Central Garden & Pet (CENTA) 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 (CENTA) has outperformed Educational Development (EDUC) over the past year, gaining 23.9% versus a loss of 20.2%. Over five years, CENTA leads with a -3.5% price change compared with -87.1% for EDUC. Central Garden & Pet is the larger company by market cap ($2.17 billion vs $11.1 million), about 196.2 times the size.
On valuation, Educational Development trades at a lower forward P/E (3.1x vs 11.4x for Central Garden & Pet).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CENTA | EDUC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $34.74 | $1.30 |
| Market cap | $2.17B | $11.08M |
| 1-day change | +0.38% | -0.38% |
| YTD return | +19.01% | -1.52% |
| 1-year return | +23.89% | -20.25% |
| 5-year return | -3.46% | -87.12% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 12.82 | 5.42 |
| Forward P/E | 11.37 | 3.10 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.71 | $0.24 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $40.80 | $1.73 |
| 52-week low | $25.97 | $1.20 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.85% | -24.86% |
| Analyst consensus | none | — |
| Avg. price target upside | +33.13% | — |
| Average volume | 296.99K | 154.48K |
| Shares outstanding | 51.34M | 8.52M |
| Employees | 6,000 | — |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Consumer Specialties | Consumer 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 196.2 times larger than Educational Development by market value ($2.17B vs $11.08M).
- CENTA has outperformed EDUC by 44.1 percentage points over the past year.
- Central Garden & Pet trades at a higher earnings multiple (12.8x vs 5.4x trailing P/E).
About Central Garden & Pet
CENTA 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
CENTA vs EDUC FAQ
Which is bigger, Central Garden & Pet or Educational Development?
Central Garden & Pet (CENTA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $2.17B compared with $11.08M for Educational Development (EDUC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CENTA or EDUC?
CENTA returned +23.89% 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, CENTA or EDUC?
EDUC has the lower trailing P/E at 5.4, versus 12.8 for CENTA. 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.