Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG)
Chipotle is a popular fast-casual restaurant chain known for serving fresh, made-to-order burritos, bowls, and tacos using responsibly sourced ingredients.
Is Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Strong brand recognition and loyal customer base. Worth weighing: No dividend payments for shareholders. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only; any dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. fell as much as −57% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
International expansion proves highly profitable
Increased competition from other fast-casual chains
What does Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. do?
Chipotle makes its money by running thousands of restaurants where customers choose their own ingredients in an assembly-line style. Unlike traditional fast food, they focus on 'food with integrity,' which helps them charge a premium price for their meals. Managing food and labour costs while keeping customers coming back through the doors is the core challenge.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and quality, and weakest on income.
- !Pays no dividend - the whole return rides on the share price
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 9% over the year
- !High P/E of 34 - big growth is already priced in
- !Carries a lot of debt - roughly 2.5x its equity
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 50%)
- Strong brand recognition and loyal customer base
- High return on equity shows efficient use of capital
- Simple, scalable business model
- Value screens low (27/100)
- Income screens low (16/100)
- Rising costs for fresh ingredients and labour
- Potential for food safety incidents which can damage reputation
- Sensitivity to changes in consumer spending habits
What do Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. pay a dividend?
No - Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. doesn't currently pay a dividend, so the whole return would rest on the share price. Plenty of growing companies reinvest their profits instead of paying them out - neither approach is better or worse, they're just different.
When does Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-11-04 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-29 | $0.32 | $0.33 | Beat +4% |
| 2026-04-29 | $0.24 | $0.24 | Beat +1% |
| 2026-02-03 | $0.24 | $0.25 | Beat +5% |
| 2025-10-29 | $0.29 | $0.29 | In line |
| 2025-07-23 | $0.33 | $0.33 | Beat +1% |
| 2025-04-23 | $0.28 | $0.29 | Beat +5% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Casey's General Stores, Inc.What are the scenarios for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong brand recognition and loyal customer base
- High return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. shows efficient use of capital
- Simple, scalable business model
- No dividend payments for shareholders
- High price-to-book: The share price versus the company's net assets per share (its book value). Under 1 can look cheap, though it varies a lot by industry. ratio suggests a premium valuation
- Recent earnings growth has been negative
- Rising costs for fresh ingredients and labour
- Potential for food safety incidents which can damage reputation
- Sensitivity to changes in consumer spending habits
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained period of declining same-store sales
- Major changes in food safety regulations or supply chain costs
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.