Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) Price Target Lowered to $45.00 at Stifel Nicolaus

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) had its target price cut by equities researchers at Stifel Nicolaus from $50.00 to $45.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ target price points to a potential upside of 15.10% from the stock’s previous close.

CMG has been the subject of several other research reports. Zacks Research raised shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Monday, December 29th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $44.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein raised their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Two investment 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 MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $49.81.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance

NYSE CMG opened at $39.10 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization 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 1-year low of $29.75 and a 1-year high of $59.19. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $37.49 and its 200-day moving average price is $38.97.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The restaurant operator reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 45.39% and a net margin of 13.04%.The company had revenue of $2.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.25 earnings per share. Chipotle Mexican Grill’s revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.29 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Chipotle Mexican Grill

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Sarasin & Partners LLP raised its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 2,565,111 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $102,348,000 after buying an additional 27,366 shares in the last quarter. Rexford Capital Inc. increased its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 3,266.1% during the third quarter. Rexford Capital Inc. now owns 14,676 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $575,000 after acquiring an additional 14,240 shares during the last quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA increased its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 76.3% during the third quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 356,986 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $13,333,000 after acquiring an additional 154,512 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.1% during the second quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,596,483 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $145,793,000 after purchasing an additional 171,466 shares during the period. Finally, Dillon & Associates Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 5.1% in the 2nd quarter. Dillon & Associates Inc. now owns 287,433 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $16,096,000 after purchasing an additional 14,037 shares during the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Chipotle Mexican Grill News Summary

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.