Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Compared to Estimates, Cava (CAVA) Q1 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

Read MoreHide Full Article

Cava Group (CAVA - Free Report) reported $438.27 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 32.1%. EPS of $0.20 for the same period compares to $0.22 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +4.49% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $419.46 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.17, the EPS surprise was +16.28%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Cava performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
  • End of period CAVA Restaurants: 459 compared to the 458 average estimate based on nine analysts.
  • CAVA Same Restaurant Sales Growth: 9.7% versus the nine-analyst average estimate of 6.2%.
  • Occupancy as a percentage of CAVA Revenue: 6.9% versus 7.2% estimated by five analysts on average.
  • New CAVA restaurant openings, including converted Zoes Kitchen locations: 20 versus the four-analyst average estimate of 17.
  • Revenue- CAVA Restaurant: $434.39 million versus the eight-analyst average estimate of $416.57 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +32.2%.
  • Restaurant-Level profit- CAVA: $108.85 million versus $104.52 million estimated by four analysts on average.

View all Key Company Metrics for Cava here>>>

Shares of Cava have returned -18% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)

Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.

Click Here, It's Really Free

Published in