Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) Earns Buy Rating from BTIG Research

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reissued by BTIG Research in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $45.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock. BTIG Research’s target price indicates a potential upside of 31.12% from the stock’s previous close.

CMG has been the topic of a number of other reports. Argus upgraded shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $40.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $38.00 to $35.00 in a report on Friday, June 5th. Guggenheim lowered their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $36.00 to $35.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Piper Sandler dropped their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Thursday. Twenty-three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Chipotle Mexican Grill presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $43.96.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:CMG opened at $34.32 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $32.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $34.61. The company has a market capitalization of $44.02 billion, a PE ratio of 31.49, a PEG ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.97. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a 52 week low of $28.03 and a 52 week high of $44.54.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.33 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 49.64% and a net margin of 11.96%.The business had revenue of $3.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.33 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.33 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 9.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Chipotle Mexican Grill

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4.7% in the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,804 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $290,000 after purchasing an additional 214 shares during the period. City State Bank raised its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 13.4% in the fourth quarter. City State Bank now owns 2,330 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $86,000 after buying an additional 275 shares in the last quarter. Groupama Asset Managment boosted its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. Groupama Asset Managment now owns 15,596 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $568,000 after buying an additional 291 shares during the period. Cromwell Holdings LLC grew its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.4% during the fourth quarter. Cromwell Holdings LLC now owns 4,295 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $159,000 after buying an additional 295 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Catalyst Financial Partners LLC grew its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4.6% during the fourth quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 6,763 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $250,000 after buying an additional 298 shares in the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Chipotle reported second-quarter revenue of $3.35 billion, up 9.3% year over year and slightly above estimates, while adjusted earnings of $0.33 per share exceeded the consensus forecast of $0.32. Chipotle raises annual sales forecast
• Positive Sentiment: Comparable restaurant sales increased 2.2%, with transactions improving for a second consecutive quarter. Value offerings, menu updates and Chipotle’s broader “Recipe for Growth” strategy appear to be helping attract customers in a competitive restaurant market. Chipotle raises full-year comparable sales guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its full-year comparable-sales forecast, signaling confidence that second-quarter momentum can continue. The company also opened 100 restaurants during the quarter, supporting longer-term unit and revenue growth. Chipotle Mexican Grill posts higher sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Chipotle said it was not involved in the reported cyclospora outbreak, limiting the potential for direct reputational or regulatory damage. However, management acknowledged that related fears affected customer traffic late in July. Chipotle stock rises after earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Investors still face risks from softer late-July traffic, value-conscious consumers and pressure from labor and operating costs. Commentary noting margin challenges could limit the benefit of the earnings and sales beats. Chipotle lifts its sales forecast

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.