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The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.

Based in Walnut Creek, California, Central Garden & Pet is a leading producer and marketer of pet, lawn, and garden products in the U.S. The company has two segments, Pet and Garden. The Pet segment manufactures and markets pet supplies, products for livestock, and outdoor cushions. The Garden segment supplies grass, vegetable and flower seeds, wild bird feed and other bird accessories, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, and live plants. Founded in 1955, the company has about 6,700 employees. The CENT shares are a component of the S&P 600 Small Cap Index.

There is no doubt that 2024 was a good year for stocks, but there also is little doubt that stocks crawled across the finish line. From the first trading day of December to the last, the S&P 500 pulled back by about 2.75%, while still booking a full-year gain of 23%. The December performance was in line with the sentiment put forth by corporate insiders as the year came to a close. As we detailed for much of December, insiders did not run for the exits -- but they did move to the sidelines and let final month of the year resolve with neutral sentiment readings. The Total Eight-Week Sell/Buy Ratio from Vickers Stock Research, Vickers' broadest such ratio, currently sits at 5.19 in a range that is neutral from 2.00 to 6.00. With 2025 now up and running, we'll be interested to see if insiders continue to take a pass or if they engage in more-meaningful action (be it bearish or bullish). By way of some trend analysis, the major eight-week ratios are indeed all neutral -- but the above-mentioned Total ratio has improved for four consecutive weeks, the NYSE ratio also has improved for four weeks, and the Nasdaq ratio has improved for the past three weeks. This week, analysts at Vickers highlighted insider transactions of interest at VeriSign, Inc. (NGS: VRSN) and Zymeworks Inc. (NGS: ZYME).

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.