CMG vs CAVA Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
Compare Chipotle and Cava by same-store sales growth, unit economics, average unit volume, AUV-to-valuation ratio, digital mix, and whether Cava can replicate Chipotle's compounding story.
Use this Chipotle vs Cava comparison to evaluate the key differences across valuation, growth, profitability, and risk before making an investment decision.
CMG and CAVA are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. CAVA has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-28.11% vs -30.50%), though CMG has the better forward P/E setup (25.42x vs 82.44x for CAVA). Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for CAVA (+50.04%) than for CMG (+25.40%).
| Metric | CMG | CAVA |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 49.5 | 35.0 |
| AI rank | #538 | #1699 |
| Latest close | $31.79 | $62.01 |
| 1M return | +0.32% | -24.60% |
| 6M return | -22.22% | -6.17% |
| 1Y return | -30.50% | -28.11% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | CMG | CAVA |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $6.8K (-32.0%) started 2025-07-25 | $7.19K (-28.1%) started 2025-07-24 |
| 5Y ago | $8.8K (-12.0%) started 2021-07-26 | $14.16K (+41.6%) started 2023-06-15 |
| 10Y ago | $36K (+260.0%) started 2016-07-25 | $14.16K (+41.6%) started 2023-06-15 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | CMG | CAVA |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $44.18B | $7.22B |
| Trailing P/E | 31.60 | 119.25 |
| Forward P/E | 25.42 | 82.44 |
| Price/Sales | N/A | 5.62 |
| EV/Revenue | 4.00 | 5.80 |
| Analyst target | $43.19 | $93.04 |
| Target upside | +25.40% | +50.04% |
| Metric | CMG | CAVA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 7.40% | 32.10% |
| Earnings growth | -17.90% | -9.10% |
| EPS growth | -17.90% | -9.10% |
| FCF margin | +8.96% | -0.92% |
| Operating margin | 13.27% | N/A |
| Profit margin | 11.96% | 4.79% |
| ROIC proxy | 49.23% | 8.02% |
| Return on equity | 49.23% | 8.02% |
| Dividend yield | N/A | 0.00% |
| Beta | 0.96 | 1.69 |
| Debt/equity | 217.88 | 61.54 |
| Current ratio | 0.92 | 2.65 |
| Quick ratio | 0.78 | 2.53 |
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | CMG | CAVA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | -32.01% | -28.11% |
| CAGR | -32.09% | -28.13% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.96 | -0.34 | |
| Max drawdown | 39.73% | 51.74% | |
| Max daily drop | 18.18% | 16.63% | |
| Max wkly drop | 23.26% | 22.46% | |
| 5Y | Growth | -12.03% | +41.64% |
| CAGR | -2.53% | +11.85% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.04 | 0.41 | |
| Max drawdown | 58.89% | 71.11% | |
| Max daily drop | 18.18% | 16.63% | |
| Max wkly drop | 23.26% | 25.51% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +260.01% | +41.64% |
| CAGR | +13.67% | +11.85% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.41 | 0.41 | |
| Max drawdown | 58.89% | 71.11% | |
| Max daily drop | 18.18% | 16.63% | |
| Max wkly drop | 28.03% | 25.51% |
| Category | CMG | CAVA |
|---|---|---|
| Company | CMG | CAVA |
| Sector | Consumer Cyclical | N/A |
| Industry | N/A | N/A |
| Core business | N/A | N/A |
| Investor focus | N/A | N/A |
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