Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity
Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol CENT, and our Class A common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol CENTA. Our Class B stock is not listed on any market and generally cannot be transferred unless converted to common stock on a one-for-one basis.
As of November 15, 2023, there were 74 holders of record of our common stock, 368 holders of record of our Class A nonvoting common stock and three holders of record of our Class B stock.
Stock Performance Graph
The following graph compares the percentage change of our cumulative total stockholder return on our Common Stock (“CENT”) for the period from September 29, 2018 to September 30, 2023 with the cumulative total return of the NASDAQ Composite (U.S.) Index and the Dow Jones Non-Durable Household Products Index, a peer group index consisting of approximately 30 manufacturers and distributors of household products.
The comparisons in the graph below are based on historical data and are not indicative of, or intended to forecast, the possible future performance of our Common Stock.
Total Return Analysis
9/29/2018 9/28/2019 9/26/2020 9/25/2021 9/24/2022 9/30/2023
Central Garden & Pet Company $ 100.00 $ 82.10 $ 104.88 $ 129.50 $ 104.44 $ 122.48
NASDAQ Composite $ 100.00 $ 99.80 $ 138.59 $ 192.50 $ 140.19 $ 172.00
Dow Jones US Nondurable Household Products $ 100.00 $ 146.64 $ 168.86 $ 175.52 $ 168.35 $ 186.52
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Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
The following table sets forth the repurchases of any equity securities during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023 and the dollar amount of authorized share repurchases remaining under our stock repurchase programs.
Period Total Number
of Shares
(or Units)
Purchased Average
Price Paid
per Share
(or Unit) Total Number of
Shares (or Units)
Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced Plans
or Programs Maximum Number
(or Approximate
Dollar Value) of
Shares (or Units)
that May Yet Be
Purchased Under
the Plans or
Programs (1) (2)
June 25, 2023 – July 29, 2023 65,268 (2) (3)
$ 36.50 65,268 $ 83,235,000
July 30, 2023 – August 26, 2023 3,530 (3)
42.84 — 83,235,000
August 27, 2023 – September 30, 2023 527 (3) 41.98 — 83,235,000
Total 69,325 $ 36.87 65,268 $ 83,235,000 (4)
(1) In August 2019, our Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program to purchase up to $100 million of our common stock (the "2019 Repurchase Authorization”). The 2019 Repurchase Authorization has no fixed expiration date and expires when the amount authorized has been used or the Board withdraws its authorization. The repurchase of shares may be limited by certain financial covenants in our credit facility that restrict our ability to repurchase our stock. As of September 30, 2023, we had $83.2 million of authorization remaining under our 2019 Repurchase Authorization.
(2) In February 2019, our Board of Directors authorized us to make supplemental stock purchases to minimize dilution resulting from issuances under our equity compensation plans (the “Equity Dilution Authorization”). In addition to our regular share repurchase program, we are permitted to purchase annually a number of shares equal to the number of shares of restricted stock and stock options granted in the prior fiscal year, to the extent not already repurchased, and the current fiscal year. The Equity Dilution Authorization has no fixed expiration date and expires when the Board withdraws its authorization.
(3) Shares purchased during the period indicated represent withholding of a portion of shares to cover taxes in connection with the vesting of restricted stock and do not reduce the dollar value of shares that may be purchased under our stock repurchase plan.
(4) During the period June 25 through July 29, 2023, 65,268 shares were repurchased under the two plans, including 30,734 shares under the Equity Dilution Authorization and 34,534 shares under the 2019 Repurchase Authorization.
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Item 6. Reserved