Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) Receives Hold Rating from Argus

Argus reissued their hold rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) in a research note released on Thursday,Benzinga reports.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Evercore ISI reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Barclays reduced their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $44.00 to $40.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Raymond James Financial increased their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating and thirteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $47.50.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 3.8%

Shares of CMG stock opened at $38.43 on Thursday. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a 52-week low of $29.75 and a 52-week high of $59.09. The stock has a market cap of $50.81 billion, a PE ratio of 33.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.99. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $37.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $38.98.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last posted its earnings results 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 47.99% and a net margin of 12.88%.The firm had revenue of $2.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.96 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.25 earnings per share. Chipotle Mexican Grill’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 1.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Chipotle Mexican Grill

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Operose Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Wealth Watch Advisors INC acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Finally, Lavaca Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter worth about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.30% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Chipotle Mexican Grill

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

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.