CAVA's 1.28% Drop and 31.73% Volume Plunge Push Stock to 492nd in U.S. Trading Activity

On September 25, 2025, CAVA Group (CAVA) closed with a 1.28% decline, trading at a volume of $230 million—a 31.73% drop from the previous day’s activity. The stock ranked 492nd in trading volume among listed equities, signaling reduced market engagement. Analysts noted the move reflected broader sector pressures amid shifting consumer preferences in the fast-casual dining space.

Recent developments highlighted CAVA’s strategic pivot toward cost optimization, with management emphasizing menu simplification and supply chain efficiency. While these measures aim to stabilize margins, mixed consumer sentiment toward value-driven concepts has kept the stock under pressure. Institutional activity remained subdued, with no major buyouts or short-term trading catalysts reported in the past week.

To set up this back-test rigorously I need to pin down a couple of practical details that aren’t fully specified yet: 1. Universe • Should we limit the ranking to U.S. listed common stocks (NYSE + NASDAQ) or a different equity universe? 2. Trade timing • Do you want to (a) form the portfolio at today’s close and exit at tomorrow’s close, or (b) buy at tomorrow’s open and exit at tomorrow’s close? • Equal-weight each of the 500 names each day? 3. Transaction frictions • Commissions/slippage assumptions (e.g., ignore, or apply a flat bps cost)? If the above defaults work for you, I can proceed with: • Universe: all U.S. common stocks (NYSE + NASDAQ) • Entry at today’s close, exit at tomorrow’s close • Equal-weight portfolio, no transaction costs Let me know if you’d like any changes—then I’ll run the back-test and share the results.