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Central Garden & Pet CoCENT -1.89%72 Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.55 as of Mar. 2026, which is 30% below its 10-year median of 3.63. GuruFocus rates CENT with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of $37.30 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,549 Consumer Packaged Goods companies, Central Garden & Pet Co ranks worse than 71.14% on this metric.
Debt-to-EBITDA measures a company's ability to pay off its debt.
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt. According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
The historical rank and industry rank for Central Garden & Pet Co's Debt-to-EBITDA or its related term are showing as below:
CENT'
s Debt-to-EBITDA Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 2.01 Med: 3.63 Max: 4.89
Current: 3.86
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio of Central Garden & Pet Co was 4.89. The lowest was 2.01. And the median was 3.63.
CENT's Debt-to-EBITDA is ranked worse than 71.14% of 1549
companies
in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry
Industry Median: 2.08
vs CENT: 3.86
Central Garden & Pet Co (NAS:CENT) Debt-to-EBITDA Explanation
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt.
According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
Central Garden & Pet Co Debt-to-EBITDA Related Terms
Central Garden & Pet Co Debt-to-EBITDA Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
CENT vs FRPT, MZTI, FLO: Debt-to-EBITDA Comparison
For the Packaged Foods subindustry, Central Garden & Pet Co's Debt-to-EBITDA, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-EBITDA data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Central Garden & Pet Co Debt-to-EBITDA vs Consumer Packaged Goods Industry
For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Central Garden & Pet Co's Debt-to-EBITDA distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Central Garden & Pet Co's Debt-to-EBITDA falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual Debt-to-EBITDA, the EBITDA of the last fiscal year is used. In calculating the annualized quarterly data,
the EBITDA data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBITDA data.
Central Garden & Pet Co (CENT) has a Debt-to-EBITDA of 2.55 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Central Garden & Pet Co. This is 30% below median its historical median of 3.63. Over the past decade, Central Garden & Pet Co's Debt-to-EBITDA has ranged from 2.01 to 4.89. According to the industry distribution chart, Central Garden & Pet Co ranks #1102 out of 1549 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, placing it in the top 71.1%.
Is Central Garden & Pet Co's Debt-to-EBITDA too high?
Central Garden & Pet Co's current Debt-to-EBITDA of 2.55 is 30% below median its 10-year median of 3.63. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 2.01 to a high of 4.89. The Consumer Packaged Goods industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.08. Central Garden & Pet Co's value of 2.55 is 22.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Central Garden & Pet Co ranks #1102 out of 1549 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Central Garden & Pet Co has a GF Score™ of 72/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Central Garden & Pet Co's Debt-to-EBITDA compare to FRPT and MZTI?
According to the Consumer Packaged Goods industry distribution chart, Central Garden & Pet Co ranks #1102 out of 1549 companies for Debt-to-EBITDA. This places Central Garden & Pet Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.08. Central Garden & Pet Co's value of 2.55 is 22.6% above this benchmark. Historically, Central Garden & Pet Co's own Debt-to-EBITDA has ranged from 2.01 to 4.89 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 3.63 vs. the industry median of 2.08, Central Garden & Pet Co has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-EBITDA for a Consumer Packaged Goods company?
The median Debt-to-EBITDA among Consumer Packaged Goods companies is 2.08, based on 1,549 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-EBITDA significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-EBITDA should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Central Garden & Pet Co's current Debt-to-EBITDA of 2.55 is 22.6% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-EBITDA mean?
A high Debt-to-EBITDA can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Central Garden & Pet Co. For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, the median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.08 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Central Garden & Pet Co's current Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.55, which is 30% below median its own 10-year median of 3.63. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Central Garden & Pet Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Central Garden & Pet Co (CENT) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $37.30, compared to a current price of $43.60 — trading 16.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.55, which is 30% below median its 10-year median of 3.63 and 22.6% above the Consumer Packaged Goods industry median of 2.08. Central Garden & Pet Co's overall GF Score™ is 72/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-EBITDA calculated?
Debt-to-EBITDA is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Central Garden & Pet Co (CENT), the current Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.55 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Central Garden & Pet Co (CENT) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Central Garden & Pet Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $43.60 is trading 16.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of $37.30.
GuruFocus considers Central Garden & Pet Co to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for CENT:
Debt-to-EBITDA: 2.55 (30% below median its 10-year median of 3.63)
GF Value™: $37.30 vs. price of $43.60 (16.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 22.6% above the Consumer Packaged Goods median (#1102 of 1549)
No single metric tells the full story. See the CENT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Central Garden & Pet Co offers solutions that support healthier pets, greener lawns, and thriving gardens. Its products include dog and cat treats, chews, toys, beds, containment, grooming supplies, aquatics, small animal and bird supplies, equine and livestock products, insect control solutions, grass seed, wild bird feed, fertilizers, pest controls, live plants, and packet seeds, sold under brands such as Aqueon, Nylabone, Kaytee, Farnam, Pennington, Ferry Morse, Amdro, and Sevin. The company operates through two segments, Pet and Garden, and sells through retailers, independent stores, eCommerce channels, and professional markets. It has sales and distribution operations mainly across the United States, with additional facilities in Canada and Mexico.
72GF Score
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Debt-to-EBITDA is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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