Chipotle Stock Under $45: Golden Opportunity or Value Trap?

Group 1 - Chipotle Mexican Grill's stock price has decreased 44% from its peak in June 2024, despite a previous increase of 368% over the five years leading to that peak [1] - The current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of Chipotle is 34, which is close to the lowest valuation multiple in the last decade, compared to an average P/E ratio of 82.9 since January 2016 [2][7] - The company is projected to open 330 net new stores in 2025 and plans to expand by another 350 to 370 locations this year, aiming for a total of 7,000 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada in the long run [4] Group 2 - Despite recent pressures on same-store sales due to tighter consumer spending, Chipotle is expected to generate much higher profits in the future through its expansion plans [3][4] - Investors may need to exercise patience, but Chipotle could potentially be a winning stock over the next five years [5]