Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. trades at $32.7 (market cap $40.49B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $328.31 (market cap $93.27B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 2.3× Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.'s market cap, and Valero Energy Corporation pays a 1.48% dividend while Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CMG | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $40.49B | $93.27B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Energy |
52-Week High | $44.04 | $323.92 |
52-Week Low | $28.17 | $133.38 |
Enterprise Value | $45.24B | $96.74B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.48% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CMG trades at $32.71, up 1.76% on the day, with a bearish technical signal driven by moving averages. The company reported strong revenue growth to $11.93B in 2025 and has consistently beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters. However, net cash flow turned negative at -$392M due to aggressive financing activities. Recent news highlights a salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños, creating near-term headwinds.
Wall Street maintains a bullish stance with a $42.17 consensus price target, representing 29% upside, and no sell ratings. Key risks include food safety issues, margin compression, and negative cash flow. The stock's high P/E of 29.63 requires sustained earnings growth to justify valuation.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $328.43, up 4.28% today, showing strong momentum after recent earnings beats. The stock maintains bullish technical signals with key resistance at $329 and support at $319. Recent Q2 2026 results significantly exceeded expectations with EPS of $12.54 versus $10.11 estimates, driven by robust refining margins and renewable diesel performance. Revenue trends show recovery from 2025's $122.7B to projected $139.4B in 2026.
VLO presents a compelling value opportunity with attractive valuation metrics (P/E 13.51, P/S 0.7) and strong profitability (ROE 29.31%). Analyst consensus favors Buy ratings (55.55%) with $324.27 price target. Key risks include refining margin volatility and geopolitical impacts on oil markets. The company's disciplined capital allocation and dividend payments ($1.20 quarterly) provide shareholder returns amid energy sector transformation.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Chipotle Mexican Grill is the largest fast-casual chain restaurant in the United States, with systemwide sales of $7.5 billion in 2021. The Mexican concept is entirely company-owned, with a footprint of more than 3,000 stores, heavily indexed to the United States (though the firm maintains a small presence in Canada, the U.K., France, and Germany). Chipotle sells burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and beverages, with a selling proposition built around competitive prices, high-quality food sourcing, speed of service, and convenience. The company generates its revenue entirely from restaurant sales and delivery fees.
Read more on CMG →Valero Energy is one of the largest independent refiners in the United States. It operates 14 refineries with a total throughput capacity of 3.2 million barrels a day in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Valero also owns 14 ethanol plants with capacity of 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol a year and holds a 50% stake in Diamond Green Diesel, which has capacity to produce 700 million gallons per year of renewable diesel.
Read more on VLO →