Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) Stock Gets Price Target Cut from Stephens

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) had its price objective trimmed by Stephens from $40.00 to $38.00 in a report published on Thursday morning,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an equal weight rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

CMG has been the topic of several other research reports. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $46.00 to $45.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 13th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $36.00 price objective (up from $35.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Friday, July 31st. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $43.67.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 2.4%

CMG stock opened at $29.84 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $37.75 billion, a PE ratio of 27.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.96. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $33.97 and its 200 day simple moving average is $33.46. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a fifty-two week low of $28.03 and a fifty-two week high of $42.74.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 11.43% and a return on equity of 54.65%. The firm had revenue of $3.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.33 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.33 EPS. Chipotle Mexican Grill’s revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Matthew R. Bush sold 2,675 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.75, for a total value of $95,631.25. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 21,415 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $765,586.25. This represents a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.45% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Chipotle Mexican Grill

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Osbon Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Kelleher Financial Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.30% of the company’s stock.

Chipotle Mexican Grill News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Raymond James maintained an “outperform” rating while lowering its price target from $42.50 to $37.00. The revised target still implies substantial upside from recent trading levels, suggesting the firm views the recent decline as excessive. Raymond James lowers Chipotle price target
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $39 to $40, although it retained an “equal weight” rating. The move indicates modestly improved valuation expectations.
• Positive Sentiment: UBS expects Chipotle’s sales growth to strengthen in 2027, supported by new initiatives and investments intended to increase customer traffic and engagement. Historical performance also offers a potential seasonal catalyst: shares produced double-digit fourth-quarter returns in 2020 and 2023. History says Q4 will bring for Chipotle stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Restaurant chains, including Chipotle, are adjusting portion sizes, menu formats and pricing strategies as consumers become more price-conscious. These changes could support traffic but may also affect average checks and margins. Restaurant chains adjust menu strategies
• Negative Sentiment: UBS projects broadly in-line third-quarter sales, including same-store sales growth of 1.5%, but warns that weaker trends entering the fourth quarter could pressure near-term results. Sales growth and restaurant margins remain challenged ahead of the expected 2027 recovery. UBS outlook for Chipotle
• Negative Sentiment: Stephens lowered its price target from $40 to $38 and kept an “equal weight” rating, reinforcing concerns about limited near-term operating momentum.

About Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc is a fast-casual restaurant company that specializes in Mexican-inspired food made with a limited number of core ingredients. Its menu includes burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas, salads and sides, with options such as chicken, steak, barbacoa, carnitas, sofritas and vegetables. The company also offers beverages, including soft drinks and other drinks, and allows customers to customize meals.

Founded by Steve Ells in 1993, Chipotle operates company-owned restaurants under the Chipotle Mexican Grill brand.