Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) Short Interest Down 15.2% in April

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) was the target of a large decline in short interest in the month of April. As of April 15th, there was short interest totaling 36,971,569 shares, a decline of 15.2% from the March 31st total of 43,588,037 shares. Approximately 2.9% of the company’s shares are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 11,923,398 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.1 days.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 3.0%

Shares of CMG traded down $1.02 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $32.97. 20,848,457 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 15,025,182. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a 1 year low of $29.75 and a 1 year high of $58.42. The firm has a market capitalization of $42.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.25, a PEG ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.03. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $34.37 and its 200-day moving average price is $35.98.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.24. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 49.64% and a net margin of 11.96%.The firm had revenue of $3.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.07 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.29 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on the company. DA Davidson assumed coverage on Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Friday, March 6th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $51.00 price target on the stock. Truist Financial lifted 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. Wall Street Zen raised Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 7th. Mizuho raised Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $37.00 to $40.00 in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Stephens lifted their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $38.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Chipotle Mexican Grill presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $46.23.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Chipotle Mexican Grill

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 14.8% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 144,588,220 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $5,349,764,000 after purchasing an additional 18,660,882 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 15.8% during the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 101,688,010 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $3,762,457,000 after purchasing an additional 13,843,222 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 18.8% during the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 58,447,867 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $2,162,572,000 after purchasing an additional 9,237,720 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors boosted its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 17.7% during the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 45,294,212 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,675,895,000 after purchasing an additional 6,796,285 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $711,837,000. 91.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 sales beat and early recovery signs — Chipotle reported Q1 revenue slightly above expectations with same-store sales turning positive (+0.5%) and management highlighting strength from high‑protein menu items and digital sales; that upside after a weak 2025 helped lift sentiment after the print. Chipotle reports surprise sales beat
• Positive Sentiment: Buy-side support from some firms — Several firms reaffirmed buys or raised targets (Citigroup raised its target to $46; TD Cowen issued a Buy), providing upside scenarios for investors focused on a rebound in comps and new-unit growth.
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst reactions — The sell‑side is split: some firms raised targets or reiterated buys while others trimmed targets after Q1, creating divergent price-case narratives that could limit a clear directional trade. Read more on the mixed post‑earnings reaction. Chipotle Gets Mixed Calls After Q1
• Negative Sentiment: Price‑target cuts and margin worries — Guggenheim trimmed its target to $35 and cut EPS estimates citing margin pressure; analysts flagged higher labor and operating costs that compress profits even as sales recover. Guggenheim Cuts Chipotle Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Put activity spike — Unusual options flow: ~61,900 put contracts traded (≈39% above typical daily put volume), signalling elevated hedging or directional bearish bets that can amplify intraday downside.
• Negative Sentiment: Sector/headline drag and reset commentary — Analysts and market writeups point to a choppy restaurant tape and tougher consumer backdrop; Morgan Stanley and other outlets are questioning how much growth remains, contributing to selling pressure. Morgan Stanley resets Chipotle stock forecast
• Negative Sentiment: News pieces highlighting a slide today — Coverage noting the stock is sliding amid the mixed tape and analyst notes can reinforce short‑term bearish momentum. Chipotle Stock Is Sliding Friday

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.