EXHIBIT 12

 

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY

 

COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

     Fiscal Year Ended

     September 30,
2000


    September 29,
2001


    September 28,
2002


   September 27,
2003


   September 25,
2004


Income (loss) before income taxes, cumulative effect of accounting change, and income (losses) associated with equity investees

   $ (10,607 )   $ (9,021 )   $ 44,156    $ 53,139    $ 64,319

Fixed charges (1)

     24,841       24,863       15,689      20,552      19,157
    


 


 

  

  

Earnings

     14,234       15,842       59,845      73,691      83,476

Fixed charges (1)

   $ 24,841     $ 24,863     $ 15,689    $ 20,552    $ 19,157

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     —         —         3.81      3.59      4.36
    


 


 

  

  


(1) Fixed charges consist of interest expense, the portion of rental expense under operating leases deemed by management to be representative of the interest factor and amortization of deferred financing costs.
(2) In the fiscal years ended September 30, 2000 and September 29, 2001, our fixed charges exceeded the sum of our earnings and fixed charges by $10.6 million and $9.0 million, respectively.