Barclays Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) Stock Price

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) had its price objective reduced by equities research analysts at Barclays from $44.00 to $40.00 in a research note issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. Barclays‘s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 4.09% from the stock’s current price.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $48.00 to $44.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 13th. Stephens reissued an “equal weight” rating and set a $35.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Wednesday. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Buy rating and thirteen have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $47.50.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 3.8%

Shares of CMG opened at $38.43 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $37.70 and a 200 day moving average of $38.98. The company has a market cap of $50.81 billion, a PE ratio of 33.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.99. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a 52-week low of $29.75 and a 52-week high of $59.09.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The restaurant operator reported $0.25 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 12.88% and a return on equity of 47.99%. The business had revenue of $2.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.25 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Chipotle Mexican Grill

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in CMG. Ascent Group LLC grew its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Ascent Group LLC now owns 5,752 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $323,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of 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 worth $290,000 after purchasing an additional 214 shares during the period. Trueblood Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4.6% during the third quarter. Trueblood Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,703 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $224,000 after purchasing an additional 253 shares in the last quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC increased its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.9% during the second quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 3,454 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $194,000 after buying an additional 254 shares during the period. Finally, Centurion Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. Centurion Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,713 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $322,000 after buying an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat on the top and bottom lines: Chipotle reported $0.25 EPS vs. $0.24 consensus and $2.98B revenue (vs. ~$2.96B est.), showing marginal outperformance and preserved profitability despite traffic weakness. Chipotle Q4 Earnings & Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts remain constructive — Citigroup raised its price target to $49 (buy) and several firms kept buy/overweight ratings — signaling upside if execution improves. Analyst Price Target Moves (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: Long‑term bull case: commentary from MarketBeat/Forbes/others highlights management’s 2026 playbook — heavier investment in tech, menu/back‑of‑house, accelerated new stores and international expansion — which could drive outsized upside over multiple years if traffic recovers. Is Chipotle’s 2026 Playbook the Secret Sauce for a Reversal?
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation pieces and comparisons (e.g., BJ’s Restaurants vs. Chipotle) debate whether CMG is a value pick now — the stock trades at a lower multiple than recent highs, making it a case‑by‑case value proposition for investors. BJRI or CMG: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Influential voices (e.g., Jim Cramer) are publicly defending the name, which can temper downside if sentiment swings positive, but these views aren’t a substitute for concrete sales/traffic improvement. Jim Cramer on Chipotle
• Negative Sentiment: Weak 2026 guidance: management forecast flat comparable sales and noted continued declines in restaurant traffic (comp sales down ~2.5% in Q4), which is the primary driver of today’s weakness — cautious guidance increases execution risk and compresses near‑term multiple. Chipotle forecasts weak annual sales, margin pressure
• Negative Sentiment: Broad analyst pullback on near‑term outlook: multiple firms lowered price targets (Wells Fargo, Piper Sandler, KeyCorp, Barclays, Mizuho, Stifel, Telsey, etc.), reflecting trimmed growth/margin assumptions and pressuring investor sentiment. Chipotle Analysts Slash Their Forecasts
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/consumer risk: coverage highlights weaker dining traffic and cost pressures that could keep margins under pressure until customer frequency stabilizes, making near‑term earnings upside uncertain. CMG Earnings: Stock Falls on 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.