33,584 Shares in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG Bought by Waycross Partners LLC

Waycross Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 33,584 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock, valued at approximately $1,073,000.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Osbon Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Heritage Family Offices LLP purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Kelleher Financial Advisors bought a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Rule One Partners LLC bought a new stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 91.30% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Down 2.9%

Chipotle Mexican Grill stock traded down $1.02 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $34.38. 15,574,947 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 24,793,146. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $32.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $33.98. The company has a market cap of $43.49 billion, a PE ratio of 32.13, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.00. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a one year low of $27.31 and a one year high of $41.42.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 28th. The restaurant operator reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.29 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $3.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.29 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 57.05% and a net margin of 10.83%. The firm’s revenue was up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.29 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.10 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on CMG shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $51.00 to $45.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Seaport Research Partners began coverage on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $51.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, October 29th. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and set a $53.00 price target (up from $50.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $32.00 price target (down from $36.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Thursday, October 29th. Twenty-seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Chipotle Mexican Grill presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $42.36.

Key Headlines Impacting Chipotle Mexican Grill

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

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter revenue growth, positive comparable-sales trends and new restaurant openings supported expansion. Chipotle also recorded its third consecutive quarter of comparable-store sales growth. Can Chipotle’s Sales Growth Offset Lower Restaurant-Level Margins? Should Investors Buy Into the Chipotle Turnaround?
• Neutral Sentiment: Chipotle is bringing back its popular smoked brisket in an effort to attract traffic, though the news does not establish how much it will boost sales. Chipotle looks to drive traffic with the return of its popular smoked brisket
• Negative Sentiment: Restaurant-level margins are under pressure from higher operating costs, while weaker sales trends toward quarter-end raise questions about whether revenue growth can offset the squeeze on profitability. Can Chipotle’s Sales Growth Offset Lower Restaurant-Level Margins?
• Negative Sentiment: An analyst fair-value estimate fell about 5%, from $42.71 to $40.57. The more cautious view reflects food-safety headlines, mixed near-term growth drivers and concern that Chipotle’s long-term earnings potential may already be reflected in its valuation. Chipotle (CMG) Stock Sees Fair Value Cut As Analysts Turn More Cautious

Insider Buying and Selling at Chipotle Mexican Grill

In related news, insider Matthew R. Bush sold 2,675 shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.75, for a total transaction of $95,631.25. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 21,415 shares in the company, valued at $765,586.25. The trade was a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.45% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Chipotle Mexican Grill 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.

Chipotle serves customers in the United States and select international markets, including Canada and the United Kingdom.