Central Garden & Pet Company (CENT) vs Post Holdings, Inc. (POST)
A side-by-side comparison of Central Garden & Pet Company and Post Holdings, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 6, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
CENT
Central Garden & Pet Company
$39.70Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Oct 5, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
POST
Post Holdings, Inc.
$72.68Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Oct 5, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — CENT vs POST
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yCENT +96.2% (+7.0%/yr)POST +36.1% (+3.1%/yr)CENT compounded faster over this window
CENT POST
CENT vs POST: by the numbers
- •POST is the larger company ($3.29B vs $2.48B market cap).
- •POST trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (13.36 vs 14.81 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •CENT converts more revenue to profit (5.39% vs 3.48% net margin).
- •POST grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.61% vs -0.98% CAGR).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CENT | POST |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 14.81 | 13.36 |
| Forward P/E | 12.72 | 10.10 |
| PEG ratio | 4.94 | 0.05 |
| P/S ratio | 0.81 | 0.39 |
| P/B ratio | 1.42 | 1.07 |
| EV / EBITDA | 7.72 | 6.22 |
| FCF yield | 13.91% | 16.79% |
Profitability
| Metric | CENT | POST |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 32.54% | 26.89% |
| Operating margin | 8.11% | 10.15% |
| Net margin | 5.39% | 3.48% |
| ROE | 9.53% | 9.52% |
| ROIC | 5.88% | 5.40% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CENT | POST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -0.98% | 9.61% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 2.96% | 248.76% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.25% | 6.96% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 0.96% | -0.31% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, CENT or POST?
- POST has the lower trailing P/E: CENT trades at 14.81 and POST at 13.36. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, CENT or POST?
- Over the past five years, POST grew revenue faster — CENT at a -0.98% CAGR versus POST at 9.61%.
- Is CENT or POST more profitable?
- CENT runs the higher net margin — CENT at 5.39% versus POST at 3.48%.
- How have CENT and POST total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, CENT delivered 6.70% and POST delivered 3.13% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Central Garden & Pet P/E ratioPost P/E ratioCentral Garden & Pet ROEPost ROECentral Garden & Pet operating marginPost operating marginCentral Garden & Pet revenue growthPost revenue growthCentral Garden & Pet free cash flowPost free cash flow
Central Garden & Pet & Post appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified October 6, 2026.