Zacks Research Has Negative Opinion of CMG FY2026 Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research cut its FY2026 EPS forecast for Chipotle to $1.09 from $1.15, slightly below the $1.10 consensus estimate.
• Chipotle reported quarterly EPS of $0.27, missing the $0.29 analyst consensus, while revenue of $3.29 billion matched expectations and rose 9.6% year over year.
• Despite the earnings-estimate cut, analyst sentiment remains broadly positive: the stock has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and a $42.36 average price target.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG - Free Report) - Zacks Research reduced their FY2026 earnings per share estimates for Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note issued on Wednesday, November 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the restaurant operator will post earnings per share of $1.09 for the year, down from their prior forecast of $1.15. The consensus estimate for Chipotle Mexican Grill's current full-year earnings is $1.10 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Chipotle Mexican Grill's Q4 2026 earnings at $0.25 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.37 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $0.35 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $0.31 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $1.34 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $0.35 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $0.41 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $1.51 EPS.

CMG has been the topic of several other research reports. KeyCorp reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $40.00 price target (down from $42.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, October 29th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $43.00 to $41.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 29th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c-)" rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, November 4th. Argus upped their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Bank of America reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $53.00 target price (up from $50.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st. Twenty-seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $42.36.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Down 3.8%

NYSE:CMG opened at $35.26 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $32.58 and a 200-day moving average price of $33.89. The stock has a market cap of $44.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.62, a P/E/G ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 1.00. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a 12 month low of $27.31 and a 12 month high of $41.42.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 28th. The restaurant operator reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.29 by ($0.02). Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 10.83% and a return on equity of 57.05%. The company had revenue of $3.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.29 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.29 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Chipotle Mexican Grill

In other news, insider Matthew R. Bush sold 2,675 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.75, for a total value of $95,631.25. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 21,415 shares of the company's stock, valued at $765,586.25. This represents a 11.10% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.45% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. AlphaGrep UK Ltd increased its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 5.8% during the third quarter. AlphaGrep UK Ltd now owns 12,884 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $412,000 after purchasing an additional 703 shares in the last quarter. Texas Yale Capital Corp. bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $650,000. Advisors Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,060,000. GW&K Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 14.6% in the 3rd quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC now owns 2,215 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $71,000 after buying an additional 283 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Private Wealth Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1,983.5% in the 3rd quarter. Private Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 8,334 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $287,000 after buying an additional 7,934 shares during the last quarter. 91.30% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Top Chipotle Mexican Grill Stories

These are some of the CMG stories that stood out recently:

• Positive Sentiment: Chipotle’s high-efficiency kitchen equipment has been installed in more than 1,700 restaurants. Reports say the upgrades are improving service speed and supporting comparable-sales gains, potentially helping traffic and growth in 2027. Can Chipotle's 1,700 Upgraded Kitchens Revive Traffic in 2027?
• Neutral Sentiment: A recent article compared Chipotle with Coca-Cola as investment options after the Nvidia sell-off, highlighting Chipotle’s company-owned restaurant model and digital sales. The summary provided did not report a new company-specific development or a clear change in outlook. Chipotle Mexican Grill vs. Coca-Cola
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research cut its FY2026 EPS estimate to $1.09 from $1.15 and its Q4 2026 estimate to $0.25 from $0.29. The near-term downgrades could weigh on sentiment, particularly as the annual estimate is slightly below the cited $1.10 consensus. Chipotle analyst estimates

Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile

Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-casual restaurant company that serves Mexican-inspired food, including burritos, bowls, tacos and salads. Customers can customize meals with ingredients such as rice, beans, meats, vegetables, salsas and guacamole. Founded by Steve Ells in Denver, Colorado, in 1993, Chipotle built its business around preparing food in restaurant kitchens and emphasizing ingredients it describes as responsibly sourced. The company primarily operates its own restaurants, rather than relying on a franchise model.

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