Chipotle (CMG) (PACW) (PAY) (PEB) (CLP) (CSA) Upgraded

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG), PacWest Bancorp (NASDAQ: PACW), Verifone (NYSE: PAY), Pebblebrook Hotel (NYSE: PEB), Colonial Properties (NYSE: CLP) and Cogdell Spencer Inc. (NYSE: CSA) were upgraded by analysts.

PacWest Bancorp (PACW) was upgraded by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods to an “Outperform” rating.

Verifone (PAY) was upgraded by RBC Capital from a “Sector Perform” rating to an “Outperform” rating. They have a price target of $48.00 on the company.

Pebblebrook Hotel (PEB) was upgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a “Neutral” rating to an “Outperform” rating.

Colonial Properties (CLP) was upgraded by BMO Capital Markets from an “Underperform” rating to a “Market Perform” rating.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) was upgraded by Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) from a “Hold” rating to a “Buy” rating.

Cogdell Spencer Inc. (CSA) was upgraded by BMO Capital Markets from an “Underperform” rating to a “Market Perform” rating.

RealD (RLD) (ROG) (RTLX) (CMG) (CNK) (CLF) Ratings, Price Targets

RealD Inc. (RLD), Rogers Co. (ROG), Retalix Ltd (RTLX), Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG), Cinemark Holdings Inc. (CNK) and Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (CLF) ratings and price targets.

Stifel Nicolaus reiterated its “Buy” rating on RealD Inc. (RLD). They have a price target of $14.00 on the company.

Rodman & Renshaw initiated coverage on Rogers Co. (ROG). They placed an “Outperform” rating and a price target of $55.00 on the company.

JMP Securities initiated coverage on Retalix Ltd (RTLX). They placed an “outperform” rating on the company.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) reiterated its “Equal Weight” on Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG).

Stifel Nicolaus reiterated its “Buy” rating on Cinemark Holdings Inc. (CNK). They have a price target of $23.00 on the company.

Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) initiated coverage on Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (CLF). They placed an “Outperform” rating on the company.

AFC (AFCE) (ANW) (ASH) (BBG) (CGV) (CMG) Upgraded

AFC Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFCE), Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. (NYSE: ANW), Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), Bill Barrett Corp. (NYSE: BBG), CGG Veritas (NYSE: CGV) and Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) were upgraded by analysts.

AFC Enterprises, Inc. (AFCE) was upgraded by Feltl & Co. from a “Hold” rating to a “Buy” rating. They have a price target of $17.00 on the company, up from $15.00.

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. (ANW) was upgraded by Dahlman Rose from a “Hold” rating to a “Buy” rating. They have a price target of $9.00 on the company.

Ashland Inc. (ASH) was upgraded by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) from a “Neutral” rating to an “Overweight” rating. They have a price target of $62.00 on the company.

Bill Barrett Corp. (BBG) was upgraded by Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) from a “Sell” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

CGG Veritas (CGV) was upgraded by Barclays Capital from an “Equal Weight” rating to an “Overweight” rating.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) was upgraded by Miller Tabak from a “Sell” rating to a “Hold” rating. They have a price target of $286.00 on the company, up from $245.00.

Chipotle (CMG) (UMPQ) (CLB) (UNP) (TZOO) (CCI) Price Targets Changed

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG), Umpqua Holdings Co. (NASDAQ: UMPQ), Core Labs (NYSE: CLB), Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP), Travelzoo Inc. (NASDAQ: TZOO) and Crown Castle (NYSE: CCI) had price targets on them adjusted by analysts.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) had its price target raised by Miller Tabak from $237.00 to $245.00. They have a “Sell” rating on the company.

Umpqua Holdings Co. (UMPQ) had its price target raised by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) to $12.50.

Core Labs (CLB) had its price target lowered by Dahlman Rose from $105.00 to $75.00. They have a “Hold” rating on the company.

Union Pacific (UNP) had its price target raised by Dahlman Rose from $118.00 to $120.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the company.

Travelzoo Inc. (TZOO) had its price target raised by Morgan Keegan to $31.00.

Crown Castle (CCI) had its price target lowered by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) to $53.00.

Chipotle (CMG) (ATHN) (BJRI) (CALX) (CB) (CBE) Ratings Reiterated

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG), AthenaHealth (NASDAQ: ATHN), BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ: BJRI), Calix Networks (NASDAQ: CALX), The Chubb Corp (NYSE: CB) and Cooper Industries PLC (NYSE: CBE) had ratings on them reiterated by analysts.

Piper Jaffray (NYSE:PJC) reiterated its "Overweight" rating on Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG). They have a price target of $352.00 on the company.

Piper Jaffray reiterated its "Overweight" rating on AthenaHealth (ATHN).

Piper Jaffray reiterated its "Overweight" rating on BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (BJRI). They have a price target of $52.00 on the company.

Morgan Keegan reiterated its "Market Perform" rating on Calix Networks (CALX).

JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated its "Underweight" rating on The Chubb Corp. (CB).

Citigroup (NYSE:C) reiterated its "Buy" rating on Cooper Industries PLC (CBE). They have a price target of $55.00 on the company.

