- CMG stock is trading around the low $30s after plunging nearly 20% following its October 29 third‑quarter earnings release, leaving shares down roughly 50% from 12‑month highs. [1]
- Today’s filings show heavy institutional repositioning: Swiss National Bank, Legal & General, Prudential, DNB Asset Management and Evelyn Partners all increased their Chipotle stakes, while Franklin Resources and Cozad Asset Management trimmed positions. [2]
- A new political angle emerged as Senator Markwayne Mullin (R‑Oklahoma) disclosed selling $15,001–$50,000 worth of Chipotle stock earlier this month. [3]
- Business fundamentals are mixed: revenue is still growing (up 7.5% year over year in Q3), but softer traffic and repeated sales forecast cuts are pressuring margins and same‑store sales. [4]
- Chipotle is leaning on promotions and loyalty — including a Thanksgiving‑week “Back Home BOGO” and Cyber Weekend free‑delivery offer — to drive visits during the crucial holiday selling period. [5]
CMG stock today: Where Chipotle stands after its October shock
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) heads into the November 22, 2025 session still digesting a brutal post‑earnings reaction.
After reporting third‑quarter 2025 results on October 29, the stock dropped about 18–19% in a single session as investors reacted to weaker‑than‑expected same‑store sales and yet another reduction to the company’s full‑year sales forecast. [6]
Based on recent trading data, CMG:
- Closed around $31.60 on Friday, November 21
- Has a 12‑month range of roughly $29.75–$66.74
- Carries a market capitalization near $41.8 billion and a P/E around 28 [7]
That means shares have lost nearly half their value from their 12‑month high, even as revenue and earnings are still growing year over year. For long‑term investors, today’s news is less about a dramatic price move and more about who is buying and who is selling into the weakness.
Big money moves: What today’s 13F headlines say about Chipotle
A cluster of institutional‑ownership stories hit the tape today, painting a picture of a contested but still widely owned growth stock. Most of these disclosures relate to second‑quarter 13F filings but are being reported now, and they collectively show a mix of opportunistic buyers and cautious sellers.
Institutions increasing their CMG exposure
Several large investors reported adding to Chipotle in Q2, even as the stock came under pressure later in the year:
- Swiss National Bank
- Increased its position by 6.7%, buying 258,400 additional shares.
- Now holds about 4.10 million shares, valued at roughly $230.3 million at the time of filing. [8]
- Legal & General Group Plc
- Boosted its stake by 0.8%, adding 66,344 shares.
- Now owns about 8.08 million shares, worth approximately $453.8 million based on the filing. [9]
- Prudential PLC
- Grew its holdings by 45.5%, purchasing 25,973 shares in Q2.
- Holds 83,073 shares after the move, valued near $4.7 million. [10]
- DNB Asset Management AS
- Increased its stake by 5.7%, to 251,132 shares worth about $14.1 million. [11]
- Evelyn Partners Investment Management LLP
- Made one of the most eye‑catching moves, raising its position by over 11,000% to 29,313 shares — essentially a move from a tiny holding to a more meaningful position — valued around $1.65 million. [12]
Taken together, these disclosures suggest that many large asset managers still see Chipotle as a long‑term winner, despite near‑term volatility and macro headwinds.
Funds trimming or rebalancing their stakes
Not everyone is leaning in. Some major holders used recent quarters to take risk off the table:
- Franklin Resources Inc.
- Cut its stake by 3.3%, selling about 445,000 shares in Q2.
- Still owns roughly 13.0 million shares, or just under 1% of Chipotle’s outstanding stock, valued near $730.5 million. [13]
- Cozad Asset Management Inc.
- Reduced its CMG position by 17.7%, selling around 41,400 shares.
- Holds 192,895 shares after the sale, worth about $10.8 million, and Chipotle now represents roughly 0.9% of its portfolio. [14]
Despite these cuts, MarketBeat’s compiled data shows that institutional investors still own over 90% of Chipotle’s float, underscoring its status as a core name in many professional portfolios. [15]
Political angle: Senator Markwayne Mullin sells CMG shares
Adding a twist to today’s flow of filings, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R‑Oklahoma) reported selling Chipotle stock:
- On November 3, Mullin sold between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of CMG shares.
- The trade was disclosed in a filing made public on November 21 and reported today. [16]
The senator also reported trades in other large‑cap names (including Berkshire Hathaway, T‑Mobile and Microsoft) around the same time, so the move appears to be part of a broader portfolio reshuffle rather than a Chipotle‑specific statement. Still, any political‑insider activity around a volatile stock tends to attract extra attention.
Why Chipotle shares are under pressure
To understand why CMG has been so weak into these filings, you have to go back to the third‑quarter 2025 earnings report:
- Revenue: about $3.0 billion, up 7.5% year over year, but slightly below Wall Street estimates around $3.06 billion.
- Earnings per share (EPS):$0.29, in line with consensus expectations.
