Vantage Investment Partners LLC Lowers Holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG

Key Points

• Vantage Investment Partners cut its Chipotle stake by 17.4% in the first quarter, selling 229,772 shares and leaving it with about 1.09 million shares valued at roughly $34.9 million.
• Despite that trim, institutional ownership remains very high, with hedge funds and other institutions holding about 91.3% of Chipotle’s stock.
• Wall Street sentiment is still constructive: analysts currently rate CMG a Moderate Buy on average, with an average price target of $45.10, even as several firms recently lowered their targets.

Vantage Investment Partners LLC lowered its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG - Free Report) by 17.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,090,413 shares of the restaurant operator's stock after selling 229,772 shares during the quarter. Chipotle Mexican Grill comprises about 2.4% of Vantage Investment Partners LLC's holdings, making the stock its 18th largest position. Vantage Investment Partners LLC owned 0.08% of Chipotle Mexican Grill worth $34,904,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Wealth Watch Advisors INC acquired a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Osbon Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Ankerstar Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. 91.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on CMG. Raymond James Financial reduced their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $43.00 to $41.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Zacks Research upgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. BNP Paribas Exane boosted their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $37.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Barclays cut their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $38.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Twenty-three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Chipotle Mexican Grill presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $45.10.

Chipotle Mexican Grill News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS sees Chipotle’s sales, traffic, and restaurant margins improving in the second half of 2026 as pricing, menu changes, and operational initiatives start to help results. Chipotle Mexican Grill's Sales, Margins Expected to Improve in H2, UBS Says
• Positive Sentiment: Chipotle launched a PGA Tour 2K25 rewards partnership and expanded its Cultivate Next venture investments, signaling efforts to deepen customer engagement and support long-term growth. Chipotle (CMG) Launches PGA Tour 2K25 Rewards And Expands Cultivate Next Bets
• Neutral Sentiment: Chipotle’s COO highlighted internal leadership development and talent promotion, reinforcing execution and succession planning rather than providing a direct near-term financial catalyst. Chipotle's COO uses team dinners to spot potential leaders. These are the 4 qualities he looks for.
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are also weighing governance and index reclassifications ahead of earnings, along with valuation questions, which adds attention but no clear directional surprise. How Investors May Respond To Chipotle (CMG) Governance Shifts And Index Moves Ahead Of Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary suggests Chipotle’s recent rally may fade because the company is no longer viewed as a high-growth story, and margin pressure remains a concern heading into earnings. Chipotle Is Up 17% in 1 Month. Is It a Top Buy Before July 29?

Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Up 2.1%

Shares of CMG traded up $0.72 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $35.32. 12,957,386 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 18,111,300. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $32.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $34.99. The company has a market cap of $45.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.40, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.97. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 1-year low of $28.03 and a 1-year high of $56.31.

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