Chipotle Mexican Grill Templar on Wednesday its annual prognosis of comparable sales growth, since sticky inflation and economic uncertainty force consumers to dinner less, sending the shares of the burrito chain 3% after the hours.
The company now expects an annual growth of comparable sales in the low range of a single digit, compared to an earlier forecast for a single -digit low digit increase.
The radical tariffs of President Trump about commercial partners, including Mexico and Canada, as well as an intensive commercial war with China, have raised the recession in the United States and forced companies to withdraw their annual expectations as an consumer agreement. Deal.
Although Chipotle has so far benefited from the innovation of the menu and the optimization of kitchen operations, the company could face some impact of import tariffs on goods such as avocados and beef, analysts have indicated.
“In February, we submitted to see that high level of uncertainty that consumers felt. Consumers were saving money because or Conerns around the economy, and reducing restaurant visits. These trends continued in April,” the CEO called.
The sales of comparable restaurants from Chipotle fell 0.4% in the first quarter that ended on March 31, compared to a 5.4% increase in the previous three months.
The company reported total income of $ 2.85 billion, below the average estimates of analysts of $ 2.95 billion, according to the data compiled by LSE.
The operating margin at the restaurant level fell to 26.2% in the first quarter, compared to 27.5% a year ago
In January, Chipotle said Trump’s tariffs in Mexico would lead to an impact based on approximately 60 on their raw material costs for the year.
In an attempt to protect the margins from the highest contribution costs, the company has also invested in the introduction of technology, such as producing cutters and rice pots of three levels that help optimize labor and time in the kitchen.
