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Chipotle Cuts Sales Outlook Again on Weaker Traffic as Shares Plunge

Management cited a pullback by 25‑ to 35‑year‑olds and households under $100,000 as the key drag on 2025 comparable sales.

Overview

  • Q3 revenue was $3.0 billion with net income of $382.1 million and adjusted EPS of $0.29, as comparable sales rose 0.3% on higher average check while transactions fell 0.8%.
  • The company now forecasts full‑year same‑store sales to decline by a low‑single‑digit percentage, marking a third consecutive guidance cut this year.
  • Shares fell by double digits, dropping as much as 19%, as multiple analysts lowered price targets and flagged uncertainty around the traffic recovery.
  • Rising ingredient costs, including beef and chicken, and newly enacted tariffs pressured margins, with executives signaling measured price actions in 2026 rather than full cost pass‑through.
  • Chipotle is accelerating marketing, menu and digital efforts, kept digital sales at 36.7% of revenue, repurchased $686.5 million of stock, and still plans 350–370 new restaurants in 2026 with 10–15 partner‑run international locations.