Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) Given “Equal Weight” Rating at Stephens

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG)‘s stock had its “equal weight” rating reiterated by equities research analysts at Stephens in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $35.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock. Stephens’ target price points to a potential downside of 10.48% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on CMG. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $49.81.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Up 1.5%

CMG stock opened at $39.10 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $37.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $38.97. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a 12 month low of $29.75 and a 12 month high of $59.19. The company has a market cap of $51.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.60, a PEG ratio of 3.47 and a beta of 0.99.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The restaurant operator reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 45.39% and a net margin of 13.04%.The business had revenue of $2.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.25 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.29 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of CMG. Sarasin & Partners LLP increased its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.1% during the third quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 2,565,111 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $102,348,000 after purchasing an additional 27,366 shares during the period. Rexford Capital Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 3,266.1% in the third quarter. Rexford Capital Inc. now owns 14,676 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $575,000 after purchasing an additional 14,240 shares in the last quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA grew its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 76.3% in the third quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 356,986 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $13,333,000 after purchasing an additional 154,512 shares in the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.1% during the 2nd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,596,483 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $145,793,000 after buying an additional 171,466 shares during the period. Finally, Dillon & Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 5.1% during the 2nd quarter. Dillon & Associates Inc. now owns 287,433 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $16,096,000 after buying an additional 14,037 shares in the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Chipotle Mexican Grill

Here are the key news stories impacting Chipotle Mexican Grill this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations — GAAP EPS beat consensus and revenue rose (company reported full?year revenue +5.4%), helped by new restaurant openings that offset weaker transactions. CHIPOTLE ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS
• Positive Sentiment: Management rolled out a “Recipe for Growth” strategy aimed at improving transactions, accuracy, efficiency and speed — a concrete plan that could restore traffic and margins over time. CHIPOTLE ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS
• Neutral Sentiment: Company will implement modest menu price increases (1–2%) this year targeting higher?income core customers — may help mix and margins but could limit traffic upside. Chipotle is targeting the top of the K-shaped economy
• Neutral Sentiment: Company offered promotional marketing (Game Day activation, free?food codes) to drive app engagement and visits — short?term traffic support but limited visibility on sustained lift. WHILE OTHERS AIR AI?GENERATED ADS, CHIPOTLE GIVES FANS $1 MILLION IN REAL FOOD
• Negative Sentiment: Management forecast 2026 comparable sales to be about flat and warned of margin pressure as consumers cut discretionary spending — guidance disappointed investors and reduces near?term growth visibility. Chipotle forecasts weak annual sales, margin pressure as consumers cut discretionary spending
• Negative Sentiment: Foot traffic fell for the fourth straight quarter and same?store sales guidance came in below expectations — the persistent decline in transactions is the main driver of the stock drop as investors question when traffic will stabilize. CMG Earnings: Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Falls on Weak Guidance, Declining Foot Traffic
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction was swift: shares dropped sharply after hours as investors reacted to the weak comp outlook and traffic trends despite the beat — near?term sentiment remains negative until comps and transactions show improvement. Chipotle stock sinks 11% as restaurant chain reports falling traffic, weak guidance

Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile

Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-casual restaurant company known for its Mexican-inspired menu of burritos, bowls, tacos and salads. Founded in 1993 by Steve Ells, the chain emphasizes fresh, customizable meals made from a limited menu of core ingredients and a focus on ingredient quality. Chipotle operates primarily company-owned restaurants and offers dine-in, takeout, catering and delivery through its own digital platforms and third-party partners.

The company is headquartered in Newport Beach, California, and traces its roots to Denver, Colorado.