Franklin Resources Inc. Has $273.18 Million Position in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG

Key Points

• Franklin Resources cut its position in Chipotle by 46.4% in Q3, selling 6,039,192 shares and now holding 6,970,594 shares worth about $273.18 million.
• Capital World Investors dramatically increased its stake (up 122.7%) to 87,844,788 shares (~$3.44 billion), and institutional investors overall now own 91.30% of CMG.
• Street sentiment is mixed: the stock has a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $47.37, after a quarter where Chipotle slightly beat EPS ($0.25 vs. $0.24) and revenue rose 4.9%, but recent price-target cuts and heavy put buying have added near-term negative pressure.

Franklin Resources Inc. cut its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG - Free Report) by 46.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,970,594 shares of the restaurant operator's stock after selling 6,039,192 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. owned 0.53% of Chipotle Mexican Grill worth $273,178,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of CMG. Magnetar Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $237,000. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7.2% in the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 392,796 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $15,393,000 after purchasing an additional 26,468 shares in the last quarter. Winthrop Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the third quarter worth $31,000. Capital World Investors grew its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 122.7% in the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 87,844,788 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $3,442,645,000 after purchasing an additional 48,398,628 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Sarl grew its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 271.3% in the third quarter. Capital International Sarl now owns 139,274 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $5,458,000 after purchasing an additional 101,766 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.30% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have commented on CMG. Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $50.00 to $48.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Piper Sandler lowered their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $47.00 to $44.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Zacks Research lowered Chipotle Mexican Grill from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Twenty-three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $47.37.

Key Headlines Impacting Chipotle Mexican Grill

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company strategy: Management is pushing menu innovation (new protein-forward items) and a revamped loyalty program aimed at boosting visits and AUVs; these initiatives are the main constructive catalysts to monitor for traffic and sales recovery. Chipotle Bets on Menu Innovation and Loyalty: Can It Drive Traffic?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention: CMG is a trending tick among retail and Zacks readers — higher attention can amplify moves but is not itself a directional fundamental. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer context: Comparative pieces (e.g., vs. Wingstop) provide strategic framing on unit growth and margin tradeoffs but don’t create immediate company-specific catalysts. Chipotle vs Wingstop: Which Fast-Casual Bet Paid Off More?
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options flow: Traders bought ~168,805 put contracts—about +146% vs. average—signaling sizable short/hedge positioning that can pressure the stock on gamma and sentiment. (No article link available.)
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction/coverage: Zacks highlights reasons CMG fell more than the broader market today, tying the move to weak near-term sentiment and the factors above. Here's Why Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Fell More Than Broader Market
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish write-up: Globe and Mail ran a "Bear of the Day" piece criticizing CMG’s outlook, adding to negative narrative momentum. Bear of the Day: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG)

Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance

Shares of CMG opened at $32.54 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $42.38 billion, a PE ratio of 28.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.00. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $38.13 and a 200-day moving average of $37.64. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a one year low of $29.75 and a one year high of $58.42.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The restaurant operator reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 12.88% and a return on equity of 47.99%. The company had revenue of $2.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.25 EPS. Chipotle Mexican Grill's quarterly revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.29 earnings per share for the current 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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