Director Brendan Dougher of Central Garden & Pet Co filed a Form 4 on November 9, 2026, reporting stock option exercises and share withholdings that occurred on November 5, 2026, in Class A Common Stock listed on NASDAQ:CENT.

Key Highlights

  • First option exercise: Dougher exercised 4,680 options at $35.216 per share on November 5, 2026, with 3,965 shares withheld by the issuer at $41.57, leaving 715 shares held directly.
  • Second option exercise: Dougher exercised 1,988 options at $33.536 per share on November 5, 2026, with 1,604 shares withheld at $41.57, leaving 1,099 shares held directly after both transactions.
  • Shares withheld: According to the filing, shares were withheld by the issuer in payment of the aggregate option exercise price, based on the respective average of the high and low sales prices on the date of exercise.
  • Indirect holdings: Dougher also beneficially owns 16,429 shares of Class A Common Stock indirectly through the Brigham-Dougher Family Trust, though the filing states he disclaims beneficial ownership except to the extent of his pecuniary interest.
  • Options fully exercised: Both option grants, one from February 9, 2021, and one from February 8, 2022, were fully vested and have been exercised in full, leaving zero remaining derivative securities.

Dougher Option Exercises and Share Withholdings at Central Garden & Pet

According to the Form 4 filed with the SEC on November 9, 2026, Brendan Dougher, a director of Central Garden & Pet Co (NASDAQ:CENT), executed two stock option exercises on November 5, 2026. The first involved 4,680 shares of Class A Common Stock acquired via an "M" (exercise of in-the-money or at-the-money derivative security) transaction at an exercise price of $35.216 per share. Following that acquisition, 3,965 shares were withheld by the issuer (transaction code "F") at $41.57, reducing Dougher's direct holdings to 715 shares at that stage.

The second exercise covered 1,988 options at $33.536 per share. An additional 1,604 shares were subsequently withheld at $41.57, bringing Dougher's total direct beneficial ownership of Class A Common Stock to 1,099 shares following all reported transactions. The filing notes that the December 7, 2023 stock dividend, payable to holders of record as of January 8, 2024, triggered anti-dilution adjustments to both option grants pursuant to anti-dilution provisions, increasing the number of shares covered by each option.

In addition to the directly held shares, the filing reports 16,429 shares of Class A Common Stock held indirectly through the Brigham-Dougher Family Trust dated 03/08/2022. Dougher "disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of the Company's Common Stock and Class A Common Stock owned by the Brigham-Dougher Family Trust dated 03/08/2022 except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein," according to the filing. After the reported exercises, both option positions show zero remaining derivative securities beneficially owned.

What Was Disclosed

Director Brendan Dougher disclosed the exercise of two fully vested stock option grants and concurrent share withholdings by Central Garden & Pet on November 5, 2026, resulting in direct ownership of 1,099 Class A Common shares and 16,429 indirectly held shares via a family trust.