CAVA: The Restaurant Everyone Loves At A Price Nobody Should Pay (Earnings Preview)

CAVA Group, Inc. is a strong operator, but its nearly 6x sales valuation is difficult to justify amid stretched growth expectations. Restaurant-level economics are robust, with 21.4% margins and 2.5–3 year paybacks, but long-term AUV and margin expansion face practical limits. Current valuation implies aggressive growth and margin assumptions; even optimistic scenarios yield price targets well below the current $76 stock price.