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Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose on new restaurants: Total revenue rose 7.5% to $3.0 billion. The company attributed the increase to new restaurant openings and a 0.3% rise in comparable restaurant sales. Source
  • Operating margin fell to 15.9%: Operating margin was 15.9%, down from 16.9%. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.29, up 3.6% from $0.28. Source
  • Comps up on check, transactions down: Comparable restaurant sales rose 0.3%. A 1.1% increase in average check was partly offset by transactions down 0.8%. Source
  • Restaurant-level margin fell one point: Restaurant level operating margin was 24.5%, down from 25.5%. The release presents this as a non-GAAP measure reconciled to income from operations. Source
  • 84 company-owned openings in quarter: The company opened 84 company-owned restaurants, 64 with a Chipotlane, and two international partner-operated restaurants. Source
  • Quarter buybacks $686.5 million at $42.39: The company repurchased $686.5 million of stock at an average price of $42.39 in the third quarter, against $435.9 million at $50.16 in the second quarter. Source
  • Execution and marketing focus named: Management named restaurant execution, marketing messaging, menu innovation and digital experiences as the areas of focus. Source

“Our best-in-class teams are focused on doubling down on restaurant execution, sharpening our marketing message, accelerating menu innovation and creating more engaging digital experiences”

Scott Boatwright, Chief Executive Officer, Chipotle

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
New company-owned restaurant openings and Chipotlane share SourceFull year 2025315 to 345 openings, with over 80% having a ChipotlaneKept
Underlying effective tax rate SourceFull year 2025between 25% and 27% before discrete itemsKept
New restaurant openings SourceFull year 2026350 to 370, including 10 to 15 international partner-operated restaurantsNew
Chipotlane share of company-owned restaurants Source2026over 80%New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2025 comparable restaurant sales guidance moved from about flat to a low-single digit decline. Source
  • New guidance: 2026 openings guidance added: 350 to 370 new restaurants, including 10 to 15 international partner-operated restaurants. Source
  • Guidance kept: 2025 openings guidance of 315 to 345 company-owned restaurants was kept from the second quarter. Source
  • Guidance kept: The underlying effective full-year 2025 tax rate range of 25% to 27% was kept from the second quarter. Source
  • New: The board approved an additional $500 million in share repurchase authorization on September 3, 2025. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose on new restaurants: Total revenue rose 7.5% to $3.0 billion. The company attributed the increase to new restaurant openings and a 0.3% rise in comparable restaurant sales. Source
  • Operating margin fell to 15.9%: Operating margin was 15.9%, down from 16.9%. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.29, up 3.6% from $0.28. Source
  • Adjusted net income and EPS higher: Adjusted net income was $389.9 million, or $0.29 per adjusted diluted share, compared with $366.6 million, or $0.27, a year earlier. Source

Comparable sales and transactions

  • Comps up on check, transactions down: Comparable restaurant sales rose 0.3%. A 1.1% increase in average check was partly offset by transactions down 0.8%. Source
  • Transaction decline narrowed from second quarter: In the second quarter, transactions fell 4.9% and comparable restaurant sales fell 4.0%, with average check up 0.9%.
  • Trailing sales per restaurant declined: Average restaurant sales, the trailing 12-month average, were $3,132 thousand, against $3,184 thousand a year earlier and $3,142 thousand in the second quarter. Source

“Chipotlanes continue to perform well and are helping enhance guest access and convenience, as well as increase new restaurant sales, margins, and returns.”

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., press release

Costs, margins and tax rate

  • Food costs fell as share of revenue: Food, beverage and packaging costs were 30.0% of total revenue, down from 30.6%. The company attributed the decline to 2024 menu price increases and cost of sales efficiencies, partly offset by inflation. Source
  • Labor share rose on volume, wages: Labor was 25.2% of total revenue, up from 24.9%. The company attributed the increase to lower sales volumes and wage inflation. Source
  • Occupancy and other costs rose: Occupancy was 5.3% of total revenue, up from 5.1%. Other operating costs were 15.0%, up from 13.8%. The release gives no driver for either line. Source
  • Restaurant-level margin fell one point: Restaurant level operating margin was 24.5%, down from 25.5%. The release presents this as a non-GAAP measure reconciled to income from operations. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose to 23.1%: The effective tax rate was 23.1%, up from 22.9%. The company cited lower tax benefits from option exercises and equity vesting, and reserve reductions in the prior-year period. Source

Restaurant openings and footprint

  • 84 company-owned openings in quarter: The company opened 84 company-owned restaurants, 64 with a Chipotlane, and two international partner-operated restaurants. Source
  • Restaurant count reached 3,916: Company-owned restaurants at quarter end totaled 3,916, up from 3,615 a year earlier. Partner-operated restaurants reached seven, from two a year earlier. Source
  • Closures and relocations recorded: Four permanent closures and three relocations were recorded in the quarter, against one closure and no relocations a year earlier. Source

Digital sales and delivery

  • Digital share rose to 36.7%: Digital sales were 36.7% of total food and beverage revenue, up from 35.5% in the second quarter. Source
  • Delivery revenue slightly lower: Delivery service revenue was $14.2 million, or 0.5% of total revenue, against $15.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Digital sales definition includes Rewards: Digital sales include food and beverage sales through the website, the app and third-party delivery aggregators, plus revenue deferrals tied to Chipotle Rewards. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Quarter buybacks $686.5 million at $42.39: The company repurchased $686.5 million of stock at an average price of $42.39 in the third quarter, against $435.9 million at $50.16 in the second quarter. Source
  • Repurchase authorization remaining $652.3 million: $652.3 million remained under Board repurchase authorizations at September 30, 2025, including the new $500 million. The authorization may be modified, suspended or discontinued at any time. Source
  • Operating cash flow higher year to date: Operating cash flow for the nine months was $1,688.1 million, against $1,578.3 million a year earlier. Purchases of property and equipment were $468.9 million. Source
  • Cash balance and nine-month buybacks: Cash and cash equivalents were $698.7 million at September 30, 2025, versus $748.5 million at December 31, 2024. Nine-month repurchases of common stock totaled $1,683.7 million. Source

Execution focus and leadership costs

  • Execution and marketing focus named: Management named restaurant execution, marketing messaging, menu innovation and digital experiences as the areas of focus. Source
  • CEO transition retention expense: Retention awards for key executives tied to the CEO transition were $8.1 million of stock-based expense this quarter, against $5.1 million a year earlier. The prior year included a reversal from awards forfeited by the former CEO. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 October 2025

  • Q4 business update on call: The October 29, 2025 call will cover third quarter results and give a business update for the fourth quarter 2025. Source
  • Form 10-Q due by end of October: The company said its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q would be filed with the SEC by the end of October 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales Source+0.3% (third quarter 2025); (4.0%) second quarter 2025
Traffic (comparable transactions) Source-0.8%
Average ticket (average check) Source+1.1%
Inventory Source$46,436 thousand at September 30, 2025
Store openings Source84 company-owned opened; 2 partner-operated opened
Store closings Source4 permanent closures; 3 relocations
E-commerce share (digital sales) Source36.7% of total food and beverage revenue

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited persistent macroeconomic pressures as a continuing factor. Source
  • Operational: Wage inflation and lower sales volumes raised labor costs as a share of revenue. Source
  • External: Beef and chicken inflation and newly enacted tariffs partly offset the food cost decline. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it is accelerating menu innovation and creating more engaging digital experiences; the release gives no status update. Source
  • Not stated: In the second quarter release, management set plans to introduce new menu innovations and amplify its rewards program; this release does not state their status.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.