Central Garden & Pet (CENTA) Director Updates Holdings After Option Exercise

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Christopher T. Metz, a director of Central Garden & Pet Company (CENTA), reported transactions on 08/14/2025 showing option exercises and share withholdings. He exercised a stock option adjusted by a 2023 stock dividend: the option (originally for 7,043 shares at $28.40) became exercisable for 8,803 Class A shares at an effective exercise price shown as $22.72. All 8,803 option shares were exercised; the issuer withheld 6,074 shares to satisfy the aggregate exercise price, resulting in 27,795 shares beneficially owned following the transactions and 21,721 shares reported as disposed in one line. The Form 4 was signed by an attorney-in-fact on 08/18/2025 and includes explanations of the stock dividend adjustment and withholding method.

Positive

• All exercised options were vested and fully executed, indicating completion of granted compensation terms
• Beneficial ownership updated to 27,795 Class A shares following the transactions

Negative

• 6,074 shares were withheld by the issuer to cover the aggregate exercise price
• 21,721 shares were reported as disposed on the Form 4 (reflecting exercise/withholding activity)

Insights

Securities Analyst

TL;DR: Director exercised adjusted options and had shares withheld to cover exercise costs; ownership position updated.

The filing documents a routine, fully vested option exercise by Director Christopher Metz for 8,803 Class A shares after a prior stock dividend adjustment. The issuer withheld 6,074 shares to cover the aggregate exercise price, producing the reported reductions and final beneficial ownership of 27,795 shares. This is a standard Section 16 disclosure reflecting compensation-related option exercise mechanics rather than an open-market sale.

Corporate Governance Expert

TL;DR: Form 4 records an administrative exercise and withholding tied to a prior dividend adjustment, updating insider holdings.

The submission includes necessary explanatory notes: the option terms were adjusted due to a 12/07/2023 stock dividend and became exercisable for a greater number of shares; the option grant dated 02/11/2020 was fully vested and exercised on 08/14/2025. The document is procedurally complete with an attorney-in-fact signature and details on how withholding was calculated (average of high and low sales prices on exercise date).

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^*

METZ CHRISTOPHER T

(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)

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

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/14/2025

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	08/14/2025		M		8,803	A	$22.72(1)	27,795	D
Class A Common Stock	08/14/2025		F(2)		6,074	D	$32.93	21,721	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
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$22.72(3)	08/14/2025		M			8,803(3)	(4)	02/11/2026	Class A Common Stock(3)	8,803(3)	$0	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. 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 7,043 shares Class A Common Stock on January 8, 2024 became exercisable for 8,803 shares of Class A Common Stock.

2. Shares withheld by the Issuer in payment of the aggregate option exercise price 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.

3. This option was previously reported as an option for 7,043 shares of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $28.40 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, 1,760 shares of Class A Common Stock for no additional consideration.

4. Options were granted on February 11, 2020, and all shares are vested and have been exercised.

	/s/Filomena Eickstaedt as Attorney-in-Fact for Christopher Metz	08/18/2025
	** 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 transactions did Christopher T. Metz report on Form 4 for CENTA?

He exercised 8,803 vested stock option shares on 08/14/2025 and had 6,074 shares withheld to cover the exercise price, with 27,795 shares owned after the transaction.

Why did the option size and exercise terms change from the original grant?

The option was adjusted due to a stock dividend declared on 12/07/2023, which increased the number of shares and changed the effective exercise allocation as explained in the filing.

When were the options originally granted and fully vested?

Options were granted on 02/11/2020 and the filing states all shares were vested and exercised on 08/14/2025.

How was the number of shares withheld determined?

The issuer withheld shares based on the average of the high and low sales prices on the date of exercise, per the filing's explanation.

Who signed the Form 4 filing for Christopher Metz?

Filomena Eickstaedt signed as Attorney-in-Fact for Christopher Metz on 08/18/2025.