CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA) Price Target Cut to $65.00 by Analysts at Citigroup

Key Points

• Citigroup cut its CAVA price target from $66 to $65 and maintained a Neutral rating, implying 10.3% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive: the consensus rating is Moderate Buy with an average price target of $83.88, despite several firms trimming targets.
• CAVA’s third-quarter revenue rose 21% year over year to $356.44 million but fell short of estimates; EPS of $0.11 also missed expectations. The company raised its same-restaurant sales outlook and plans 76–78 net new restaurant openings in 2026.

CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA - Get Free Report) had its price objective decreased by investment analysts at Citigroup from $66.00 to $65.00 in a report released on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "neutral" rating on the stock. Citigroup's price objective indicates a potential upside of 10.32% from the stock's previous close.

Several other research firms also recently commented on CAVA. Melius Research raised shares of CAVA Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $95.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on shares of CAVA Group from $78.00 to $76.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of CAVA Group from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 18th. Guggenheim dropped their target price on shares of CAVA Group from $100.00 to $95.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reduced their target price on shares of CAVA Group from $95.00 to $76.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $83.88.

CAVA Group Stock Performance

CAVA stock traded down $1.09 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $58.92. The company's stock had a trading volume of 4,410,401 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,400,370. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $55.88 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $71.14. CAVA Group has a 1 year low of $43.41 and a 1 year high of $98.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 109.11, a PEG ratio of 4.94 and a beta of 1.75.

CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 4th. The company reported $0.11 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.12 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $356.44 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $358.40 million. CAVA Group had a return on equity of 7.98% and a net margin of 4.50%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 21.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.12 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that CAVA Group will post 0.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CAVA Group announced that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Friday, September 18th that permits the company to repurchase $100 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to buy up to 1.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Share buyback plans are generally an indication that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity at CAVA Group

In other news, insider Douglas Thompson purchased 6,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 31st. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $66.52 per share, for a total transaction of $432,380.00. Following the acquisition, the insider owned 19,371 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,288,558.92. This represents a 50.50% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 6.70% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in CAVA Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $757,013,000. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its stake in CAVA Group by 76.9% during the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,605,508 shares of the company's stock valued at $126,000,000 after acquiring an additional 697,699 shares during the period. Primecap Management Co. CA acquired a new stake in CAVA Group during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $92,956,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in CAVA Group during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $89,861,000. Finally, Prime Capital Management Co Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of CAVA Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $80,962,000. Institutional investors own 73.15% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about CAVA Group

Here are the key news stories impacting CAVA Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CAVA raised its same-restaurant sales outlook after moving past the cyclospora-related headwind. Same-restaurant sales increased 3.1% in Q3, and the company said it continued gaining market share. Cava Group Raises Same-Restaurant Sales View on Higher Revenue
• Positive Sentiment: The company opened 24 net new restaurants in Q3 and projected 76–78 net new openings for 2026, alongside adjusted EBITDA of $184 million–$189 million. Expansion supports its longer-term growth story. CAVA 2026 Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Q3 revenue grew 21% year over year to $356.44 million, but was slightly below consensus. CAVA Q3 Results
• Negative Sentiment: CAVA reported Q3 EPS of $0.11 versus the $0.12 estimate, and revenue of $356.44 million versus the roughly $358.4 million consensus. Earnings also fell from $0.12 a year earlier, contributing to investor concerns. CAVA Q3 Misses
• Negative Sentiment: Management cited broader industry pressures, while a Seeking Alpha analysis flagged traffic and margin slippage as risks. These concerns may temper the positive sales outlook. Margin and Traffic Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Several analysts lowered price targets after the results. BNP Paribas Exane cut its target to $62 and moved to neutral; other firms also reduced targets, though some retained bullish ratings. BNP Paribas Exane Rating

CAVA Group Company Profile

CAVA Group, Inc operates CAVA, a fast-casual restaurant brand serving Mediterranean-inspired food in the United States. Its menu includes customizable bowls and pitas, salads, dips, spreads, grilled proteins, and other Mediterranean dishes, with options designed to accommodate a range of dietary preferences.

The company's restaurants generally use an assembly-line format that allows customers to build meals from a selection of ingredients and sauces. CAVA also offers its branded dips, spreads, and other products through select grocery and retail channels, extending the brand beyond its restaurant locations.

CAVA was founded in 2010 by Dimitri Moshovitis, Ike Grigoropoulos, and Ted Xenohristos.

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