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LOCO Stock Chart & Stats
$15.93
$0.26(1.63%)
At close: 4:00 PM EDT
$15.93
$0.26(1.63%)
Day’s Range― - ―
52-Week Range$8.99 - $17.40
Previous Close$16.19
Volume139.84K
Average Volume (3M)242.50K
Market Cap
$501.29M
Enterprise Value$641.19
Total Cash (Recent Filing)$3.90M
Total Debt (Recent Filing)$232.97M
Price to Earnings (P/E)16.6
Beta0.88
Next Earnings
Aug 06, 2026EPS Estimate
0.28Next Dividend Ex-DateN/A
Dividend YieldN/A
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)0.99
Shares Outstanding30,455,297
10 Day Avg. Volume278,012
30 Day Avg. Volume242,502
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio1.98
Price to Book (P/B)1.05
Price to Sales (P/S)0.62
P/FCF Ratio12.03
Enterprise Value/Market Cap<0.01
Enterprise Value/Revenue<0.01
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit<0.01
Enterprise Value/Ebitda<0.01
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$19.38Price Target Upside21.63% Upside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering5
EPS Forecast (FY)0.97
Revenue Forecast (FY)$503.90M
Bulls Say, Bears Say
Bulls Say
Improved LeverageMaterial deleveraging has strengthened the company’s capital structure, reducing interest and solvency risk. A lower debt-to-equity ratio improves flexibility to fund remodels, unit growth, or buybacks, and reduces downside risk if comps or margins moderate over the next 2–6 months.
Restaurant-level Margin ExpansionSustained improvement in restaurant-level margins reflects operational levers (food, labor efficiencies) that increase unit economics. Durable margin expansion supports higher adjusted EBITDA, funds reinvestment and unit openings, and provides resilience to moderate commodity or wage inflation.
Digital, Loyalty, And Unit Growth RunwayA rising digital mix and stronger loyalty engagement drive frequency and higher check sizes, creating a durable revenue channel less reliant on traffic spikes. Combined with a clear multi-market unit growth plan (company and franchise), this supports scalable margin improvement and long-term same-store sales upside.
Bears Say
Thin Liquidity Vs. Planned CapexVery low cash relative to outstanding debt and sizable planned capex increases refinancing and execution risk. The company may need to draw on revolver, issue debt, or curtail buybacks, reducing financial flexibility and elevating short-to-medium term funding and timing risk for growth initiatives.
Gross Margin PressureA meaningful year-over-year gross margin decline signals persistent cost or mix headwinds. If commodity, packaging, or pricing dynamics persist, lower gross margins compress operating profit and free cash flow, limiting ability to sustainably fund openings, remodels, or shareholder returns.
Execution Risk From Rapid Expansion & RemodelsAccelerated openings and remodels increase operational complexity that can impair service, margins, and franchise relations if execution lags. Speed-of-service gaps and timing-related franchise revenue variability raise the chance that short-term rollout issues could dent long-term unit economics and brand momentum.
El Pollo LoCo News
LOCO FAQ
What was El Pollo LoCo’s price range in the past 12 months?
El Pollo LoCo lowest stock price was $8.98 and its highest was $17.40 in the past 12 months.
What is El Pollo LoCo’s market cap?
El Pollo LoCo’s market cap is $501.29M.
When is El Pollo LoCo’s upcoming earnings report date?
El Pollo LoCo’s upcoming earnings report date is Aug 06, 2026 which is in 4 days.
How were El Pollo LoCo’s earnings last quarter?
El Pollo LoCo released its earnings results on May 07, 2026. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.216 by $0.064.
Is El Pollo LoCo overvalued?
According to Wall Street analysts El Pollo LoCo’s price is currently Undervalued.
Does El Pollo LoCo pay dividends?
El Pollo LoCo pays a Notavailable dividend of $1.5 which represents an annual dividend yield of N/A. See more information on El Pollo LoCo dividends here
What is El Pollo LoCo’s EPS estimate?
El Pollo LoCo’s EPS estimate is 0.28.
How many shares outstanding does El Pollo LoCo have?
El Pollo LoCo has 30,455,297 shares outstanding.
What happened to El Pollo LoCo’s price movement after its last earnings report?
El Pollo LoCo reported an EPS of $0.28 in its last earnings report, beating expectations of $0.216. Following the earnings report the stock price went up 3.627%.
Which hedge fund is a major shareholder of El Pollo LoCo?
Currently, no hedge funds are holding shares in LOCO
What is the TipRanks Smart Score and how is it calculated?
Smart Score combines eight research factors - such as analyst recommendations, hedge fund trends, and technical indicators - to measure a stock’s outlook. These signals are unified into a single score that reflects bullish or bearish momentum. See detailed methodology
El Pollo LoCo Stock Smart Score
Neutral
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Analyst Consensus
Moderate Buy
Average Price Target:
$19.38 (21.63% Upside)
$19.38 (21.63% Upside)
Blogger Sentiment
Bullish
LOCO Sentiment 100%
Sector Average 64%
Sector Average 64%
Hedge Fund Trend
Decreased
By 139.5K Shares
Last Quarter.
Last Quarter.
Insider Transactions
Sold Shares
Worth $6.6M over
the Last 3 Months
the Last 3 Months
Technicals
SMA
Positive
20 days / 200 days
Momentum
-7.82%
12-Months-Change
Fundamentals
Return on Equity
―
Trailing 12-Months
Asset Growth
3.16%
Trailing 12-Months
Company Description
El Pollo LoCo
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., primarily operating through its El Pollo Loco, Inc. subsidiary, is engaged in the development, franchising, licensing, and direct management of quick-service restaurants under the El Pollo Loco brand. By May 4, 2022, its network encompassed 480 establishments: 189 company-owned locations and 291 franchised outlets situated across California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana. The company also licenses a single restaurant operating in the Philippines. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, the company adopted its current name, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., in April 2014, having previously been known as Chicken Acquisition Corp.
LOCO Earnings Call
Q1 2026
0:00 / 0:00
Earnings Call Sentiment|Positive
The call conveyed clear operational momentum: strong comparable sales (+5.8% in Q1), meaningful restaurant-level margin expansion (+320 bps to 19.2%), higher profitability (adjusted EBITDA +31%) and successful product innovation and loyalty engagement. Management raised full-year comps and EBITDA guidance and outlined an aggressive unit growth plan. Key risks include a modest near-term liquidity position (low cash vs. outstanding debt and elevated planned capex), a timing-related decline in franchise revenue, ongoing commodity/wage inflation and continued focus needed on speed-of-service. Overall, positive fundamentals and upgraded guidance outweigh the highlighted challenges.View all LOCO earnings summariesLOCO Stock 12 Month Forecast
Average Price Target
$19.38
▲(21.63% Upside)
Technical Analysis
Ownership Overview
15.04% Insiders
17.01% Mutual Funds
1.29% Other Institutional Investors
53.08% Public Companies and
Individual Investors