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8-K

Central Garden & Pet Co (CENT)

8-K 2024-02-15 For: 2024-02-09
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Added on April 11, 2026

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

___________

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) February 9, 2024
Central Garden & Pet Company
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 001-33268 68-0275553
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(State or other jurisdiction<br><br> <br>of incorporation) (Commission File<br><br> <br>Number) (IRS Employer<br><br> <br>Identification No.)
1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600, Walnut Creek, California 94597
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (925) 948-4000
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock CENT The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Class A Common Stock CENTA The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d‑2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e‑4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐


Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of<br> Certain Officers.

Fiscal 2023 Bonus Determinations

On February 9, 2024, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors approved cash bonus payments to the Company’s named executive officers in respect of fiscal 2023. This bonus compensation information was not included in the Summary Compensation Table included in the Company’s Proxy Statement for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 28, 2023 (the “Proxy Statement”), because the amount of the bonuses had not been determined at the time of filing the Proxy Statement. In accordance with Item 5.02(f), the table below updates the Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation and Total columns in the fiscal 2023 summary compensation table for the named executive officers previously set forth in the Proxy Statement. No other amounts have changed.

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

Name and Principal Position Year Salary<br><br> ($) Bonus<br><br> ($) Stock<br><br> <br>Awards<br><br> <br>(1)($) Option<br><br> Awards<br><br> (2)($) Non-Equity<br><br> <br>Incentive Plan Compensation<br><br> ($) All Other<br><br> Compensation<br><br> (3)($) Total<br><br> ($)
Timothy P. Cofer<br><br> Former Chief Executive Officer(4) 2023 1,080,902 2,299,977 614,800 2,620,159 6,615,838
2022 1,017,308 3,199,970 581,175 2,407,971 7,206,424
2021 992,404 1,149,978 1,107,000 1,512,000 264,624 5,026,006
Nicholas Lahanas<br><br> <br>Chief Financial Officer 2023 508,669 249,998 222,000 11,685 992,352
2022 478,662 249,983 125,400 10,426 864,471
2021 466,988 100,013 75,442 326,000 9,998 978,441
John Hanson<br><br> President Pet Consumer Products 2023 545,838 249,998 328,000 48,113 1,171,949
2022 513,716 249,983 135,300 100,112 999,111
2021 501,235 100,013 75,442 342,000 132,955 1,151,645
Joyce M. McCarthy<br><br> <br>General Counsel<br><br> <br>and Secretary 2023 448,252 50,000 199,998 157,000 124,742 979,992
John D. Walker<br><br> President Garden Consumer Products 2023 559,000 249,998 136,000 43,735 988,733
2022 525,519 249,983 127,100 38,098 940,700
2021 512,733 100,013 75,442 320,000 47,272 1,055,460

__________________________

(1) This column represents the grant date fair value in accordance with ASC 718 of restricted stock and performance share<br> units (“PSUs”) awarded the named executive officers in fiscal 2023. The amounts shown include the aggregate grant date fair value of the shares issuable for PSUs at target achievement. The aggregate grant date fair values of the<br> maximum number of shares issuable pursuant to the PSUs are $2,587,494 for Mr. Cofer, $281,257 for each of Messrs. Lahanas, Hanson, and Walker, and $224,998 for Ms. McCarthy. These amounts do not represent the actual value that<br> may be realized by the named executive officers.
(2) This column represents the grant date fair value in accordance with ASC 718. Please refer to Note 14, “Stock-Based<br> Compensation”, in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10−K filed on November 28, 2023 for the relevant assumptions used to determine the compensation cost of our stock option<br> awards. These amounts do not represent the actual value, if any, that may be realized by the named executive officers.
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(3) The components of the “All Other Compensation” column for fiscal 2023 are detailed in the following<br> table:
Description Cofer Lahanas Hanson McCarthy Walker
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Company matching contribution to 401(k) plan $ 9,900 $ 9,900 $ 9,900 $ 12,842 $ 9,900
Retention payment 2,393,453
Medical and life insurance premiums and medical reimbursement 22,355 1,785 22,176 8,927 24,235
Car allowance or lease 13,200 12,000 9,600
Commute expense reimbursement 37,106
Mobile device 1,080
Housing allowance 67,516 2,306
Relocation 89,139
Tax gross up 48,164 651 13,834
Financial planning allowance 28,465
Total $ 2,620,159 $ 11,685 $ 48,113 $ 124,742 $ 43,735
(4) Mr. Cofer resigned as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer effective October 6, 2023.
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In addition, the Compensation Committee approved an increase in Mr. Lahanas’s base salary to $503,846, Mr. Hanson’s base salary to $540,638, Ms. McCarthy’s base salary to $444,008, and Mr. Walker’s base salary to $553,924. The increases were effective as of January 1, 2024.

On February 13, 2024, the Board of Directors approved a grant of 3,281 shares of restricted stock to each of the directors under the Company’s 2003 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On February 13, 2024, at the Annual Meeting, the following proposals were submitted to the stockholders:

1. The election of nine directors to serve until the 2025 Annual Meeting and until their successors are duly elected<br> and qualified.
2. The ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for<br> the fiscal year ending on September 28, 2024.
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For more information about the foregoing proposals, see the Proxy Statement, the relevant portions of which are incorporated herein by reference. Holders of the Company’s Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share and holders of the Company’s Class B Stock are entitled to the lesser of ten votes per share or 49% of the total votes cast. Holders of the Company’s Common Stock and holders of the Company’s Class B Stock vote together as a single class on all matters (including the election of directors) submitted to a vote of stockholders, unless otherwise required by law. The number of votes cast for and withheld/against and the number of abstentions and broker non-votes with respect to each matter voted upon are set forth below:

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Proposal One:

The following individuals were elected to serve as directors until the Company’s next annual meeting and until their respective successors are elected and qualified by the votes set forth in the following table:

Director Nominee For Withheld Broker Non-Votes
William E. Brown 16,713,322 3,498,041 294,412
Courtnee Chun 17,883,058 2,328,305 294,412
Lisa Coleman 17,859,281 2,352,082 294,412
Brendan P. Dougher 17,883,037 2,328,326 294,412
Michael J. Griffith 17,779,238 2,432,125 294,412
Christopher T. Metz 17,816,552 2,394,811 294,412
Brooks M. Pennington III 16,494,151 3,717,212 294,412
John R. Ranelli 17,638,764 2,572,599 294,412
Mary Beth Springer 17,943,791 2,267,572 294,412

Proposal Two:

The appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending on September 28, 2024 was ratified, by the votes set forth in the following table:

For Against Abstain Broker Non-Votes(1)
20,408,817 377,599 1,135 0

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(1) Pursuant to the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, this proposal constituted a routine matter.<br> Therefore, brokers were permitted to vote without receipt of instructions from beneficial owners.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
By: /s/ Joyce M. McCarthy
Joyce M. McCarthy
General Counsel and Secretary

Dated:  February 15, 2024

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