Central Garden & Pet Company announced the financial results for its fiscal third quarter of 2012, reporting net sales of US$533.8 million, a 10 percent increase from the same period a year ago. Third-quarter operating income was US$49 million, up 34 percent from US$36.6 million in the third quarter of 2011.

Net sales for the pet segment increased 19 percent from the same period a year ago to US$271.3 million, thanks to strength in many pet categories, especially flea and tick. The pet segment's branded product sales were US$228.9 million and sales of other manufacturers' products were US$42.4 million.

The pet segment's gross and operating margins were also up from a year ago, attributed to a favorable change in the mix of sales including higher flea and tick sales and lower third-party product sales. The pet segment's operating income was up 13 percent to US$40.5 million in the third quarter of 2012, compared to operating income of US$27.2 million a year ago.