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Side-by-side financial comparison of Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) and NOODLES & Co (NDLS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.0B vs $122.1M, roughly 24.4× NOODLES & Co). Chipotle Mexican Grill runs the higher net margin — 11.1% vs -7.5%, a 18.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Chipotle Mexican Grill posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.9% vs -4.1%). Chipotle Mexican Grill produced more free cash flow last quarter ($228.4M vs $-2.8M). Over the past eight quarters, Chipotle Mexican Grill's revenue compounded faster (5.1% CAGR vs -1.2%).

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., often known simply as Chipotle, is an American multinational chain of fast casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos, and Mission burritos made to order in front of the customer. As of December 2025, Chipotle has 4,000 locations. Its name derives from chipotle, the Nahuatl name for a smoked and dried jalapeño chili pepper.

Noodles & Company is an American fast-casual restaurant that offers international and American noodle dishes in addition to soups and salads. Noodles & Company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. The company went public in 2013 and recorded a $457 million revenue in 2017. In mid-2022, there were 458 Noodles & Company locations across 31 states.

CMG vs NDLS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CMG
CMG
24.4× larger
CMG
$3.0B
$122.1M
NDLS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CMG
CMG
+9.0% gap
CMG
4.9%
-4.1%
NDLS
Higher net margin
CMG
CMG
18.6% more per $
CMG
11.1%
-7.5%
NDLS
More free cash flow
CMG
CMG
$231.2M more FCF
CMG
$228.4M
$-2.8M
NDLS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CMG
CMG
Annualised
CMG
5.1%
-1.2%
NDLS

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Revenue
$3.0B
$122.1M
Net Profit
$330.9M
$-9.2M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
14.1%
-5.2%
Net Margin
11.1%
-7.5%
Revenue YoY
4.9%
-4.1%
Net Profit YoY
-0.3%
32.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.25
$-0.20

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$3.0B
Q3 25
$3.0B
$122.1M
Q2 25
$3.1B
$123.8M
Q1 25
$2.9B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$122.8M
Q3 24
$2.8B
$127.4M
Q2 24
$3.0B
$121.4M
Q1 24
$2.7B
$124.3M
Net Profit
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$330.9M
Q3 25
$382.1M
$-9.2M
Q2 25
$436.1M
$-9.1M
Q1 25
$386.6M
Q4 24
$331.8M
$-6.8M
Q3 24
$387.4M
$-13.6M
Q2 24
$455.7M
$-6.1M
Q1 24
$359.3M
$-6.1M
Operating Margin
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
14.1%
Q3 25
15.9%
-5.2%
Q2 25
18.2%
-5.2%
Q1 25
16.7%
Q4 24
14.6%
-3.9%
Q3 24
16.9%
-9.0%
Q2 24
19.7%
-3.4%
Q1 24
16.3%
-3.7%
Net Margin
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
11.1%
Q3 25
12.7%
-7.5%
Q2 25
14.2%
-7.3%
Q1 25
13.4%
Q4 24
11.7%
-5.5%
Q3 24
13.9%
-10.7%
Q2 24
15.3%
-5.1%
Q1 24
13.3%
-4.9%
EPS (diluted)
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$0.25
Q3 25
$0.29
$-0.20
Q2 25
$0.32
$-0.20
Q1 25
$0.28
Q4 24
$-12.51
$-0.15
Q3 24
$0.28
$-0.30
Q2 24
$0.33
$-0.14
Q1 24
$13.01
$-1.64

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.0B
$4.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$0
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.8B
$-38.9M
Total Assets
$9.0B
$280.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$1.0B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$4.7M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$1.4M
Q1 25
$1.4B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$3.3M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$1.8M
Q2 24
$1.5B
$1.3M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$3.0M
Total Debt
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$0
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$0
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$2.8B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$-38.9M
Q2 25
$3.5B
$-13.9M
Q1 25
$3.5B
Q4 24
$3.7B
$3.7M
Q3 24
$3.6B
$9.6M
Q2 24
$3.7B
$21.9M
Q1 24
$3.4B
$27.2M
Total Assets
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$9.0B
Q3 25
$9.3B
$280.6M
Q2 25
$9.3B
$319.4M
Q1 25
$9.0B
Q4 24
$9.2B
$340.5M
Q3 24
$9.0B
$346.3M
Q2 24
$8.9B
$360.4M
Q1 24
$8.4B
$368.1M
Debt / Equity
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
0.00×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.00×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$425.8M
$4.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$228.4M
$-2.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.7%
-2.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
6.6%
5.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.29×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.4B
$-7.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$425.8M
Q3 25
$569.7M
$4.3M
Q2 25
$561.3M
$4.0M
Q1 25
$557.1M
Q4 24
$526.8M
$5.8M
Q3 24
$446.5M
$4.7M
Q2 24
$562.6M
$7.0M
Q1 24
$569.2M
$164.0K
Free Cash Flow
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$228.4M
Q3 25
$406.2M
$-2.8M
Q2 25
$400.7M
$1.1M
Q1 25
$412.3M
Q4 24
$353.9M
$-1.3M
Q3 24
$299.0M
$-4.5M
Q2 24
$422.1M
$-1.6M
Q1 24
$436.5M
$-15.2M
FCF Margin
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
7.7%
Q3 25
13.5%
-2.3%
Q2 25
13.1%
0.9%
Q1 25
14.3%
Q4 24
12.4%
-1.1%
Q3 24
10.7%
-3.5%
Q2 24
14.2%
-1.4%
Q1 24
16.2%
-12.2%
Capex Intensity
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
6.6%
Q3 25
5.4%
5.8%
Q2 25
5.2%
2.4%
Q1 25
5.0%
Q4 24
6.1%
5.8%
Q3 24
5.3%
7.2%
Q2 24
4.7%
7.1%
Q1 24
4.9%
12.3%
Cash Conversion
CMG
CMG
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
1.29×
Q3 25
1.49×
Q2 25
1.29×
Q1 25
1.44×
Q4 24
1.59×
Q3 24
1.15×
Q2 24
1.23×
Q1 24
1.58×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CMG
CMG

U.S.Segment$2.9B98%
Chipotle Rewards$46.1M2%
Delivery Service$14.3M0%

NDLS
NDLS

Food And Beverage$119.6M98%
Franchise$2.5M2%

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