Sweetgreen (NYSE:SG) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.04 EPS

Sweetgreen (NYSE:SG) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported ($0.27) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.23) by ($0.04), Zacks reports. The business had revenue of $161.52 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $163.95 million. Sweetgreen had a negative return on equity of 35.14% and a net margin of 2.49%.Sweetgreen’s quarterly revenue was down 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($0.21) earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from Sweetgreen’s conference call:

• Quarter results were pressured with revenue of $161.5M, comparable sales down 12.8%, restaurant-level margin at 10%, and adjusted EBITDA a loss of $8.1M.
• Cost pressures remain meaningful as food, beverage & packaging rose to 29% of revenue (+250 bps) and labor increased to 31.4% of revenue (+250 bps), driven by higher ingredient usage, wage inflation and weather-related produce costs.
• Management launched wraps nationwide after multi-market tests that drove incremental traffic, showed ~85% positive social sentiment and entry price points of $10.45–$14.95, and expects wraps to help rebuild traffic in Q2.
• Operational initiatives (Project One Best Way, head coach summits and field training) produced early lift — improved throughput, fewer quality complaints and ingredient availability — with transactions improving into April (management cited ~100 bps improvement in March and ~-8% in April).
• Sweetgreen reiterated FY26 targets calling for same-store sales down -4% to -2%, restaurant-level margin of 14.2%–14.7%, adjusted EBITDA of $1M–$6M, and ~13 net new restaurants, reflecting a paced recovery plan with continued execution risk.

Sweetgreen Trading Up 2.4%

Sweetgreen stock traded up $0.16 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $7.03. The company had a trading volume of 9,353,722 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,153,303. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $5.91 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $6.36. Sweetgreen has a 12 month low of $4.49 and a 12 month high of $17.27. The company has a market capitalization of $835.64 million, a PE ratio of 58.62 and a beta of 2.03.

Insider Buying and Selling at Sweetgreen

In other Sweetgreen news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc purchased 594,553 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 7th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $5.69 per share, for a total transaction of $3,383,006.57. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider directly owned 11,900,255 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $67,712,450.95. This trade represents a 5.26% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Nicolas Jammet purchased 4,428 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $5.71 per share, with a total value of $25,283.88. Following the purchase, the insider directly owned 22,543 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $128,720.53. The trade was a 24.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 19.78% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of SG. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Sweetgreen by 165.8% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 3,766 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 2,349 shares during the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in shares of Sweetgreen by 281.7% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 7,912 shares of the company’s stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 5,839 shares during the last quarter. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sweetgreen in the fourth quarter worth $77,000. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Sweetgreen in the third quarter worth $88,000. Finally, Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new position in shares of Sweetgreen in the third quarter worth $93,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.75% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Sweetgreen in a research report on Friday, March 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Sweetgreen from $6.00 to $8.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on Sweetgreen from $8.00 to $7.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 27th. Citizens Jmp began coverage on Sweetgreen in a report on Monday, March 30th. They issued a “mkt underperform” rating and a $4.50 target price on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Sweetgreen from $5.00 to $5.60 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Sweetgreen has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $7.51.

Trending Headlines about Sweetgreen

Here are the key news stories impacting Sweetgreen this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sweetgreen is rolling out its new under-$15 wraps nationally, which could help broaden its menu appeal and support traffic if customers respond well. Sweetgreen reiterates FY2026 same-store sales outlook of (-4%) to (-2%) as Wraps roll out nationally
• Neutral Sentiment: BNP Paribas Exane raised its price target on Sweetgreen to $5.00 from $4.50, but kept an underperform rating, signaling the firm still expects meaningful downside from current levels. Benzinga report on BNP Paribas Exane price target change
• Negative Sentiment: The company missed Q1 estimates, posting a loss of $0.27 per share versus expectations for a $0.23 loss, while revenue of $161.5 million also came in below forecasts and declined 2.9% year over year. Sweetgreen, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: Same-store sales fell 12.8% in the quarter, and Sweetgreen reiterated FY2026 same-store sales guidance of down 4% to down 2%, reinforcing concerns about weakening demand. Sweetgreen reiterates FY2026 same-store sales outlook of (-4%) to (-2%) as Wraps roll out nationally

Sweetgreen Company Profile

Sweetgreen, Inc is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in salads, grain bowls and warm bowls that emphasize fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Since its founding in 2007 by Jonathan Neman, Nicolas Jammet and Nathaniel Ru, Sweetgreen has focused on sustainable agriculture, working with regional farmers across the United States to provide seasonal produce and promote environmentally responsible sourcing practices. The company’s menu features a variety of plant-forward options, including custom-build salads, chef-curated bowls and limited-time offerings that reflect changing harvests.

Sweetgreen operates a technology-driven service model that combines in-store experiences with digital ordering through its mobile app and website.