Central Garden (CENT) CAO awarded 6,250 restricted Class A shares

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Central Garden & Pet’s Chief Accounting Officer, Howard Machek, reported an equity award from the company. On February 11, 2026, he received 6,250 shares of restricted Class A Common Stock at a price of $0 per share.

The restricted shares vest over time: 25% on February 11, 2028, 25% on February 11, 2029, and 50% on February 11, 2030. After this grant, he directly holds 51,868 Class A shares and 1,000 additional shares of common stock, plus 6,867 units in the company’s 401(k) stock fund.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Machek Howard

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY

1340 TREAT BLVD, SUITE 600

(Street)

WALNUT CREEK CA 94597

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO [ CENT ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	Chief Accounting Officer

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/11/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Class A Common Stock	02/11/2026		A(1)		6,250	A	$0	51,868	D
Units								6,867	I	By 401(k) Plan(2)
Common Stock								1,000	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. On February 11, 2026, the Issuer granted restricted Class A Common Stock to the Reporting Person which will vest at the rates of 25% on February 11, 2028 and February 11, 2029, and 50% on February 11, 2030.

2. 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.

	/s/ Filomena Eickstaedt as Attorney-in-Fact for Howard Machek	02/12/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

FAQ

What did Central Garden & Pet (CENT) disclose in this Form 4?

The filing shows Central Garden & Pet’s Chief Accounting Officer, Howard Machek, received 6,250 restricted Class A Common shares on February 11, 2026, as an equity award. These shares vest over several future dates, aligning his compensation with long-term company performance.

How many Central Garden & Pet shares were granted to Howard Machek?

Howard Machek was granted 6,250 shares of restricted Class A Common Stock at a price of $0 per share. This equity award increases his direct ownership stake and is designed to vest over multiple years, encouraging long-term retention and alignment with shareholders.

What is the vesting schedule for the 6,250 restricted CENT shares?

The 6,250 restricted shares vest 25% on February 11, 2028, 25% on February 11, 2029, and 50% on February 11, 2030. This staggered vesting spreads ownership over time, rewarding continued service and tying compensation to long-term company performance.

What are Howard Machek’s CENT holdings after the reported transactions?

After the reported transactions, Howard Machek directly holds 51,868 shares of Class A Common Stock and 1,000 shares of common stock. He also has 6,867 units in the company’s 401(k) stock fund, which includes CENTA stock and cash components.

What are the 6,867 units in the CENTA Stock Fund mentioned in the filing?

The 6,867 units represent interests in the CENTA Stock Fund within the company’s 401(k) Plan. Each unit consists of a mix of CENTA stock and cash. This reflects indirect ownership through a retirement plan rather than directly held individual shares.

Does this Form 4 show a purchase or a sale of Central Garden & Pet stock?

The Form 4 reports an acquisition of 6,250 restricted Class A shares as a grant, coded as an award rather than an open-market purchase or sale. No share disposals are shown, so this filing reflects additional equity-based compensation, not selling activity.