NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 16:57 ET — Market closed
- CAVA Group shares rose 3.17% on Friday to $60.55.
- The stock outpaced the broader market’s modest start to 2026.
- Next catalysts include labor-market data and Cava’s next earnings update window.
Shares of Cava Group Inc (CAVA) rose 3.17% on Friday, closing at $60.55 on the New York Stock Exchange. 1
The move came as U.S. stocks opened 2026 mostly higher, with the Dow and S&P 500 snapping a four-session losing streak. “Buy the dip, sell the rip,” is the mindset investors are seeing, Joe Mazzola, head of trading and derivatives strategy at Charles Schwab, told Reuters. 2
For Cava, the bounce matters because investors remain focused on demand and profitability at fast-casual restaurant chains as consumers watch spending. In November, the company cut its annual same-restaurant sales growth forecast — sales at restaurants open at least a year — and lowered its margin outlook, citing uneven demand and higher costs, Reuters reported. 3
Cava traded between $58.57 and $61.11 on Friday after opening at $58.94, with about 4.24 million shares changing hands, Nasdaq data showed. 4
The gain came alongside strength in parts of the restaurant space, with Chipotle Mexican Grill ending the day up 1.32%, according to MarketWatch. 5
Even after Friday’s rise, Cava remains far below its 52-week high of $144.49 and above a low of $43.41. The stock is down about 47% over the past 12 months, according to market data. 6
In its most recent quarterly update, Cava said third-quarter revenue rose 20% to $289.8 million and restaurant-level profit margin — profit at restaurants before corporate overhead — was 24.6%. The company also updated fiscal 2025 guidance, including net new restaurant openings of 68 to 70 and same-restaurant sales growth of 3% to 4%. 7
Fast-casual operators have been grappling with more price-sensitive diners, while value-focused chains have benefited as customers trade down, Reuters has reported. 8
Before the next session, traders will watch whether Cava can build on Friday’s move and hold the $60 area after touching the low $61s intraday. A slide back through the high-$50s would erase most of the week’s first-session rebound.
Macro headlines could also sway sentiment. Investors are watching the path of interest rates and upcoming labor-market releases as they gauge how the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook may evolve in 2026, Reuters reported. 9
On the company calendar, the next catalyst is the next earnings report. Market data providers list late February to early March timing, with the Wall Street Journal showing March 3 and Nasdaq listing an algorithm-based estimate of Feb. 24. 10
When Cava reports, investors are likely to focus on traffic versus price-driven gains, new-store productivity and any shift in food and labor costs that can pressure margins. Until then, the stock may continue to trade with broader risk appetite across consumer discretionary names.
