Central Garden exec exercises stock options
Central Garden & Pet executive John D. Walker III exercised stock options and covered related costs using company-held shares.
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Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Central Garden & Pet executive John D. Walker III exercised stock options and covered related costs using company-held shares. On June 15, 2026, he exercised options for 8,518 shares of Class A Common Stock at $35.216 per share, and 8,200 shares were withheld by the issuer to pay the option exercise price and tax obligations. After these transactions, he directly owned 69,679 Class A shares and held 2,675 units indirectly through the company 401(k) plan.
Insider Trade Summary
8,518 shares exercised/converted
Exercise
4 txns
Insider
Walker John D. III
Role
President, Garden Consumer Pro
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Stock Option (Right to Buy) | 8,518 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Exercise | Class A Common Stock | 8,518 | $35.216 | $300K |
| Exercise Price or Tax Liability | Class A Common Stock | 8,200 | $37.75 | $310K |
| holding | Units | -- | -- | -- |
Holdings After Transaction:
Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 0 contracts (Direct);
Class A Common Stock — 69,679 shares (Direct);
Units — 2,675 shares (Indirect, By 401(k) Plan)
Footnotes (5)
- F1. On December 7, 2023, Company declared a stock dividend, payable to all holders on record of Common Stock and Class A Common Stock as of January 8, 2024, of one share of Class A Common Stock for every four shares of Common Stock and Class A Common Stock outstanding. At the same time, pursuant to anti-dilution provisions, an option for 6,815 shares Class A Common Stock on January 8, 2024 became exercisable for 8,518 shares of Class A Common Stock.
- F2. Shares withheld by the Issuer in payment of the aggregate option exercise price and withholding tax liability incurred upon the above-reported exercise of options. The amount of shares withheld is based on the respective average of the high and low sales prices on the date of exercise.
- F3. The units represent interests in the CENTA Stock Fund in the Issuer's 401(k) Plan, which consist of shares of CENTA stock and cash.
- F4. This option was previously reported as an option for 6,815 shares of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $44.020 per share, but was adjusted to reflect the stock dividend declared by Company on December 7, 2023. As a result of the stock dividend, the option also entitled the Reporting Person to receive, upon exercise, 1,703 shares of Class A Common Stock for no additional consideration.
- F5. Options were granted on February 9, 2021, and all shares are vested and have been exercised.
Key Figures
Options exercised: 8,518 shares
Option exercise price: $35.216 per share
Shares withheld for taxes/exercise: 8,200 shares
+5 more
8 metrics
Options exercised
8,518 shares
Class A Common Stock exercised on June 15, 2026
Option exercise price
$35.216 per share
Exercise price for 8,518-share option
Shares withheld for taxes/exercise
8,200 shares
Tax-withholding and exercise-price payment on June 15, 2026
Withholding valuation price
$37.75 per share
Average of high and low sales prices on exercise date
Direct holdings after transactions
69,679 shares
Class A Common Stock directly owned following Form 4 transactions
Indirect 401(k) units
2,675 units
Interests in CENTA Stock Fund in issuer's 401(k) Plan
Option grant date
February 9, 2021
Grant date of options now fully exercised
Option expiration
February 9, 2027
Expiration date for the exercised stock option grant
Key Terms
tax-withholding disposition, Stock Option (Right to Buy), 401(k) Plan, anti-dilution provisions, +1 more
5 terms
tax-withholding disposition financial
"Payment of exercise price or tax liability by delivering securities"
A tax-withholding disposition is an event or transaction—such as selling or transferring securities, exercising options, or receiving compensation—that triggers a requirement to hold back part of the payment and remit it to tax authorities. It matters to investors because it reduces the cash they receive immediately and can change the timing and amount of taxable income, like a cashier taking a portion of your sale proceeds to pay taxes before you get the rest.
Stock Option (Right to Buy) financial
"Stock Option (Right to Buy) derivative transaction for 8,518 shares"
401(k) Plan financial
"The units represent interests in the CENTA Stock Fund in the Issuer's 401(k) Plan"
A 401(k) plan is a workplace retirement account that lets employees set aside part of their pay into a tax-advantaged savings pot, often with employers adding matching contributions — like a workplace piggy bank for future income. It matters to investors because the amount people save and how employers fund these plans influence consumer spending, corporate payroll costs and the flow of money into financial markets, which can affect stock prices and company valuations.
anti-dilution provisions financial
"At the same time, pursuant to anti-dilution provisions, an option for 6,815 shares"
Anti-dilution provisions are contract terms that protect an investor’s percentage ownership when a company issues new shares at a lower price than the investor originally paid. They work like an automatic recalculation of split pieces when a pie gets cut into more slices, preserving the investor’s relative stake and reducing unexpected losses of ownership and voting power, which matters because it affects potential control, future returns, and valuation of an investment.
stock dividend financial
"Company declared a stock dividend, payable to all holders on record"
A stock dividend is when a company gives its existing shareholders extra shares instead of cash. It’s like receiving more pieces of the same pie rather than a bigger piece of money, which can increase the number of shares you own but usually doesn’t change the total value of your investment right away. Investors care about it because it can signal the company's growth and affect the stock’s price.
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What insider transactions did John D. Walker III report for CENT?
John D. Walker III exercised stock options for 8,518 shares of Central Garden & Pet Class A Common Stock. The issuer withheld 8,200 shares to cover the option exercise price and tax obligations, and his remaining direct holdings after these transactions were 69,679 shares.
Was the Form 4 transaction for CENT an open-market sale or purchase?
The filing shows no open-market buy or sell. Walker exercised stock options and the company withheld 8,200 shares as a tax-withholding disposition and exercise-price payment, which is a mechanical settlement method rather than a discretionary market trade.
What were the key prices involved in Walker’s CENT option exercise?
Walker exercised stock options covering 8,518 shares at a stated exercise price of $35.216 per share. For the 8,200 shares withheld, the amount was based on the average of the high and low sales prices of $37.75 on the exercise date.
What happened to the stock options reported in Walker’s CENT Form 4?
The stock options, originally granted on February 9, 2021, were fully vested and have now been completely exercised. The derivative position for this option series is shown as zero remaining, indicating no further shares are exercisable under this specific grant.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
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