- Margins: net margin around 13%; return on equity north of 44%, still very strong for the restaurant space. [17]
The problem wasn’t the absolute numbers so much as the direction of travel:
- Management cut its 2025 comparable‑sales outlook yet again, moving from roughly flat comps to a low‑single‑digit decline. [18]
- Research notes from Zacks and others flagged traffic declines and softer demand across key customer cohorts, especially cost‑sensitive diners trading down or cutting discretionary visits. [19]
Combine that with ongoing pressure from food inflation, tariffs on key inputs, and cautious U.S. consumer spending, and you get the sort of earnings day that can knock a premium growth stock off its pedestal. Reuters reported that the October 30 session saw shares fall about 19% as investors reassessed how Chipotle will navigate these challenges. [20]
Chipotle’s response: Promotions, loyalty and menu innovation
Chipotle isn’t just watching the stock — it’s pushing hard on the operating side to keep people coming through the door.
Holiday and loyalty promotions
Heading into Thanksgiving week and the broader holiday season, the company rolled out a series of offers aimed at value‑seeking customers:
- “Back Home BOGO” on Thanksgiving Eve (Nov. 26)
- In‑restaurant buy‑one‑get‑one entrée promotion meant to capture hometown traffic when people return to visit family and friends. [21]
- Cyber Weekend digital push
- $0 delivery fees on orders placed November 28–December 1 with a promo code.
- Additional digital incentives, such as limited‑time discounts, aimed at driving app and web orders. [22]
These follow Chipotle’s Boorito Halloween promotion, which offered $6 entrées for Rewards members who visited in costume and tied to a VIP‑card contest — another attempt to drive traffic via loyalty and social buzz. [23]
Menu and brand positioning
Analyst commentary this month has emphasized that Chipotle’s long‑term story still rests on menu innovation and digital strength:
- Zacks notes that new product tests and limited‑time offers remain crucial to reigniting comps as traffic cools. [24]
- 24/7 Wall St and other forecasters still model solid upside through 2030 if Chipotle can stabilize same‑store sales and continue expanding units, especially internationally. [25]
In other words, today’s stock price reflects a tug‑of‑war: short‑term macro and traffic headwinds vs. a brand that, on paper, still has years of growth runway.
How Wall Street values CMG right now
Despite the sell‑off, Wall Street has not written Chipotle off.
Across several research summaries compiled by MarketBeat, analysts:
- Maintain an overall “Moderate Buy” consensus rating.
- Carry an average 12‑month price target of about $49–50 per share, implying significant upside from the low‑$30s. [26]
However, those same reports show a wave of target‑price cuts following Q3:
- Multiple firms, including Goldman Sachs, Royal Bank of Canada, Truist and others, lowered their CMG targets, often citing tariff exposure, margin compression and softer demand. [27]
Seeking Alpha contributors and independent analysts have also argued that, even after the pullback, Chipotle may not be a screaming bargain, with valuation still rich relative to restaurant peers until comps stabilize. [28]
What today’s news means for investors
Here’s how to interpret the November 22 headlines if you follow CMG:
- Institutional activity is net supportive, not panicked.
Several heavyweight investors increased their positions significantly, while others trimmed rather than exited. This suggests that most professional money managers still view Chipotle as a core long‑term holding, just one that needs to be sized appropriately given volatility. - Political trade disclosures add noise, not necessarily a new thesis.
Sen. Mullin’s sale is notable but small in dollar terms and part of a series of broader portfolio moves. It’s interesting context, but unlikely to change the fundamental story on its own. - The fundamental debate is about comps, not brand survival.
Revenue is still growing, margins remain strong for the industry, and Chipotle continues to invest in digital, loyalty and menu innovation. The question is whether macro pressure and repeated guidance cuts justify the still‑premium valuation — which is exactly what the post‑earnings sell‑off is trying to price in. - Promotions and loyalty will be key catalysts into year‑end.
If Thanksgiving‑week BOGO offers, Cyber Weekend free delivery and continued loyalty engagement translate into stabilizing traffic, that could help support the stock. If not, investors may demand an even larger discount before stepping in.
Bottom line
For November 22, 2025, Chipotle Mexican Grill sits at the intersection of fear and opportunity:
- The stock is battered but not broken, with major institutions both buying the dip and selectively de‑risking.
- The brand is leaning into promotions and product innovation to counter a tougher consumer backdrop.
- Wall Street still sees upside from current levels, but with lower expectations and more caution than earlier in the year.
If you follow CMG, today’s news flow is a reminder to watch both the fundamentals (traffic, margins, unit growth) and the ownership trends, and to match your position size and risk tolerance to the reality that this is still a high‑beta, sentiment‑driven stock.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Always do your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.
References
1. www.reuters.com, 2. www.marketbeat.com, 3. www.marketbeat.com, 4. newsroom.chipotle.com, 5. ir.chipotle.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.marketbeat.com, 8. www.marketbeat.com, 9. www.marketbeat.com, 10. www.marketbeat.com, 11. www.marketbeat.com, 12. www.marketbeat.com, 13. www.marketbeat.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.marketbeat.com, 16. www.marketbeat.com, 17. newsroom.chipotle.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.zacks.com, 20. www.reuters.com, 21. ir.chipotle.com, 22. www.stocktitan.net, 23. newsroom.chipotle.com, 24. www.zacks.com, 25. 247wallst.com, 26. www.marketbeat.com, 27. www.marketbeat.com, 28. seekingalpha.com


