Central Garden reports sales increase of 17 per cent

The US-based pet product supplier Central Garden & Pet Company has announced financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended 26 December. Sales increased by 17 per cent to $359.8 mio compared with $307.3 mio in the first quarter a year ago. Branded product sales increased 17 per cent to $276.5 mio compared with $230 mio in the first quarter a year ago. Sales of other manufacturers' products increased 18 per cent to $83.3 mio from $70.3 mio in the first quarter a year ago.
First-quarter net sales for the pet segment increased by $49.4 mio, or 25 per cent, from the same period a year ago to $248.7 mio. Approximately 57 per cent of the gain was due to acquisitions, while the remaining 43 per cent was organic growth. Sales increases in the dog & cat and aquatics categories, as well as higher sales of other manufacturers' products, drove the increase in organic sales. The pet segment's operating income rose by 27 per cent to $26.2 mio compared with $20.6 mio in the first quarter of 2015.