Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG Holdings Lifted by Sterling Capital Management LLC

Sterling Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) by 269.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 31,117 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 22,691 shares during the quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $994,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Osbon Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Kelleher Financial Advisors bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter worth about $28,000. Rule One Partners LLC bought a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the first quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors own 91.30% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on CMG. Argus lifted their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Guggenheim reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $36.00 price objective (up from $35.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Friday, July 31st. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $37.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $35.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. 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 MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $43.56.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Matthew R. Bush sold 2,675 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.75, for a total value of $95,631.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 21,415 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $765,586.25. This represents a 11.10% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.45% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of CMG opened at $27.94 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $35.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.63 and a beta of 0.96. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $33.29 and a 200 day moving average of $34.26. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a twelve month low of $27.31 and a twelve month high of $41.42.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $3.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.33 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.33 earnings per share. Chipotle Mexican Grill’s quarterly revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.14 EPS for the current year.

Key Chipotle Mexican Grill News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Chipotle is bringing back its popular limited-time Smoked Brisket protein across the U.S. and Canada on November 5. The item has previously sold out, and the company is pairing the launch with football-season marketing, Family Meals and $0 delivery fees on qualifying orders through November 18. The promotion could support customer traffic, digital orders and average check size. Chipotle Smoked Brisket announcement
• Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital Markets flagged potential upside to Chipotle’s comparable sales, citing promotional activity and digital engagement as possible drivers. The bullish view provides support ahead of the earnings release, although it depends on evidence of improving traffic. RBC flags earnings upside
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street analysts collectively rate CMG “Moderate Buy,” suggesting analysts see longer-term recovery or growth potential despite the recent share-price weakness. Chipotle analyst rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Third-quarter results are expected to focus on comparable-sales growth, customer traffic, restaurant expansion and profit margins. Investors are looking for signs that menu innovation and marketing are translating into sustainable sales momentum. Chipotle Q3 earnings preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts view Chipotle as a growth-oriented restaurant concept with fresh-food positioning, menu innovation and expansion potential, but comparisons with McDonald’s highlight the uncertainty around valuation, traffic and margins. McDonald’s versus Chipotle analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Recent weakness reflects investor concerns that traffic challenges and margin pressures could limit near-term earnings growth. ETF net selling and CMG’s recent 52-week-low test add technical and sentiment pressure ahead of the report. Chipotle 52-week low and RBC outlook

Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc (NYSE: CMG) operates a chain of fast-casual restaurants focused on Mexican-inspired food. Its menu includes burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas and salads, with options such as chicken, steak, barbacoa, carnitas, sofritas and vegetables. The company emphasizes preparing food in its restaurants from ingredients it describes as responsibly sourced, including meats raised with attention to animal welfare and produce from selected suppliers.

Founded by Steve Ells in 1993, Chipotle opened its first restaurant in Denver, Colorado.