Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) Trims Sales Outlook, Increases Buybacks

Management shifted toward capital returns after lowering same-store sales targets, leaving near-term momentum driven by buybacks and short-term technical bounce potential.

Recent News

On July 23, 2025 the company cut its annual comparable-restaurant sales growth forecast to roughly flat after reporting a 4% comparable-sales decline. On September 3, 2025 the Board approved an additional $500 million in share repurchases, disclosed in a Form 8‑K filed mid-September; the authorization raises available repurchase capacity to roughly $750 million.

Technical Analysis

ADX / DI+ / DI−: ADX at 43.88 indicates very strong trend strength; DI+ shows a dip-and-reversal while DI− shows a peak-and-reversal, both signaling a bullish directional reversal that supports near-term upside pressure despite the strong trend backdrop.

MACD: MACD sits at −1.45 above its signal line at −1.58 and shows a dip-and-reversal trend, signaling a shift toward bullish momentum that aligns with the directional indicators and raises the probability of a short-term momentum bounce.

MRO: MRO at −32.81 places price below the WMDST target, implying potential for upward mean reversion; the negative MRO therefore supports near-term upside pressure even though the broader valuation reads as over-valued.

RSI: RSI at 34.74 with a dip-and-reversal indicates the stock approached oversold territory and now shows a rebound signal, consistent with the MACD and directional indicators for a tactical bounce.

Price vs. Moving Averages and Bands: Price closed at $39.32, below the 50‑day average ($44.17) and well under the 200‑day average ($51.72), while the 12‑day EMA trend remains decreasing—these conditions reflect an intermediate downtrend. Price sits just above the 1× lower Bollinger band (~$38.57) and below the supertrend upper level ($40.84), delimiting near-term downside and establishing a constrained range for potential mean reversion.

 


Fundamental Analysis

Profitability: Operating/EBIT margin equals 18.77%, improved QoQ by 9.36% but declined YoY by 7.10%. The operating margin sits below the industry peer mean of 26.81% and below the industry peer median of 24.865% while above the industry peer low, indicating margins remain positive but leaner than peer centroids.

Revenue and Growth: Total revenue reached $3,063,393,000. YoY revenue growth registered −34.83% while the reported quarter-over-quarter revenue growth figure shows +5.22% (as provided). Net income totaled $436,127,000 while earnings growth reads +13.79% on the most recent measure with a QoQ decline in earnings growth of 13.79% and a YoY earnings-growth roll of −114.153% (per the supplied figures). These mixed growth dynamics help explain the downward revision to same-store sales guidance and the shift toward buybacks.

Earnings Per Share: Reported EPS $0.33 matched the estimate of $0.33 (EPS difference $0.00) with an EPS surprise ratio of 1.26%, reflecting an essentially in-line result that neither alleviated valuation concerns nor materially altered the near-term narrative.

Cash, Liquidity, and Leverage: Cash stood at $844,524,000 and cash plus short‑term investments at $1,546,492,000. Current ratio measured 1.65 and quick ratio 1.615, with a cash ratio of 1.366, indicating ample short-term liquidity. Total debt totals $4,780,586,000, producing a debt-to-EBITDA of 7.18 and debt-to-equity of 1.355; interest coverage remains elevated at 64.27, which supports debt servicing capacity despite leverage levels above conservative norms.

Cash Flow and Capital Allocation: Operating cash flow reached $561,327,000 and free cash flow amounted to $400,742,000, with a free-cash-flow yield of 0.634% and free-cash-flow-to-net-income at 91.89%. Capital expenditures registered −$160,585,000 with capex-to-revenue of −5.242% and capex-to-depreciation at −176.574% (as provided), reflecting ongoing investment alongside robust cash conversion (cash conversion ratio 4.157).

