Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super Makes New Investment in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG

Key Points

• Aware Super Pty Ltd initiated a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill in Q1, buying 283,001 shares valued at about $9.1 million.
• Institutional ownership remains heavy, with hedge funds and other institutions holding 91.3% of Chipotle’s shares. Several firms also boosted positions, including a large increase by Norges Bank in the prior quarter.
• Analysts remain generally constructive on CMG, with an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $43.86, while recent news highlights Chipotle’s Mexico debut and reassurance that it was not affected by the cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to Taco Bell locations.

Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super bought a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm bought 283,001 shares of the restaurant operator's stock, valued at approximately $9,059,000.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Klein Pavlis & Peasley Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,597,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 4th quarter valued at $711,837,000. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC increased its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 156.9% in the 4th quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 58,269 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $2,156,000 after buying an additional 35,589 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 111.5% during the 4th quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 56,994 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $2,180,000 after buying an additional 30,047 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marsico Capital Management LLC raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 234.4% during the 4th quarter. Marsico Capital Management LLC now owns 380,677 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $14,085,000 after buying an additional 266,835 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.30% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on CMG. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $44.00 target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Argus raised shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $40.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Stephens raised their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $38.00 to $39.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings raised Chipotle Mexican Grill from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Twenty-three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $43.86.

Key Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Chipotle and Wendy’s said their restaurants were not affected by the cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to lettuce at some Taco Bell locations, easing fears that the issue would spread to other fast-casual chains. Reuters article on cyclosporiasis outbreak
• Positive Sentiment: Chipotle opened its first restaurant in Mexico, a long-awaited international debut that could expand the brand’s growth runway and support sentiment around future store growth. Reuters article on Mexico debut
• Neutral Sentiment: Several analysts and market commentary pieces framed CMG as having improving traffic and rewards growth, but also noted that valuation and margin pressure remain key debates for the stock. Yahoo Finance comparison article
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary said Chipotle still looks fully priced after its recent decline, suggesting valuation may limit upside even after the recent rebound. Yahoo Finance valuation article
• Negative Sentiment: At least one market update said Chipotle underperformed peers on Thursday, reinforcing that the stock has been volatile and is still recovering from a sharp year-to-date slide. MarketWatch underperformance article

Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance

Shares of CMG stock opened at $34.47 on Friday. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $32.60 and its 200-day simple moving average is $34.90. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 1-year low of $28.03 and a 1-year high of $54.29. The firm has a market cap of $44.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.63, a PEG ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.97.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.24 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.24. The firm had revenue of $3.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.07 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 11.96% and a return on equity of 49.64%. Chipotle Mexican Grill's revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.29 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.

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