MetaCap

Central Garden & Pet (CENT) vs Educational Development (EDUC)

Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.

Summary

Central Garden & Pet (CENT) has outperformed Educational Development (EDUC) over the past year, gaining 29.8% versus a loss of 20.2%. Over five years, CENT leads with a +3.7% price change compared with -87.1% for EDUC. Central Garden & Pet is the larger company by market cap ($2.51 billion vs $11.1 million), about 226.8 times the size.

On valuation, Educational Development trades at a lower forward P/E (3.1x vs 13.1x for Central Garden & Pet).

Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology

Relative performance

CENT+29.81%EDUC-20.25%
+54%+13%-28%
Oct 7, 20251 yearOct 7, 2026
CENT+4.44%EDUC-86.54%
+27%-35%-97%
Oct 4, 20215 yearsOct 5, 2026

Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.

Head-to-head

CENT versus EDUC key metrics
MetricCENTEDUC
Share price$40.15$1.30
Market cap$2.51B$11.08M
1-day change+0.32%-0.38%
YTD return+24.88%-1.52%
1-year return+29.81%-20.25%
5-year return+3.70%-87.12%
P/E ratio (TTM)14.875.42
Forward P/E13.143.10
EPS (TTM)$2.70$0.24
Dividend yield0.00%0.00%
Annual dividend$0.00$0.00
Revenue (latest FY)$3.13B—
Revenue growth (YoY)-2.23%—
Net income (latest FY)$162.84M—
Gross margin31.87%—
Operating margin7.99%—
Net margin5.20%—
52-week high$46.97$1.73
52-week low$28.77$1.20
Distance from 52-week high-14.52%-24.86%
Analyst consensusnone—
Avg. price target upside+32.00%—
Average volume98.02K154.48K
Shares outstanding9.65M8.52M
Employees6,000—
SectorConsumer DiscretionaryConsumer Discretionary
IndustryConsumer SpecialtiesConsumer Specialties

Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.

Key differences

  • Central Garden & Pet is about 226.8 times larger than Educational Development by market value ($2.51B vs $11.08M).
  • CENT has outperformed EDUC by 50.1 percentage points over the past year.
  • Central Garden & Pet trades at a higher earnings multiple (14.9x vs 5.4x trailing P/E).

About Central Garden & Pet

CENT stock →

Central Garden & Pet Company produces and distributes various products for the lawn and garden, and pet supplies markets in the United States. It operates through two segments: Pet and Garden.

Consumer Discretionary · Consumer Specialties · 6,000 employees

CENT vs EDUC FAQ

Which is bigger, Central Garden & Pet or Educational Development?

Central Garden & Pet (CENT) is larger, with a market capitalization of $2.51B compared with $11.08M for Educational Development (EDUC).

Which stock has performed better over the past year, CENT or EDUC?

CENT returned +29.81% over the past 12 months, compared with -20.25% for EDUC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.

Which has the lower P/E ratio, CENT or EDUC?

EDUC has the lower trailing P/E at 5.4, versus 14.9 for CENT. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.

Are Central Garden & Pet and Educational Development in the same industry?

Yes. Both are classified in the Consumer Specialties industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.

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