Sales Growth Concerns: Cava has experienced a significant slowdown in same-restaurant sales growth, dropping from 11% in Q1 to just 1.9% in Q3, raising concerns among investors as consumers are dining out less.
Revenue and Expansion: Despite the sales slowdown, Cava's revenue rose 23% year-over-year to $905 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2025, and the company continues to expand rapidly, operating 415 restaurants with a goal of reaching 1,000 by 2032.
Investor Sentiment: The stock has fallen over 50% this year, partly due to rising costs affecting consumer behavior and an elevated P/E ratio, which may deter potential investors.
Future Outlook: Investors should monitor same-restaurant sales and restaurant openings to gauge Cava's ability to maintain its expansion and recover sales, which could position the company favorably as economic conditions improve.
CAVA
$52.43+Infinity%1D
Analyst Views on CAVA
Wall Street analysts forecast CAVA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CAVA is 71.69 USD with a low forecast of 52.00 USD and a high forecast of 100.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
17 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast CAVA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CAVA is 71.69 USD with a low forecast of 52.00 USD and a high forecast of 100.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
11 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 53.150
Low
52.00
Averages
71.69
High
100.00
Current: 53.150
Low
52.00
Averages
71.69
High
100.00
Truist
NULL
to
Buy
initiated
$66
2025-12-04
Reason
Truist
Price Target
$66
2025-12-04
initiated
NULL
to
Buy
Reason
Truist initiated coverage of Cava Group with a Buy rating and $66 price target. The firm says Cava is the leading Mediterranean fast-casual concept and should remain one of the fastest growing restaurant chains. The company has multiple same-store sales and new store development drivers, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Truist sees these supporting a premium valuation for the shares.
Citi
Neutral
maintain
2025-11-12
Reason
Citi
Price Target
2025-11-12
maintain
Neutral
Reason
Citi placed an "upside 90-day catalyst watch" on Cava Group while keeping a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm sees the company's sales improving as the U.S. government reopens in the coming weeks given its exposure to markets in and around Washington D.C.
Stifel
Chris O'Cull
Buy
downgrade
$100 -> $75
2025-11-05
Reason
Stifel
Chris O'Cull
Price Target
$100 -> $75
2025-11-05
downgrade
Buy
Reason
Stifel analyst Chris O'Cull lowered the firm's price target on Cava Group to $75 from $100 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. Q3 results were essentially in line with the firm's projections, though sales trend softened over the course of the quarter in response to macroeconomic pressures, leading management to trim its full-year 2025 comp guidance to 3%-4% from 4%-6%, the analyst noted. However, the core of the firm's thesis "remains firmly in place" and the firm maintains conviction in the long-term growth story, even as the concept navigates near-term headwinds, the analyst added.
Morgan Stanley
Equal Weight
downgrade
$95 -> $86
2025-11-05
Reason
Morgan Stanley
Price Target
$95 -> $86
2025-11-05
downgrade
Equal Weight
Reason
Morgan Stanley lowered the firm's price target on Cava Group to $86 from $95 and keeps an Equal Weight rating on the shares after the company pared back annual guidance to reflect slowing in Q4 in what the firm calls "hardly a surprise at this point." The firm, which has taken a more cautious view into 2026, says this is likely an overhang for an earlier stage brand until things pick up more clearly.
About CAVA
CAVA Group, Inc. is a category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand. The Company’s Mediterranean cuisine unites taste and health, with a menu that features chef-curated and customizable bowls and pitas. Its dips, spreads, and dressings are centrally produced and sold in grocery stores. Its menu offers a range of dietary preferences, from hearty and indulgent to vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, keto, and nut-free diets. Its guests can choose a chef-curated meal or a build-your-own-bowl or pita using its 38 ingredients with over 17.4 billion combinations. It has developed a multi-channel experience that consists of in-restaurant dining, digital pick-up, drive-thru pick-up in select restaurants, delivery, catering, and consumer packaged goods offerings, fully supported by its digital infrastructure. It operates two production facilities: one in Maryland and one in Virginia. It operates in approximately 26 states and the District of Columbia.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
