BROWN WILLIAM E 4

What Happened
William E. Brown, a reported 10% owner of Central Garden & Pet Co. (CENT), had a total of 4,840 shares withheld by the issuer to satisfy withholding tax obligations when restricted stock vested. The withholdings were: 1,882 shares on 2026-02-06 at $33.60 each ($63,235) and 2,958 shares on 2026-02-09 at $33.92 each ($100,335), for a combined value of about $163,570. These transactions are coded F (shares withheld for tax withholding), meaning the company retained the shares rather than Brown selling them on the open market.

Key Details

• Transactions: 1,882 shares withheld on 2026-02-06 @ $33.60 = $63,235 (F1); 2,958 shares withheld on 2026-02-09 @ $33.92 = $100,335 (F2). Total withheld: 4,840 shares (~$163,570).
• Filing: Form 4 filed 2026-02-10. The Feb 6 withholding appears to have been reported after the usual two-business-day Form 4 deadline (so that item appears late); the Feb 9 withholding was reported within two business days.
• Ownership after transaction: Not specified in the provided filing excerpt.
• Footnotes: F1/F2 = shares withheld by the issuer to cover withholding tax (prices based on averages of high/low on the respective dates); F3 = shares referenced are held in various family irrevocable trusts for beneficiaries, with Brown and his spouse acting as co-trustees who share investment control but disclaim beneficial ownership.

Context
These were tax-withholding actions tied to restricted stock vesting (a routine administrative disposition), not open-market sales that indicate a decision to realize investment gains. For insiders, outright purchases are generally more informative about bullish sentiment; tax-withholdings are common and don’t necessarily reflect the insider’s view of the company. As a reported 10% owner, Brown’s holdings include shares held in family irrevocable trusts, per the filing.