• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
FinanceChipotle

Chipotle Reportedly Builds Up Defense Against a Certain Activist Investor

By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 28, 2016, 2:06 AM ET
Chipotle Becomes First Non-GMO US Restaurant Chain
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 27: Chipotle restaurant workers fill orders for customers on the day that the company announced it will only use non-GMO ingredients in its food on April 27, 2015 in Miami, Florida. The company announced, that the Denver-based chain would not use the GMO's, which is an organism whose genome has been altered via genetic engineering in the food served at Chipotle Mexican Grills. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Photograph by Joe Raedle Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) has turned to high-profile investment bankers and lawyers to help defend against activist investor William Ackman, according to two people familiar with the matter on Thursday.

Investment banks Goldman Sachs Group (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS), as well as law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz LLP, are now working for the U.S. restaurant chain, the people said. Chipotle has also hired crisis public relations firm Joele Frank, they added.

Neither Ackman nor his New York-based hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital Management LP, have publicly made any demands of Chipotle after becoming its second-largest shareholder last month.

Billionaire Ackman is known for buying stakes in publicly traded companies and trying to force changes ranging from removing board members to selling off large parts of the company.

The sources asked not to be identified because the assignments are not public. Wachtell and Chipotle did not return calls seeking comment, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Joele Frank declined to comment on Thursday.

In early September, Pershing Square said in a regulatory filing that it has a 9.9% stake in Chipotle, becoming its biggest shareholder after Fidelity Investments.

Chipotle is struggling to revive sales after a string of food borne illness outbreaks last year sent its shares tumbling. As a result, Chipotle on Tuesday posted another dismal quarterly earnings performance.

Executives have vowed to make the chain leaner and more efficient. They have laid out plans for long-overdue investments in digital ordering and payments, deeper cost cuts, and said they would pursue strategic alternatives for its 15-unit ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen chain.

Chipotle in September said it welcomed Pershing Square’s investment and appreciated its confidence in the company.

Since then, Pershing Square and Chipotle have met at least once and have had telephone conversations, two people familiar with the matter said. They declined to discuss what the two sides have said to each other.

People familiar with Ackman‘s thinking have suggested that he believes Chipotle’s long-serving board is due for an overhaul, and that it needs to beef up its marketing, cost controls and information technology.

Ackman has been relatively quiet about his latest investment and the company’s share price has not moved in his favor. After the initial uptick following news of his stake, shares have fallen nearly 10%.

Activist-oriented hedge funds such as Pershing Square have been hit hard by redemptions, with investors pulling roughly 5% in capital this year alone, cutting assets under management to about $116 billion, divided among some 78 activist funds, data from Hedge Fund Research shows.

About the Authors
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Michelle Toh
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Finance

Photo of Trump
North AmericaDonald Trump
Netanyahu and Zelenskyy meet Trump at the White House as Washington honors Lindsey Graham
By The Associated PressJuly 28, 2026
3 hours ago
Coinbase and Robinhood are locked in a heated battle ahead of Q2 earnings—but only one is being called the industry’s ‘first hyperscaler’
CryptoRobinhood
Coinbase and Robinhood are locked in a heated battle ahead of Q2 earnings—but only one is being called the industry’s ‘first hyperscaler’
By Jeff John RobertsJuly 28, 2026
4 hours ago
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on July 24, 2026 in New York.
Big TechWall Street
‘A lot of panic around the AI investment’: How a chip slump is driving the Nasdaq toward correction 
By Eva RoytburgJuly 28, 2026
4 hours ago
Stressed rich Gen Zer looks at laptop
SuccessCost of living
Despite making over $135K, 1 in 5 high earners feel ‘depressed’ when thinking about their finances—they may have ‘money dysmorphia’
By Emma BurleighJuly 28, 2026
8 hours ago
What is professional liability insurance and who needs it?
Personal FinanceInsurance
What is professional liability insurance and who needs it?
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 28, 2026
9 hours ago
Sad-looking young woman
EconomyGen Z
The brutal math behind Gen Z’s lonely weekends: $15 drinks are driving a generational ‘spending hangover’
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 28, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
C-Suite
Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
Success
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
By Sydney LakeJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
4 days ago
LeBron James took a pay cut to maybe live in New York and commute to Philly by chopper, risking double taxation as NYC also tries to ban helicopters
Real Estate
LeBron James took a pay cut to maybe live in New York and commute to Philly by chopper, risking double taxation as NYC also tries to ban helicopters
By Catherina GioinoJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 28, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 28, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 28, 2026
13 hours ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.