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Side-by-side financial comparison of CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO (CENT) and HERC HOLDINGS INC (HRI). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

HERC HOLDINGS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.1B vs $617.4M, roughly 1.8× CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO). CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO runs the higher net margin — 1.1% vs -2.1%, a 3.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, HERC HOLDINGS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (32.3% vs -6.0%). HERC HOLDINGS INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($94.0M vs $-81.0M). Over the past eight quarters, HERC HOLDINGS INC's revenue compounded faster (1343.1% CAGR vs -17.2%).

Central Garden & Pet Co is a leading U.S.-headquartered supplier of pet supplies and garden products. Its portfolio includes pet food, treats, grooming tools, lawn care items, gardening accessories and pest control solutions, serving retail partners like mass merchants, independent pet stores and garden centers across North America with multiple well-known consumer brands in its two core segments.

Herc Holdings Inc. is a leading North American equipment rental service provider. It offers rental assets including heavy construction machinery, power tools, temporary power and climate control systems, serving clients across construction, industrial, events, infrastructure and government segments, with operations across the U.S. and Canada.

CENT vs HRI — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
HRI
HRI
1.8× larger
HRI
$1.1B
$617.4M
CENT
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
HRI
HRI
+38.2% gap
HRI
32.3%
-6.0%
CENT
Higher net margin
CENT
CENT
3.2% more per $
CENT
1.1%
-2.1%
HRI
More free cash flow
HRI
HRI
$175.0M more FCF
HRI
$94.0M
$-81.0M
CENT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HRI
HRI
Annualised
HRI
1343.1%
-17.2%
CENT

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Revenue
$617.4M
$1.1B
Net Profit
$6.8M
$-24.0M
Gross Margin
30.9%
Operating Margin
2.7%
Net Margin
1.1%
-2.1%
Revenue YoY
-6.0%
32.3%
Net Profit YoY
-51.2%
-33.3%
EPS (diluted)
$0.11
$-0.72

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$1.1B
Q4 25
$617.4M
$30.1M
Q3 25
$678.2M
$10.1M
Q2 25
$960.9M
$6.3M
Q1 25
$833.5M
$4.2M
Q4 24
$656.4M
$4.1M
Q3 24
$669.5M
Q2 24
$996.3M
Net Profit
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$-24.0M
Q4 25
$6.8M
$-99.9M
Q3 25
$-9.8M
$-7.5M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$-10.8M
Q1 25
$63.6M
$-14.1M
Q4 24
$14.0M
$-10.3M
Q3 24
$-34.2M
Q2 24
$79.7M
Gross Margin
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
30.9%
42.3%
Q3 25
29.0%
25.8%
Q2 25
34.6%
53.1%
Q1 25
32.8%
35.0%
Q4 24
29.8%
21.4%
Q3 24
25.2%
Q2 24
31.8%
Operating Margin
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.7%
-77.4%
Q3 25
-0.9%
-153.5%
Q2 25
14.1%
-147.4%
Q1 25
11.2%
-242.7%
Q4 24
4.3%
-206.3%
Q3 24
-4.8%
Q2 24
11.6%
Net Margin
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
-2.1%
Q4 25
1.1%
-331.7%
Q3 25
-1.4%
-74.1%
Q2 25
9.9%
-171.4%
Q1 25
7.6%
-332.8%
Q4 24
2.1%
-250.3%
Q3 24
-5.1%
Q2 24
8.0%
EPS (diluted)
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$-0.72
Q4 25
$0.11
$-0.36
Q3 25
$-0.16
$-0.03
Q2 25
$1.52
$-0.08
Q1 25
$0.98
$-0.15
Q4 24
$0.21
$-0.15
Q3 24
$-0.51
Q2 24
$1.19

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$721.1M
$43.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.2B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$1.9B
Total Assets
$3.6B
$13.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.76×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$43.0M
Q4 25
$721.1M
$550.7M
Q3 25
$882.5M
$432.8M
Q2 25
$713.0M
$67.6M
Q1 25
$516.7M
Q4 24
$618.0M
$30.0M
Q3 24
$753.5M
Q2 24
$570.4M
Total Debt
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.2B
Q3 25
$1.2B
Q2 25
$1.2B
Q1 25
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.2B
$300.0K
Q3 24
$1.2B
Q2 24
$1.2B
Stockholders' Equity
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$1.9B
Q4 25
$1.6B
$437.8M
Q3 25
$1.6B
$486.1M
Q2 25
$1.6B
$90.8M
Q1 25
$1.5B
$26.1M
Q4 24
$1.5B
$16.6M
Q3 24
$1.6B
Q2 24
$1.6B
Total Assets
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$13.6B
Q4 25
$3.6B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$550.2M
Q2 25
$3.7B
$152.0M
Q1 25
$3.6B
$104.6M
Q4 24
$3.5B
$109.6M
Q3 24
$3.6B
Q2 24
$3.6B
Debt / Equity
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.76×
Q3 25
0.75×
Q2 25
0.75×
Q1 25
0.77×
Q4 24
0.78×
0.02×
Q3 24
0.76×
Q2 24
0.75×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-70.2M
$277.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-81.0M
$94.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-13.1%
8.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.8%
13.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-10.26×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$285.0M
$60.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$277.0M
Q4 25
$-70.2M
$-12.7M
Q3 25
$182.7M
$-11.0M
Q2 25
$265.5M
$-8.4M
Q1 25
$-46.9M
$-6.7M
Q4 24
$-68.8M
$-8.1M
Q3 24
$203.1M
Q2 24
$286.1M
Free Cash Flow
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
$94.0M
Q4 25
$-81.0M
$-14.3M
Q3 25
$171.9M
$-11.1M
Q2 25
$251.7M
$-8.5M
Q1 25
$-57.5M
$-6.8M
Q4 24
$-74.9M
$-8.1M
Q3 24
$193.0M
Q2 24
$272.5M
FCF Margin
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
8.3%
Q4 25
-13.1%
-47.6%
Q3 25
25.3%
-110.2%
Q2 25
26.2%
-135.5%
Q1 25
-6.9%
-160.8%
Q4 24
-11.4%
-197.1%
Q3 24
28.8%
Q2 24
27.3%
Capex Intensity
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
13.6%
Q4 25
1.8%
5.3%
Q3 25
1.6%
1.7%
Q2 25
1.4%
1.5%
Q1 25
1.3%
4.0%
Q4 24
0.9%
0.7%
Q3 24
1.5%
Q2 24
1.4%
Cash Conversion
CENT
CENT
HRI
HRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
-10.26×
Q3 25
Q2 25
2.79×
Q1 25
-0.74×
Q4 24
-4.91×
Q3 24
Q2 24
3.59×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CENT
CENT

Garden Products Segment$201.6M33%
Dogand Cat Products$157.0M25%
Other Pet Products$117.8M19%
Manufactured Product Other$102.5M17%
Wild Bird Products$38.5M6%

HRI
HRI

Equipment rental$981.0M86%
Sales of rental equipment$138.0M12%
Sales of new equipment, parts and supplies$13.0M1%
Service and other revenue$7.0M1%

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