Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. vs Yum! Brands, Inc. — how do they compare? Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. trades at $35.84 (market cap $46.73B), while Yum! Brands, Inc. trades at $154.45 (market cap $43.60B). The key difference: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. and Yum! Brands, Inc. are close in size by market cap, and Yum! Brands, Inc. pays a 1.9% dividend while Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CMG | YUM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $46.73B | $43.60B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $53.95 | $168.16 |
52-Week Low | $28.17 | $138.21 |
Enterprise Value | $51.11B | $54.86B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.9% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) trades at $36.63, up 3.91% with strong technical and fundamental momentum. The stock shows bullish technical signals with support at $36 and resistance at $37-38. Recent earnings beats and international expansion into Mexico highlight growth potential, though valuation remains elevated with a P/E of 33.61. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 70% buy ratings and a $40.43 price target.
CMG offers growth exposure through international expansion and operational excellence, but faces risks from premium valuation and margin pressures. Revenue growth has slowed to 5.3% in 2025 from 15.1% in 2023, while net margins declined to 12.87%. The stock's premium multiple requires sustained execution to justify current levels amid competitive and inflationary pressures.
YUM Brands trades at $161.69, down 1.13% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and key resistance at $163. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $1.50, beating expectations, while revenue grew to $8.21B in 2025. Recent news includes a Taco Bell health investigation and the $2.7B Pizza Hut sale, which may streamline operations.
YUM's outlook is supported by strong cash flow and margin stability, but high debt and competitive pressures pose risks. Analysts maintain a $174.60 price target with a mixed buy/hold consensus. The stock offers growth potential post-Pizza Hut divestiture, though investor sentiment is cautious amid near-term headwinds.
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 →Yum Brands is a U.S.-based restaurant operator featuring a portfolio of four brands: KFC (26,930 global units), Pizza Hut (18,380 units), Taco Bell (7,790 units), and The Habit Burger (310 units) at year-end 2021. With $58 billion in 2021 systemwide sales, the firm is the second-largest restaurant company in the world, behind McDonald's ($112.5 billion) but ahead of Restaurant Brands International ($36 billion) and Starbucks ($25 billion). Yum is 98% franchised, with the largest franchisee, Yum China, created via a 2016 spinoff transaction (after which Yum China agreed to pay 3% royalties to Yum Brands in perpetuity). Yum is the newest evolution of Tricon Brands, formerly a division of PepsiCo, and generates the bulk of its revenue from franchise royalties and marketing contributions.
Read more on YUM →