GlobeNewsWire·6 days ago
El Pollo Loco® Marks Development Milestone as it Enters 10th StateDevelopment pipeline accelerates and restaurant margins continue to climb Development pipeline accelerates and restaurant margins continue to climb
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.(LOCO)Earnings, Financials & Key Ratios
LOCO•NASDAQ
$16.30
18.1× P/E·Price updated Jul 6, 2026
AboutEl Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, El Pollo Loco, Inc., develops, franchises, licenses, and operates quick-service restaurants under the El Pollo Loco name. As of May 04, 2022, the company operated 480 restaurants comprising 189 company-operated and 291 franchised restaurants located in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana. It also licenses one restaurant in the Philippines. The company was formerly known as Chicken Acquisition Corp. and changed its name to El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. in April 2014. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California.Show more
- Revenue$490M+3.6%
- EBITDA$58M+2.7%
- Net Income$26M+3.1%
- EPS (Diluted)0.90+4.7%
- Gross Margin28.64%+30.9%
- EBITDA Margin11.92%-0.9%
- Operating Margin8.66%-0.4%
- Net Margin5.4%-0.5%
- ROE9.6%-4.4%
LOCO Price & Volume
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) stock price & volume — 10-year historical chart
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Operational Volatility Challenges Long Term Margin Stability
Investment Thesis • Updated 2026Q1
VerdictNeutral
Growth:Stable
Profitability:Moderate
Financial:Healthy
Cash Flow:Mixed
Primary Risk:California labor cost inflation
Key Thesis Takeaways
- El Pollo Loco demonstrates a disciplined approach to debt reduction, successfully lowering its debt-to-equity ratio from 1.09 in 2023Q4 to 0.77 by 2026Q1.
- However, the company faces persistent headwinds from localized labor cost inflation and significant margin volatility, with net margins fluctuating between 3.9% and 6.5% over the last ten quarters.
- Investors should remain cautious as the high concentration of goodwill, representing $248.7M of $609.1M in total assets, combined with a thin current ratio of 0.34, suggests limited liquidity buffers against operational shocks.
Verdict Logic
while the company has successfully deleveraged, the current P/E of 18.69 and the thin current ratio of 0.34 suggest that the market may be underpricing the risks associated with ongoing labor cost pressures.
LOCO Growth Metrics
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) revenue, earnings & EPS growth — 3, 5 & 10-year CAGR
Revenue CAGR
10 Years3.27%
5 Years2.84%
3 Years1.4%
TTM4.42%
Profit CAGR
10 Years0.97%
5 Years1.59%
3 Years8.39%
TTM15.48%
EPS CAGR
10 Years3.8%
5 Years5.77%
3 Years16.45%
TTM15.29%
Return on Capital
10 Years5.88%
5 Years7.4%
3 Years7.89%
Last Year8.13%
LOCO Recent Earnings
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) EPS & revenue vs analyst estimates — last 4 quarters
●Beat EPS 10/12 qtrs (83%)●Beat Revenue 10/12 qtrs (83%)
Q2 2026Latest
May 7, 2026Metric
Actual
Est
EPS
$0.28+27.3%
$0.22
Rev
$126M+3.4%
$122M
Q2 2026
Mar 12, 2026Metric
Actual
Est
EPS
$0.25+19.0%
$0.21
Rev
$124M+0.8%
$123M
Q4 2025
Oct 30, 2025Metric
Actual
Est
EPS
$0.27+17.4%
$0.23
Rev
$122M-0.5%
$122M
Q3 2025
Jul 31, 2025Metric
Actual
Est
EPS
$0.28+12.0%
$0.25
Rev
$126M+0.8%
$125M
| Quarter | Date | EPS (Act vs Est) | Revenue (Act vs Est) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026Latest | May 7, 2026 | $0.28vs $0.22+27.3% | $126Mvs $122M+3.4% |
| Q2 2026 | Mar 12, 2026 | $0.25vs $0.21+19.0% | $124Mvs $123M+0.8% |
| Q4 2025 | Oct 30, 2025 | $0.27vs $0.23+17.4% | $122Mvs $122M-0.5% |
| Q3 2025 | Jul 31, 2025 | $0.28vs $0.25+12.0% | $126Mvs $125M+0.8% |
Based on last 12 quarters of dataView full earnings history →
Latest LOCO News
Recent stock market news and headlines for El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO)
GlobeNewsWire·Jun 23, 2026
El Pollo Loco® Introduces its Loaded Quesadillas and Chatacoffee™COSTA MESA, Calif., June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- El Pollo Loco, Inc., the nation's leading fire–grilled chicken restaurant chain, is turning it up for summer with new menu items – Loaded Quesadillas and Chatacoffee™ available for a limited time at participating locations starting June 25.
PRNewsWire·Jun 16, 2026
THE WAIT IS OVER: EL POLLO LOCO® BRINGS BACK BBQ BLACK BEANS/PRNewswire/ -- El Pollo Loco, Inc., the nation's leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, has heard the calls loud and clear. After years of fans asking
Peers Comparison
Key metrics vs top competitors for El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO)
| Company | Price | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | Rev Growth (1Y) | Net Margin | ROE | Div Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $16.30 | $496.42M | 18.11 | 3.6% | 5.4% | 9.6% | — | |
| $15.82 | $301.74M | -3.76 | -6.75% | 2.82% | — | — | |
| $186.01 | $12.23B | 30.49 | 9.39% | 6.85% | 27.87% | — | |
| $54.18 | $2.18B | 49.71 | 15.38% | 2.76% | 7.62% | — | |
| $10.17 | $2.81B | 16.14 | 16.43% | 20.69% | 18.54% | — | |
| $68.09 | $8.64B | 108.08 | 27.88% | 4.61% | 9.16% | — |
Compare LOCO vs Peers
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) vs competitors — business, growth, and fundamentals comparison against the closest industry rivals.
LOCO SEC Filings & Documents
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) SEC filings — annual & quarterly reports (10-K, 10-Q)
8-K Announcements
6Material company update
May 7, 2026·SEC
Material company update
Mar 12, 2026·SEC
Material company update
Jan 28, 2026·SEC
10-K Annual Reports
410-Q Quarterly Reports
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LOCO Frequently Asked Questions
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) stock FAQ — growth, dividends, profitability & financials explained
Growth & Financials
What is El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s revenue?
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) reported $497.1M in revenue for fiscal year 2025. This represents a 69% increase from $293.6M in 2012.
How fast is El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. growing?
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) grew revenue by 3.6% over the past year. Growth has been modest.
Is LOCO profitable?
Yes, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) is profitable, generating $29.2M in net income for fiscal year 2025 (5.4% net margin).
Dividend & Returns
What is LOCO's return on equity?
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) has a return on equity (ROE) of 9.6%. This is below average, suggesting room for improvement.
What is El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s free cash flow?
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) generated $26.9M in free cash flow for fiscal year 2025. Positive FCF indicates the company can fund dividends, buybacks, or reinvestment.