CAVA Group Inc (NYSE:CAVA) shares are trading marginally higher on Friday as investors continue to lean into the company's upbeat outlook and category-leading same-store sales momentum.
- CAVA Group shares are trending higher. Why are CAVA shares climbing?
What Is Driving CAVA Group’s Stock Momentum?
The latest push higher follows upbeat first-quarter results and a raised full-year same-store sales outlook to 7.8% (up from 6.1%), with management signaling caution on macro conditions while saying it isn't currently seeing an impact.
CAVA's first-quarter print also showed revenue of $438.27 million versus $411.25 million expected and adjusted EPS of 20 cents versus 17 cents expected, with total revenue up 32.2% year over year on 6.8% guest-traffic growth. The company opened 20 new restaurants in the quarter to reach 459 locations and ended with $295.77 million in cash.
CAVA's full-year framework is also doing work for the stock: fiscal 2026 same-restaurant sales growth was guided to 4.5% to 6.5% (up from 3% to 5%), while adjusted EBITDA was lifted to $181 million to $191 million (from $176 million to $184 million). Unit growth remains a key pillar, with plans to open 75 to 77 new restaurants this year.
CAVA Stock: Key Levels And Momentum Indicators
CAVA is in a consolidation phase after a volatile spring: it's down 1.4% over the past 12 months, and it's trading 1.6% below its 20-day SMA ($84.58) and 2.6% below its 50-day SMA ($85.39), which can act like overhead supply during rebounds. At the same time, the longer trend still leans constructive because the stock is 7.6% above its 100-day SMA ($77.30) and 20.8% above its 200-day SMA ($68.89), and the golden cross that formed in March remains a longer-term positive backdrop.
Momentum is best read through RSI, which is neutral at 46.45—basically telling traders the stock isn't stretched and is still deciding whether it can rebuild upside pressure after May's swing low. Earlier turning points matter here: RSI hit overbought in April near the prior peak and dipped into oversold in May, which is consistent with the stock shifting from a momentum run into a range that now needs a fresh catalyst to break.
- Key Resistance: $90.50 — a nearby ceiling that lines up with a prior rebound-stall zone after the April peak
- Key Support: $72.50 — a nearby floor that sits above the 200-day area and lines up with the post-May breakdown zone where buyers have shown up before
CAVA Stock Price Movement On Friday
CAVA Stock Price Activity: Cava Group shares were up 0.17% at $81.41 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Image: Courtesy of CAVA
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