Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Q3 2022 earnings

Chipotle Mexican Grill on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings that topped analysts’ expectations on the power of its newest spherical of menu worth hikes.

CEO Brian Niccol stated the corporate noticed “minimal resistance” to larger menu costs in the course of the quarter, though transactions declined 1%. Even with the worth hikes, he famous the typical worth for a hen burrito bowl, which accounts for about half of U.S. orders, remains to be underneath $9.

Here is what the corporate reported in contrast with what Wall Road was anticipating, primarily based on a survey of analysts by Refinitiv:

• Earnings per share: $9.51 adjusted vs. $9.21 anticipated
• Income: $2.22 billion vs. $2.23 billion anticipated

Web gross sales rose 13.7% to $2.22 billion from the year-earlier interval, fueled by same-store gross sales development of seven.6% and new retailer openings. Analysts surveyed by StreetAccount had been projecting a same-store gross sales improve of seven.3%.

Like different restaurant corporations, Chipotle has been elevating menu costs because it pays extra for elements. The chain has stated that lower-income customers have been visiting much less regularly, however that almost all of its buyer base is in a higher-income bracket. That development accelerated this quarter, denting the corporate’s site visitors.

“We’re seeing transactions be pushed in that unfavorable vary and clearly will proceed to keep watch over it as we go ahead,” Niccol advised analysts on the corporate’s convention name on Tuesday.

He added, nonetheless, that diners aren’t opting out of paying further for guacamole or buying and selling down from steak to hen.

Chipotle hiked costs in August for the third time in 15 months, bringing them up 13% from the third quarter of 2021. Earlier in October, it raised costs for a fourth time in about 700 areas, representing greater than a fifth of its footprint. Executives stated the newest spherical was on account of pockets of wage inflation in sure markets.

For the interval ended Sept. 30, in-restaurant gross sales climbed 22.1%, signaling that prospects are returning to Chipotle areas to order their burritos and tacos.

That development has continued to harm digital gross sales, which accounted for simply 37.2% of income. However Chipotle’s revenue has benefited from the lowered variety of supply orders, for which the corporate pays charges to 3rd events.

The burrito chain reported third-quarter web revenue of $257.1 million, or $9.20 per share, up from $204.4 million, or $7.18 per share, a yr earlier. The corporate reported paying extra for dairy, tortillas, avocados, packaging and labor.

Excluding $3.5 million in separation prices tied to the departure of an worker, company restructuring and different gadgets, Chipotle earned $9.51 per share.

Shares of Chipotle had been off greater than 2% in prolonged buying and selling Tuesday.

The chain opened 43 new areas in the course of the quarter and all however 5 included a “Chipotlane,” drive-thru lanes reserved for digital-order pickup.

Chipotle’s board accredited a further $200 million to purchase again its shares within the interval.

For the fourth quarter, Chipotle is predicting same-store gross sales development within the mid- to excessive single digits. By the tip of the yr, it is forecasting it’s going to open between 235 to 250 new eating places. For 2023, the corporate is projecting 255 to 285 openings.