Valuation Metrics: Price multiples show PE at 160.76x and forward PE about 158.26x, PS at 20.64x, EV/Revenue (EVR) at 21.70 and enterprise multiple at 99.79. The PE sits above the industry peer mean of 97.07 and above the industry peer median of 94.28 (industry peer high also provided), underscoring a stretched multiple profile. The current valuation as determined by WMDST: over-valued.

MOST-RECENT QUARTERLY REPORT
REPORT PERIOD ENDING: 2025-06-30
REPORT DATE: 2025-07-23
NEXT REPORT DATE: 2025-10-22
CASH FLOW  Begin Period Cash Flow 756.1 M
 Operating Cash Flow 561.3 M
 Capital Expenditures -160.59 M
 Change In Working Capital -12.53 M
 Dividends Paid
 Cash Flow Delta 119.1 M
 End Period Cash Flow 875.2 M
 
INCOME STATEMENT REVENUE
 Total Revenue 3.1 B
 Forward Revenue 771.4 M
COSTS
 Cost Of Revenue 2.2 B
 Depreciation 90.9 M
 Depreciation and Amortization 90.9 M
 Research and Development
 Total Operating Expenses 2.5 B
PROFITABILITY
 Gross Profit 838.2 M
 EBITDA 666.1 M
 EBIT 575.1 M
 Operating Income 575.1 M
 Interest Income 18.4 M
 Interest Expense
 Net Interest Income 18.4 M
 Income Before Tax 577.4 M
 Tax Provision 141.3 M
 Tax Rate 24.5 %
 Net Income 436.1 M
 Net Income From Continuing Operations 436.1 M
EARNINGS
 EPS Estimate 0.33
 EPS Actual 0.33
 EPS Difference 0.00
 EPS Surprise 1.26 %
 Forward EPS 0.33
 
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
 Total Assets 9.3 B
 Intangible Assets 21.9 M
 Net Tangible Assets 3.5 B
 Total Current Assets 1.9 B
 Cash and Short-Term Investments 1.5 B
 Cash 844.5 M
 Net Receivables 105.0 M
 Inventory 40.4 M
 Long-Term Investments 151.6 M
LIABILITIES
 Accounts Payable 216.3 M
 Short-Term Debt
 Total Current Liabilities 1.1 B
 Net Debt
 Total Debt 4.8 B
 Total Liabilities 5.7 B
EQUITY
 Total Equity 3.5 B
 Retained Earnings 1.4 B
VALUATION & PER-SHARE METRICS EQUITY & PER-SHARE METRICS
 Book Value Per-Share 2.63
 Shares Outstanding 1.341 B
 Revenue Per-Share 2.28
VALUATION
 Market Capitalization 63.2 B
 Enterprise Value 66.5 B
 Enterprise Multiple 99.794
Enterprise Multiple QoQ -20.893 %
Enterprise Multiple YoY -15.487 %
Enterprise Multiple IPRWA high: 115.782
CMG: 99.794
mean: 72.053
median: 71.611
low: -56.203
 EV/R 21.698
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Asset To Equity 2.627
 Asset To Liability 1.615
 Debt To Capital 0.575
 Debt To Assets 0.516
Debt To Assets QoQ 0.681 %
Debt To Assets YoY 1640.702 %
Debt To Assets IPRWA high: 1.647
median: 0.735
mean: 0.712
CMG: 0.516
low: 0.002
 Debt To Equity 1.355
Debt To Equity QoQ 2.092 %
Debt To Equity YoY 1802.781 %
Debt To Equity IPRWA high: 10.498
CMG: 1.355
median: -2.547
mean: -5.023
low: -20.242
PRICE-BASED VALUATION
 Price To Book (P/B) 17.923
Price To Book QoQ -10.688 %
Price To Book YoY -18.905 %
Price To Book IPRWA high: 19.124
CMG: 17.923
median: 2.917
mean: -1.935
low: -25.016
 Price To Earnings (P/E) 160.765
Price To Earnings QoQ -10.171 %
Price To Earnings YoY -8.627 %
Price To Earnings IPRWA high: 289.09
CMG: 160.765
mean: 97.066
median: 94.276
low: -27.296
 PE/G Ratio 11.656
 Price To Sales (P/S) 20.643
Price To Sales QoQ -15.277 %
Price To Sales YoY -25.188 %
Price To Sales IPRWA high: 31.824
CMG: 20.643
mean: 18.179
median: 16.293
low: 0.286
FORWARD MULTIPLES
Forward P/E 158.258
Forward PE/G 11.474
Forward P/S 81.971
EFFICIENCY OPERATIONAL
 Operating Leverage 2.523
ASSET & SALES
 Asset Turnover Ratio 0.335
Asset Turnover Ratio QoQ 6.169 %
Asset Turnover Ratio YoY -2.489 %
Asset Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 0.621
CMG: 0.335
mean: 0.19
median: 0.121
low: 0.02
 Receivables Turnover 29.656
Receivables Turnover Ratio QoQ 26.635 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio YoY -6.549 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 42.739
CMG: 29.656
mean: 6.756
median: 3.313
low: 0.692
 Inventory Turnover 54.412
Inventory Turnover Ratio QoQ 15.831 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio YoY -5.387 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 63.048
CMG: 54.412
median: 54.358
mean: 35.697
low: 0.492
 Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) 3.077
CASH CYCLE
 Cash Conversion Cycle Days (CCC) -4.492
Cash Conversion Cycle Days QoQ 36.066 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days YoY -5.089 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days IPRWA high: 60.416
median: 4.8
mean: 2.828
CMG: -4.492
low: -59.918
CAPITAL DEPLOYMENT
 Cash Conversion Ratio 4.157
 CapEx To Revenue -0.052
 CapEx To Depreciation -1.766
 
