Chipotle Mexican Grill’s (CMG) Buy Rating Reaffirmed at TD Cowen

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG)‘s stock had its “buy” rating restated by investment analysts at TD Cowen in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $44.00 price target on the restaurant operator’s stock. TD Cowen’s price objective points to a potential upside of 12.54% from the stock’s previous close.

Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Truist Financial raised their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $48.00 to $44.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 13th. KeyCorp lowered their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $52.00 to $45.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $49.81.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Up 1.5%

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill stock opened at $39.10 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $37.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $38.97. The stock 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 has a 12-month low of $29.75 and a 12-month high of $59.19.

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Chipotle Mexican Grill

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CMG. Ascent Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 3.5% in the second quarter. Ascent Group LLC now owns 5,752 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $323,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4.7% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,804 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $290,000 after purchasing an additional 214 shares in the last quarter. Trueblood Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4.6% in the third quarter. Trueblood Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,703 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $224,000 after purchasing an additional 253 shares during the period. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC boosted its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 3,454 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $194,000 after purchasing an additional 254 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Centurion Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 3.1% during the 4th quarter. Centurion Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,713 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $322,000 after buying an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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.