Why Chipotle Stock May Bounce After a Brutal Sell-Off

Chipotle Mexican Grill’s (NYSE: CMG) market finally capitulated. It took more than a year, including the departure of CEO Brian Niccol, a stock split, and sluggish comp store sales, for it to happen, but it did.

Now that the Nichol premium is out of the stock, it's time for investors to start building positions again, as the long-term growth outlook remains robust.

While economic headwinds are impacting results today, they will revert to tailwinds in 2026 as the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowers interest rates. Additionally, the company’s international expansion should be considered.

It could more than double the size of this restaurant business within the next ten years, making CMG stock a deep value at the split-adjusted lows near $32. 

Highlights from the Q3 earnings call included plans to accelerate growth, including increasing store count.

This includes international locations, with a focus on Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The plan is to open 350 to 370 new locations globally, representing a nearly 9.5% increase at the high end, including up to 15 international stores. Most of the new locations will include a Chipotlane, which is critical to unlocking digital markets and strengthening margins. 

Chipotle Falls as Macro-Headwinds Cut Into Results

Chipotle’s Q3 results reveal two things. The first is that macroeconomic headwinds are cutting into results by reducing traffic and increasing costs. The second is that the company’s operational quality persists, growth is present, and cash flow is robust, which allows for reinvestment and share repurchases. 

Although Chipotle’s revenue fell short of the consensus, the margin of error was slim, and growth came in at 7.5%. The increase was driven by a 0.3% comp store gain, compounded by 84 new stores. The bad news is that guidance was diminished, now expecting comps to turn negative for the year. 

Margin is an area of strength. The company experienced margin pressure as expected, but delivered a better result than the MarketBeat consensus estimate. The critical detail is that the restaurant-level operating margin contracted by 100 basis points, leaving adjusted earnings at 29 cents, as expected, despite the top-line miss. 

The guidance is what has the market in selling mode. The company continues to forecast growth, but it will be driven entirely by an increased store count, and margin pressure will persist. The risk is that comps will fall more than expected, and the margin recovery will be long and slow. 

Chipotle’s Share Buybacks Are Reliable 

Chipotle’s cash flow supports a robust share buyback plan, and it is likely to continue in 2026. The buyback activity reduced the count by 2.6%, providing a significant lever for investors. The only bad news is that the balance sheet reflects the activity, including the resultant decline in equity, but is otherwise in fortress-like condition. The company’s liabilities consist primarily of lease obligations; there is no significant long-term debt, and the cash position is healthy at just under $700 million. 

Analysts' Sentiment Trend Says CMG’s 20% Sell-Off Was Overdone

The initial analyst response, as tracked by MarketBeat, is negative, with three price target reductions from three firms in under 18 hours. However, their reductions are in the $40-$45 range, aligning with the recent trend.

In this scenario, CMG’s post-release sell-off may have been warranted, but the decline into the low $30’s is overdone. At $32, this stock is below the low end of the analysts' trading range, below 10x the long-term earnings consensus, and positioned to rebound strongly when a catalyst emerges.

A move to $40 would be worth 20% upside relative to the post-release lows.

The chart action is ugly. The stock dropped 20% at the session’s low, extending the sell-off to 50%, but the bottom may have been reached. The market retreated to support levels established in 2022 and 2023 that are unlikely to be broken.

The likely outcome is that CMG stock consolidates near its new lows until economic improvement is evident in the company’s results. 

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The article "Why Chipotle Stock May Bounce After a Brutal Sell-Off" first appeared on MarketBeat.