Franklin Resources Inc. Has $273.18 Million Position in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG

Franklin Resources Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) by 46.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,970,594 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after selling 6,039,192 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $273,178,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Operose Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Lavaca Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. acquired a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp grew its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 106.7% in the 3rd quarter. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp now owns 775 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Chipotle Mexican Grill

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company strategy: Management is pushing menu innovation (new protein-forward items) and a revamped loyalty program aimed at boosting visits and AUVs; these initiatives are the main constructive catalysts to monitor for traffic and sales recovery. Chipotle Bets on Menu Innovation and Loyalty: Can It Drive Traffic?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention: CMG is a trending tick among retail and Zacks readers — higher attention can amplify moves but is not itself a directional fundamental. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer context: Comparative pieces (e.g., vs. Wingstop) provide strategic framing on unit growth and margin tradeoffs but don’t create immediate company-specific catalysts. Chipotle vs Wingstop: Which Fast-Casual Bet Paid Off More?
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options flow: Traders bought ~168,805 put contracts—about +146% vs. average—signaling sizable short/hedge positioning that can pressure the stock on gamma and sentiment. (No article link available.)
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction/coverage: Zacks highlights reasons CMG fell more than the broader market today, tying the move to weak near-term sentiment and the factors above. Here’s Why Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Fell More Than Broader Market
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish write-up: Globe and Mail ran a “Bear of the Day” piece criticizing CMG’s outlook, adding to negative narrative momentum. Bear of the Day: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG)

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on CMG shares. Stifel Nicolaus restated a “buy” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Monday. Zacks Research downgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. DA Davidson assumed coverage on Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Friday, March 6th. They set a “buy” rating and a $51.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup lifted their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $48.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $38.00 to $37.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $47.37.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 3.9%

Shares of NYSE:CMG opened at $32.54 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $38.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.64. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 12-month low of $29.75 and a 12-month high of $58.42. The firm has a market cap of $42.38 billion, a PE ratio of 28.55, a PEG ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.00.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last released 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. The company had revenue of $2.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.96 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 12.88% and a return on equity of 47.99%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.25 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.29 EPS for the current year.

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.