Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Barclays Analyst Says

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) had its target price boosted by equities researchers at Barclays from $38.00 to $44.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. Barclays‘s target price points to a potential upside of 12.35% from the stock’s current price.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group set a $45.00 target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted 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. Zacks Research upgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $49.93.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:CMG opened at $39.16 on Wednesday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $34.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $41.15. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a fifty-two week low of $29.75 and a fifty-two week high of $59.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.79 and a beta of 0.97.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 45.39% and a net margin of 13.04%.The company had revenue of $3 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.06 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.27 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 7.5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Chipotle Mexican Grill

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sarasin & Partners LLP boosted its holdings 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 worth $102,348,000 after buying an additional 27,366 shares during the period. Rexford Capital Inc. lifted its position 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 boosted its holdings in shares of 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 period. Hilltop National Bank bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter worth approximately $2,579,000. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.1% in 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 last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.30% of the company’s stock.

More Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Truist raised its price target to $50 and kept a “buy” rating, signaling bullish analyst conviction that Chipotle’s shares have upside from here. Chipotle price target raised by Truist (TickerReport)
• Positive Sentiment: Barclays bumped its target from $38 to $44 (now equal weight), which supports the view that valuation is improving as execution and comps stabilize. Barclays raises PT to $44 (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media highlight Chipotle’s efficiency initiatives and disciplined unit growth as catalysts that should lift long-term earnings, reinforcing the expansion-led recovery story. How Chipotle’s Efficiency Push and Expansion Plans Have Changed Its Investment Story
• Positive Sentiment: Market momentum: Chipotle shares have climbed ~16% over the past month on signs of better execution and improved investor sentiment, which can attract momentum flows. CMG Stock Rises 16% in a Month (Zacks)
• Neutral Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “Outperform” rating but reduced its price target from $50 to $40 — a mixed signal that keeps institutional support but notes more cautious near-term expectations. Bernstein Reiterates ‘Outperform’ Rating, Reduces PT
• Neutral Sentiment: Several deep-dive pieces (Investopedia, Yahoo Finance) are re-examining valuation and the “revival” thesis—useful context for investors weighing whether the rebound is durable. Is Chipotle Stock Serving Up a ‘Spicy Revival Story’ (Investopedia)
• Negative Sentiment: Counterarguments: commentary warns that same-store-sales weakness and elevated valuation could make CMG a “value trap” if comps don’t sustainably recover. That risk keeps some investors cautious. Chipotle Stock Under $45: Golden Opportunity or Value Trap? (Fool)
• Negative Sentiment: Unit expansion can pressure comparable-store sales (cannibalization) in the near term; analysts note new openings may modestly drag comps even while supporting long-term returns. Chipotle Scales Unit Growth: What’s the Cannibalization Impact? (Zacks)

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.