Central Garden & Pet CAO exercises stock options

The withheld-share amount was based on the average of the high and low sales prices on the exercise date.

Available on EDGAR 11/06/2026 - 06:10 PM EST Accepted by SEC EDGAR 11/06/2026 - 06:10 PM EST Learn about SEC filing dates

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Central Garden & Pet Co. Chief Accounting Officer Howard Machek exercised options on November 5, 2026, to acquire 4,968 Class A common shares at an exercise price of $35.216 per share. The issuer withheld 4,594 shares to pay the aggregate option exercise price and withholding tax liability; the exercised option’s reported balance afterward was zero. On November 5, 2026, reported holdings also included 1,000 directly held common shares and 7,446 units held through the issuer’s 401(k) Plan, representing interests in the CENTA Stock Fund, which consists of CENTA stock and cash.

Insider Trade Summary

4,968 shares exercised/converted

Exercise 3 txns

Insider Machek Howard

Role Chief Accounting Officer

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Exercise	Stock Option (Right to Buy) F3, F4	4,968	$0.00	$0.00
Exercise	Class A Common Stock	4,968	$35.216	$175K
Exercise Price or Tax Liability	Class A Common Stock F1	4,594	$41.57	$191K
Holding	Common Stock	--	--	--
Holding	Units F2	--	--	--

Holdings After Transaction: Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 0 contracts (Direct); Class A Common Stock — 48,318 shares (Direct); Common Stock — 1,000 shares (Direct); Units — 7,446 shares (Indirect, By 401(k) Plan)

Holdings Before and After: Stock Option (Right to Buy), 4,968 to 0 contracts (Direct); Class A Common Stock, 47,944 to 48,318 shares (Direct)

Footnotes (4)

1. F1. 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.
2. F2. 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.
3. F3. This option was previously reported as an option for 3,975 shares of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $44.02 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, 993 shares of Class A Common Stock for no additional consideration.
4. F4. Options were granted on February 9, 2021, and all shares are vested and have been exercised.

Key Figures

Class A common shares acquired: 4,968 shares Option exercise price: $35.216 per share Shares withheld: 4,594 shares +3 more

6 metrics

Class A common shares acquired 4,968 shares Through option exercise on November 5, 2026

Option exercise price $35.216 per share Option exercise on November 5, 2026

Shares withheld 4,594 shares Payment of aggregate option exercise price and withholding tax liability on November 5, 2026

Remaining shares under exercised option 0 shares Reported following the November 5, 2026 exercise

Direct common stock holdings 1,000 shares Reported on November 5, 2026

401(k) Plan units 7,446 units Reported on November 5, 2026; represent interests in the CENTA Stock Fund

Key Terms

option exercise price, withholding tax liability, CENTA Stock Fund, vested

4 terms

option exercise price financial

"payment of the aggregate option exercise price"

withholding tax liability financial

"exercise price and withholding tax liability incurred"

CENTA Stock Fund financial

"interests in the CENTA Stock Fund"

vested financial

"all shares are vested and have been exercised"

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How many CENT Class A shares did Howard Machek acquire through options?

Howard Machek, Chief Accounting Officer, exercised options for 4,968 Class A common shares on November 5, 2026, at an exercise price of $35.216 per share. The options were granted on February 9, 2021, and the filing states that all shares were vested and exercised.

How many shares were withheld from Howard Machek’s CENT option exercise?

The issuer withheld 4,594 shares to pay the aggregate option exercise price and withholding tax liability incurred upon exercise. The amount withheld was based on the average of the high and low sales prices on the exercise date.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Form 4 Insider Transactions: What Each Field Means →

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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

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

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 CALIFORNIA 94597

(City) (State) (Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)

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

2a. Foreign Trading Symbol

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/05/2026

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

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

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

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	11/05/2026		M		4,968	A	$35.216	52,912	D
Class A Common Stock	11/05/2026		F(1)		4,594	D	$41.57	48,318	D
Common Stock								1,000	D
Units								7,446	I	By 401(k) Plan(2)

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
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$35.216(3)	11/05/2026		M			4,968(3)	(4)	02/09/2027	Class A Common Stock(3)	4,968	$0	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. 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.

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.

3. This option was previously reported as an option for 3,975 shares of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $44.02 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, 993 shares of Class A Common Stock for no additional consideration.

4. Options were granted on February 9, 2021, and all shares are vested and have been exercised.

	Filomena Eickstaedt as Attorney-in-Fact for Howard Machek	11/06/2026
	** 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.
* Form 4: SEC 1474 (03-26)