Distribution point increases and portfolio optimization are expected to support growth and absorb volatility.

• Optimism for meeting or exceeding bottom line targets in garden, with potential for top line growth.