PensionDanmark Pensionsforsikringsaktieselskab Has $9.14 Million Holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. $CMG

PensionDanmark Pensionsforsikringsaktieselskab raised its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) by 40.2% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 268,771 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 77,002 shares during the period. PensionDanmark Pensionsforsikringsaktieselskab’s holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $9,138,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the fourth quarter worth $711,837,000. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC boosted its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 156.9% in the fourth quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 58,269 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $2,156,000 after acquiring an additional 35,589 shares during the period. Marsico Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 234.4% in the fourth quarter. Marsico Capital Management LLC now owns 380,677 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $14,085,000 after acquiring an additional 266,835 shares in the last quarter. BW Gestao de Investimentos Ltda. acquired a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the fourth quarter valued at about $2,890,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 33.4% during the fourth quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 649,041 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $24,015,000 after acquiring an additional 162,392 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.30% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Chipotle Mexican Grill

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains intact: BTIG Research reaffirmed its Buy rating, while Argus raised its price target to $45, indicating that some analysts view the selloff as excessive and believe Chipotle’s long-term growth story remains attractive. BTIG Research Reaffirms Buy Rating for Chipotle Mexican Grill Argus Raises Chipotle Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent quarterly results were slightly better than expected: Chipotle reported adjusted earnings of $0.33 per share versus the $0.32 consensus estimate and revenue of $3.35 billion versus expectations of $3.33 billion. Comparable sales rebounded 2.2%, supported by menu innovation and an improved rewards program, although higher food and labor costs pressured profitability. Chipotle: One Good Quarter Doesn’t Reset the Risk Profile
• Negative Sentiment: Food-safety concerns are driving the selloff: The CDC linked a Salmonella outbreak across 27 states to jalapeño peppers served at Chipotle and other Mexican-style restaurants. Reports say hundreds of people have been sickened, while authorities continue investigating the source and whether contaminated peppers reached grocery stores. Chipotle Stock Extends Slide After CDC Links Salmonella Outbreak to Jalapeños
• Negative Sentiment: Potential business and reputation risks are increasing: Chipotle removed jalapeños from Minnesota restaurants, shifted to another supplier and is cooperating with health officials. Investors are concerned about restaurant disruptions, possible liability and damage to customer traffic, particularly because the incident recalls the company’s prior food-safety crisis. Chipotle Pulls Jalapeños After Minnesota Salmonella Outbreak
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and margin pressure add to the downside: One analysis argued that the recent earnings beat does not resolve concerns about declining earnings, compressed restaurant-level margins and a still-demanding valuation. The outbreak creates an additional risk for a stock already facing pressure from rising operating costs. Chipotle Stock Falls Further as CDC Confirms Salmonella Outbreak

Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Down 2.7%

Shares of NYSE:CMG opened at $32.78 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $33.06 and a 200-day moving average of $34.42. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 12 month low of $28.03 and a 12 month high of $44.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.48 billion, a PE ratio of 30.08, a PEG ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.94.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $3.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.33 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 11.43% and a return on equity of 54.65%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.33 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on CMG shares. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $46.00 to $45.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $36.00 target price (up from $35.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a report on Friday, July 31st. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $40.00 to $38.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday. Twenty-four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $44.16.

About Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-casual restaurant company known for its Mexican-inspired menu of burritos, bowls, tacos and salads. Founded in 1993 by Steve Ells, the chain emphasizes fresh, customizable meals made from a limited menu of core ingredients and a focus on ingredient quality. Chipotle operates primarily company-owned restaurants and offers dine-in, takeout, catering and delivery through its own digital platforms and third-party partners.

The company is headquartered in Newport Beach, California, and traces its roots to Denver, Colorado.