What to Watch in Chipotle’s Q2

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By Chris Lange Updated Published
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What to Watch in Chipotle’s Q2

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Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is preparing to release its second quarter financial results after the markets close on Thursday. The consensus estimates are $2.81 in earnings per share (EPS) and $1.26 billion in revenue, which compare with the $2.32 per share and $1.17 billion posted in the same period of last year.

The burrito chain recently announced that it would be instigating a few changes to drive the brand forward. Apart from a marketing blitz and loyalty program, Chipotle will be closing some underperforming stores.

As part of its restructuring, Chipotle is shuttering 65 restaurants. The chain also will be adding “in-app” delivery of its products to about 2,000 restaurants by the end of the year.

The company said it would launch a customer loyalty program in 2019 and is exploring offering $2 tacos with a drink as part of a proposed “happy hour.”

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The restructuring to execute on the strategy will require changes to the organization and to the culture, which will result in non-recurring charges during the second quarter and over the next several. These non-recurring costs primarily relate to the moving of offices, the restructuring of the organization and closing underperforming restaurants. In aggregate, Chipotle expects these costs, together with a small number of other unusual items, to be in the range of $115 million to $135 million.

Chipotle stock has outperformed the broad markets, with shares up about 56% year to date. In just the past 52 weeks, the stock is up only about 30%.

Prior to the release of the report, a few analysts weighed in on Chipotle:

  • Morgan Stanley has an Equal Weight rating and a $398 price target.
  • Jefferies has a Hold rating with a $400 price target.
  • Mizuho has an Underperform rating with a $330 target.
  • Raymond James has a Hold rating.
  • SunTrust Banks has a Buy rating with a $490 target price.
  • Wells Fargo has a Market Perform rating with a $405 target price.

Shares of Chipotle were last seen trading at $449.19, with a consensus analyst price target of $416.70 and a 52-week range of $247.52 to $474.46.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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