Central Garden & Pet (CENTA) vs Flowers Foods (FLO)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Central Garden & Pet (CENTA) has outperformed Flowers Foods (FLO) over the past year, gaining 27.1% versus a loss of 54.3%. Over five years, CENTA leads with a -2.7% price change compared with -76.6% for FLO. Central Garden & Pet is the larger company by market cap ($2.19 billion vs $1.26 billion), about 1.7 times the size.
On valuation, Flowers Foods trades at a lower forward P/E (8.4x vs 11.5x for Central Garden & Pet). Flowers Foods pays a dividend yielding 14.61%, while Central Garden & Pet does not currently pay one.
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 | FLO |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $35.02 | $5.94 |
| Market cap | $2.19B | $1.26B |
| 1-day change | +0.81% | +1.71% |
| YTD return | +19.97% | -46.32% |
| 1-year return | +27.11% | -54.27% |
| 5-year return | -2.68% | -76.61% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 12.97 | 22.00 |
| Forward P/E | 11.46 | 8.43 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.70 | $0.27 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 14.61% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.868 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $3.13B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -2.23% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $162.84M | — |
| Gross margin | 31.87% | — |
| Operating margin | 7.99% | — |
| Net margin | 5.20% | — |
| 52-week high | $40.80 | $13.11 |
| 52-week low | $25.97 | $5.40 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.17% | -54.69% |
| Analyst consensus | none | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +32.07% | +29.63% |
| Average volume | 300.02K | 6.69M |
| Shares outstanding | 51.34M | 212.06M |
| Employees | 6,000 | 10,300 |
| Sector | Consumer Defensive | Consumer Staples |
| Industry | Packaged Foods | Packaged Foods |
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
- CENTA has outperformed FLO by 81.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Flowers Foods trades at a higher earnings multiple (22.0x vs 13.0x trailing P/E).
- Flowers Foods offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (14.61% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Central Garden & Pet in Consumer Defensive and Flowers Foods in Consumer Staples.
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 Defensive · Packaged Foods · 6,000 employees
About Flowers Foods
FLO stock →Flowers Foods, Inc. produces and markets packaged bakery food products in the United States.
Consumer Staples · Packaged Foods · 10,300 employees
CENTA vs FLO FAQ
Which is bigger, Central Garden & Pet or Flowers Foods?
Central Garden & Pet (CENTA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $2.19B compared with $1.26B for Flowers Foods (FLO).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CENTA or FLO?
CENTA returned +27.11% over the past 12 months, compared with -54.27% for FLO (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CENTA or FLO?
CENTA has the lower trailing P/E at 13.0, versus 22.0 for FLO. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Central Garden & Pet or Flowers Foods?
Flowers Foods pays a dividend yielding 14.61%, while Central Garden & Pet does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Central Garden & Pet and Flowers Foods in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Packaged Foods industry within the Consumer Defensive sector.