CAPITAL, LIQUIDITY & COVERAGE CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Total Capital 3.5 B
 Net Invested Capital 3.5 B
 Invested Capital 3.5 B
 Net Tangible Assets 3.5 B
 Net Working Capital 736.9 M
LIQUIDITY
 Cash Ratio 1.366
 Current Ratio 1.651
Current Ratio QoQ 8.44 %
Current Ratio YoY -3.598 %
Current Ratio IPRWA high: 2.698
CMG: 1.651
mean: 0.975
median: 0.819
low: 0.137
 Quick Ratio 1.615
Quick Ratio QoQ 8.806 %
Quick Ratio YoY -3.767 %
Quick Ratio IPRWA high: 2.654
CMG: 1.615
median: 1.0
mean: 0.988
low: 0.106
COVERAGE & LEVERAGE
 Debt To EBITDA 7.177
 Cost Of Debt 0.144 %
 Interest Coverage Ratio 64.268
Interest Coverage Ratio QoQ 16.512 %
Interest Coverage Ratio YoY -4.274 %
Interest Coverage Ratio IPRWA CMG: 64.268
high: 46.029
mean: 9.009
median: 6.755
low: -26.646
 Operating Cash Flow Ratio 0.462
TIMING / LIQUIDITY
 Days Payables Outstanding (DPO) 9.328
DIVIDENDS
 Dividend Coverage Ratio
 Dividend Payout Ratio
 Dividend Rate
 Dividend Yield
PERFORMANCE GROWTH
 Asset Growth Rate 2.484 %
 Revenue Growth 6.543 %
Revenue Growth QoQ 521.958 %
Revenue Growth YoY -34.831 %
Revenue Growth IPRWA high: 52.655 %
median: 14.912 %
mean: 14.158 %
CMG: 6.543 %
low: -34.396 %
 Earnings Growth 13.793 %
Earnings Growth QoQ -13.794 %
Earnings Growth YoY -114.153 %
Earnings Growth IPRWA high: 214.286 %
mean: 25.19 %
median: 19.476 %
CMG: 13.793 %
low: -246.809 %
MARGINS
 Gross Margin 27.363 %
Gross Margin QoQ 4.395 %
Gross Margin YoY -5.338 %
Gross Margin IPRWA high: 82.429 %
mean: 43.127 %
median: 41.612 %
CMG: 27.363 %
low: -15.915 %
 EBIT Margin 18.774 %
EBIT Margin QoQ 9.355 %
EBIT Margin YoY -7.096 %
EBIT Margin IPRWA high: 47.508 %
mean: 26.81 %
median: 24.865 %
CMG: 18.774 %
low: -17.348 %
 Return On Sales (ROS) 18.774 %
Return On Sales QoQ 9.355 %
Return On Sales YoY -7.096 %
Return On Sales IPRWA high: 47.655 %
mean: 26.171 %
median: 24.801 %
CMG: 18.774 %
low: -15.426 %
CASH FLOW
 Free Cash Flow (FCF) 400.7 M
 Free Cash Flow Yield 0.634 %
Free Cash Flow Yield QoQ 7.823 %
Free Cash Flow Yield YoY 23.107 %
Free Cash Flow Yield IPRWA high: 7.323 %
mean: 1.019 %
median: 0.675 %
CMG: 0.634 %
low: -3.222 %
 Free Cash Growth -2.795 %
Free Cash Growth QoQ -116.942 %
Free Cash Growth YoY -15.533 %
Free Cash Growth IPRWA high: 178.828 %
CMG: -2.795 %
median: -33.191 %
mean: -66.927 %
low: -447.422 %
 Free Cash To Net Income 0.919
 Cash Flow Margin 17.092 %
 Cash Flow To Earnings 1.201
VALUE & RETURNS
 Economic Value Added 0.04
 Return On Assets (ROA) 4.763 %
Return On Assets QoQ 12.414 %
Return On Assets YoY -9.414 %
Return On Assets IPRWA high: 7.107 %
CMG: 4.763 %
mean: 2.81 %
median: 2.467 %
low: -4.298 %
 Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) 7.069 %
 Return On Equity (ROE) 0.124
Return On Equity QoQ 11.612 %
Return On Equity YoY 0.692 %
Return On Equity IPRWA high: 0.488
CMG: 0.124
median: 0.016
mean: 0.001
low: -0.628
 DuPont ROE 12.427 %
 Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) 12.312 %
Return On Invested Capital QoQ 12.933 %
Return On Invested Capital YoY -133.485 %
Return On Invested Capital IPRWA high: 16.565 %
CMG: 12.312 %
mean: 6.858 %
median: 6.625 %
low: -8.237 %

