Sarasin & Partners LLP Sells 20,982 Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG

Sarasin & Partners LLP reduced its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) by 28.7% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 52,000 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after selling 20,982 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP’s holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $1,768,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of CMG. Wealth Watch Advisors INC bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the third quarter worth about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Osbon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Rule One Partners LLC bought a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. Institutional investors own 91.30% of the company’s stock.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Performance

Shares of CMG opened at $33.72 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $42.67 billion, a PE ratio of 30.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 0.94. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 52-week low of $28.03 and a 52-week high of $44.27. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $33.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $34.43.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.33 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $3.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.33 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 11.43% and a return on equity of 54.65%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.33 EPS. Research analysts predict that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on CMG shares. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $37.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and issued a $45.00 target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Wednesday. Argus upped their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, DA Davidson upped their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Twenty-four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Chipotle Mexican Grill currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.16.

More Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains intact. BTIG reaffirmed its “buy” rating with a $45 price target, while Argus also raised its target to $45, indicating analysts see substantial long-term upside if the outbreak is contained. BTIG rating update Argus price target update
• Positive Sentiment: Chipotle recently reported a quarterly earnings and revenue beat, with comparable sales returning to growth, supported by new menu items and a revamped rewards program. Chipotle quarterly performance analysis
• Neutral Sentiment: Chipotle removed jalapeños from affected Minnesota restaurants, switched to an alternative supplier and is cooperating with health authorities. Management said its previously issued annual targets do not include any financial impact from the outbreak, leaving potential revisions uncertain. Chipotle annual targets and outbreak
• Negative Sentiment: The CDC has linked the outbreak to jalapeños served at Chipotle and other restaurants across 27 states. Reports of hundreds of illnesses are increasing concerns about potential legal costs, restaurant disruption, supplier scrutiny and damage to the brand’s food-safety reputation. Salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican jalapeños Chipotle stock and Salmonella outbreak
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also questioning Chipotle’s valuation because higher food and labor costs have compressed restaurant-level margins and reduced net income and EPS, despite sales growth. A premium earnings multiple leaves less room for execution or reputational setbacks. Chipotle valuation and margin analysis

About Chipotle Mexican Grill

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.