Anadarko (APC) (VRSK) (BKE) (SIX) (CERN) (CGV) (CMG) Upgraded

Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC), Verisk Analytics Inc (NASDAQ: VRSK), Buckle (NYSE: BKE), Six Flags Entertainment Corp (NYSE: SIX), Cerner Corp (NASDAQ: CERN), CGG Veritas (NYSE: CGV) and Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) upgraded by analysts.

Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) was upgraded by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc from a “Market Perform” rating to an “Outperform” rating.

Anadarko Petroleum (APC) was upgraded by Ticonderoga from a “Neutral” rating to a “Buy” rating. They have a price target of $90.00 on the company.

Buckle (BKE) was upgraded by Sterne Agee from a “Neutral” rating to a “Buy” rating. They have a price target of $47.00 on the company.

Six Flags Entertainment Corp (SIX) was upgraded by Miller Tabak from a “Hold” rating to a “Buy” rating. They have a price target of $42.00 on the company.

Cerner Corp. (CERN) was upgraded by Cowen from a “Neutral” rating to an “Outperform” rating.

CGG Veritas (CGV) was upgraded by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) from an “Underweight” rating to an “Overweight” rating.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) was upgraded by Morgan Keegan from a “Market Perform” rating to an “Outperform” rating. They have a price target of $330.00 on the company.

Big Movers (NVEC) (LCAPA) (CMG) (GMCR) (PRAA) on May 6

Among the big, positive movers on Friday, May 6, were NVE Corp. (NVEC), Liberty Media Corp. (LCAPA), Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), Green Mountain Coffee (GMCR) and Portfolio Recovery (PRAA).

NVE Corp. (NVEC) jumped $2.42, to close at $58.08, a gain of 4.35 percent.

Liberty Media Corp. (LCAPA) was up $2.35 on the day to close at $86.96, a gain of 2.78 percent.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) climbed $2.33 to close at $268.10, a gain of 0.88 percent.

Green Mountain Coffee (GMCR) rose $2.21 to close the session at $75.88, a gain of 3.00 percent.

Portfolio Recovery (PRAA) was up $2.17 to end the day at $85.51, a gain of 2.60.

Time to Sell Chipotle (CMG)?

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NASDAQ:CMG) has rightly been one of the stock darlings of investors for some time, but now that circumstances surrounding the industry are getting worse, in regard to rising food costs and the overall economy, whereby people tend to eat out less (higher gas prices), even this high-flying stock will need to be approached cautiously going forward.

Like retailers and airlines, restaurants like Chipotle face the problem of rising inputs and reaching the top level of how much they can raise prices.

They could pull something like retailers do with packaging, offer smaller meals for the same price as before. But other than that, there's not much more they can do. Either it boosts its prices, eats the shrinking margins or changes its meal sizes.

The problem isn't going to come from its competitors, as they face the same issues. The problem comes from the consumer and whether they feel like they can afford to go out and eat, or look for places in their budgets to save, which in the case of eating out, is usually near the top of the list.

Chipotle will face challenges in satisfying shareholders and potential investors, as their strong growth cycle may be under pressure, even if they continue to roll out new restaurants.

Same-store sales are sure to fall, or at least margins and earnings will come under pressure. This doesn't look like something that will go away anytime soon either. It appears to be tough times again for the economy in general, which will include even those like Chipotle which have been growing at strong rates.

Chipotle closed Friday at $269.24, dropping $5.46, or 1.99 percent.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) Downgrade Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) on Rising Food Prices, Goldman (NYSE:GS) Still Likes Them

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) were among four companies downgrading Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG), as food companies like Kellogg (NYSE:K) and Kraft (NYSE:KFT) are warning of the need to raise prices because of increasing food costs.

Miller Tabak and Morgan Keegan also downgraded Chipotle, but Goldman Sachs is going against the grain, maintaining "Buy" rating on the restaurant chain.

Goldman noted that Chipotle's sales growth will be able to overcome the higher costs of food.

They Chipotle is "the best growth story within our coverage universe and believe the company is still very early in its long-term growth trajectory."

Goldman raised their price target on Chipotle from $285 to $310.

Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) Shares Soar as Earnings Blow Past Expectations

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) skyrocketed in after hours trading, as the company rocketed past analysts' expectations.

Earnings in the fourth quarter surged to $1.47 a share, beating estimates of $1.29 a share by 18 cents. Revenue also handily beat estimates, coming in at $482.5 million, beating the $468.51 analysts were looking for. It was a 24.5 percent gain over the same period last year.

Founder, Chairman, and Co-CEO Steve Ells said, “Our accomplishments in 2010 were many - opening our first restaurant in London, hitting the 1,000 restaurant milestone, and serving naturally raised barbacoa in all of our restaurants - just to name a few. All of our accomplishments were made possible by remaining focused on our vision to change the way the world thinks about and eats fast food.”

Same-store sales jumped by 12.6 percent, a good measure of the health of any company of this type.

In after hours trading, Chipotle rose to $279.00, up $22.37, or 8.72 percent.