With this headline I risk looking pretty stupid after earnings on Feb. 10, but that is the fun of this site isn't it? I have a bit of armchair analysis and a pinch of gut feeling here - Q3 2009 for Chipotle 1.08, Q3 2010 1.52 (a 40.7% increase). So if we simply apply the same year-over-year growth rate to Q4 2009, 0.99, we get 1.39. Or .10 more than the current consensus estimate for earnings and just below the very top of analysts' range. Add to that the fact that this company has beat consensus estimates 8 quarters in a row.
Add to that the fact that every Chipotle you know of is totally packed, with almost no drop-off seasonally, it would seem as casually evidence by this tweet
@: Stopped at Chipotle 2 get a quick bite 2 eat.. Place is packed! Line out the door! I mean it's gd but not THAT gd.
And my feeling is earnings will push this one up well into the 230s. Real life call position opened with CMG right about at 222, while writing this it's gone up a bit. But the sentiment still applies from 224.