Six-Week Outlook

Near-term bias favors tactical upside attempts within a capped range. Converging short-term momentum signals (MACD crossover, DI+ dip-and-reversal, RSI rebound) suggest a higher probability of a bounce toward the supertrend upper boundary (~$40.84) and the 20‑day average (~$39.86) before facing meaningful resistance near the 50‑day average. Downside remains limited by the lower Bollinger band (~$38.57) and the recent 52‑week low proximity; elevated ADX indicates any directional move could show strength. Given WMDST’s valuation assessment of over-valued and stretched multiples, expect volatility around fundamental headlines and buyback activity to dictate directional bursts rather than sustained trend shifts over the next six weeks.

About Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) develops a distinctive fast-casual dining experience with a focus on Mexican-inspired cuisine. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Newport Beach, California, Chipotle emphasizes the use of high-quality, responsibly sourced ingredients. The company crafts a menu featuring customizable options such as burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and salads, catering to a variety of dietary preferences. Chipotle manages a robust network of restaurants throughout the United States and extends its reach internationally with locations in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Middle East. The company enhances its dining experience through digital platforms, offering a user-friendly app and website for convenient delivery and pick-up services. Chipotle prioritizes ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability, integrating these principles into its operations. This commitment to quality and responsible dining practices has cultivated a loyal customer base and secured Chipotle’s position as a prominent entity in the global restaurant industry.



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