El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) 10-Year Financial Performance & Capital Metrics

LOCO • • Industrial / General

Consumer CyclicalRestaurantsQuick Service Restaurants (QSR)Chicken-Focused QSR

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 $473M +0.9%
EBITDA $57M +3.4%
Net Income $26M +0.5%
EPS (Diluted) 0.86 +16.2%
Gross Margin 21.88% +9.9%
EBITDA Margin 12.03% +2.4%
Operating Margin 8.7% +2.5%
Net Margin 5.43% -0.4%
ROE 10.05% +4.5%
ROIC 5.95% +2.7%
Debt/Equity 1.01 -7.5%
Interest Coverage 6.98 -15.6%

Technical Analysis

Key Insights

Based on financial data analysis

✓Strengths

✓Strong Piotroski F-Score: 8/9
✓High quality earnings: Operating CF exceeds net income
✓Share count reduced 12.6% through buybacks
✓Trading at only 1.3x book value

✗Weaknesses

No significant weaknesses identified

Price & Volume

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Growth Metrics

Revenue CAGR

10Y3.21%

5Y1.35%

3Y1.35%

TTM2.09%

Profit (Net Income) CAGR

10Y-4.9%

5Y0.62%

3Y-4.1%

TTM7.55%

EPS CAGR

10Y-3.59%

5Y5.12%

3Y2.44%

TTM11.39%

ROCE

10Y Avg6.23%

5Y Avg7%

3Y Avg7.06%

Latest7.95%

Peer Comparison

Chicken-Focused QSR

Name	Market Cap	Current Price	P/E Ratio	Revenue Growth 1Y	Net Margin	ROE	FCF Yield	Debt/Equity
WINGWingstop Inc.	7.52B	270.73	73.17	36.03%	25.51%		1.4%
LOCOEl Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.	339.99M	11.35	13.20	0.93%	5.39%	9.15%	8.15%	1.01

Profit & Loss

	Dec 2015	Dec 2016	Dec 2017	Dec 2018	Dec 2019	Dec 2020	Dec 2021	Dec 2022	Dec 2023	Dec 2024
Sales/Revenue+	355.06M	380.12M	401.7M	435.83M	442.33M	426.09M	454.36M	469.96M	468.66M	473.01M
Revenue Growth %	0.03%	0.07%	0.06%	0.08%	0.01%	-0.04%	0.07%	0.03%	-0%	0.01%
Cost of Goods Sold+	263.58M	286.27M	305.45M	339.37M	345.58M	332.41M	355.09M	386.26M	375.3M	369.49M
COGS % of Revenue	0.74%	0.75%	0.76%	0.78%	0.78%	0.78%	0.78%	0.82%	0.8%	0.78%
Gross Profit+	91.48M	93.85M	96.25M	96.45M	96.75M	93.67M	99.27M	83.7M	93.37M	103.52M
Gross Margin %	0.26%	0.25%	0.24%	0.22%	0.22%	0.22%	0.22%	0.18%	0.2%	0.22%
Gross Profit Growth %	0.02%	0.03%	0.03%	0%	0%	-0.03%	0.06%	-0.16%	0.12%	0.11%
Operating Expenses+	42.09M	50.71M	56.65M	68.09M	58.42M	60.12M	57.94M	53.51M	53.58M	62.35M
OpEx % of Revenue	0.12%	0.13%	0.14%	0.16%	0.13%	0.14%	0.13%	0.11%	0.11%	0.13%
Selling, General & Admin	29M	34.66M	38.52M	50.26M	37.21M	35.92M	39.85M	39.09M	42.02M	46.27M
SG&A % of Revenue	0.08%	0.09%	0.1%	0.12%	0.08%	0.08%	0.09%	0.08%	0.09%	0.1%
Research & Development	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
R&D % of Revenue	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Other Operating Expenses	-206K	-352K	5.57M	761K	21.21M	24.2M	18.09M	14.42M	11.55M	16.08M
Operating Income+	48.82M	34.63M	6.82M	-9.46M	38.33M	33.56M	41.34M	30.12M	39.79M	41.17M
Operating Margin %	0.14%	0.09%	0.02%	-0.02%	0.09%	0.08%	0.09%	0.06%	0.08%	0.09%
Operating Income Growth %	-0.01%	-0.29%	-0.8%	-2.39%	5.05%	-0.12%	0.23%	-0.27%	0.32%	0.03%
EBITDA+	61.92M	50.68M	24.95M	8.36M	56.18M	50.43M	56.51M	44.54M	55.03M	56.88M
EBITDA Margin %	0.17%	0.13%	0.06%	0.02%	0.13%	0.12%	0.12%	0.09%	0.12%	0.12%
EBITDA Growth %	0.02%	-0.18%	-0.51%	-0.66%	5.72%	-0.1%	0.12%	-0.21%	0.24%	0.03%
D&A (Non-Cash Add-back)	13.09M	16.05M	18.13M	17.82M	17.86M	16.88M	15.18M	14.42M	15.23M	15.72M
EBIT	48.67M	34.3M	39.6M	-8.69M	41.68M	33.42M	41.28M	30.56M	39.69M	41.19M
Net Interest Income+	-3.71M	-3.15M	-3.28M	-3.5M	-3.69M	-3.29M	-1.82M	-1.68M	-4.81M	-5.9M
Interest Income	49K	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Interest Expense	3.76M	3.15M	3.28M	3.5M	3.69M	3.29M	1.82M	1.68M	4.81M	5.9M
Other Income/Expense	-3.91M	-3.51M	2.29M	-2.74M	-3.69M	-3.43M	-1.88M	-1.24M	-4.91M	-5.88M
Pretax Income+	44.91M	31.12M	9.12M	-12.2M	34.64M	30.13M	39.45M	28.88M	34.88M	35.29M
Pretax Margin %	0.13%	0.08%	0.02%	-0.03%	0.08%	0.07%	0.09%	0.06%	0.07%	0.07%
Income Tax+	20.86M	12.78M	497K	-3.21M	9.74M	5.65M	10.33M	8.08M	9.32M	9.61M
Effective Tax Rate %	0.54%	0.59%	0.95%	0.74%	0.72%	0.81%	0.74%	0.72%	0.73%	0.73%
Net Income+	24.05M	18.34M	8.62M	-8.99M	24.9M	24.47M	29.12M	20.8M	25.55M	25.68M
Net Margin %	0.07%	0.05%	0.02%	-0.02%	0.06%	0.06%	0.06%	0.04%	0.05%	0.05%
Net Income Growth %	-0.43%	-0.24%	-0.53%	-2.04%	3.77%	-0.02%	0.19%	-0.29%	0.23%	0.01%
Net Income (Continuing)	24.05M	18.34M	8.62M	-8.99M	24.9M	24.47M	29.12M	20.8M	25.55M	25.68M
Discontinued Operations	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Minority Interest	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
EPS (Diluted)+	0.62	0.47	0.22	-0.23	0.67	0.68	0.80	0.57	0.74	0.86
EPS Growth %	-0.5%	-0.24%	-0.53%	-2.05%	3.91%	0.01%	0.18%	-0.29%	0.3%	0.16%
EPS (Basic)	0.63	0.48	0.22	-0.23	0.68	0.70	0.81	0.57	0.75	0.86
Diluted Shares Outstanding	39.04M	39.03M	39.09M	38.57M	37.44M	35.8M	36.45M	36.58M	34.37M	30.04M
Basic Shares Outstanding	37.95M	38.36M	38.45M	38.57M	36.74M	35.19M	35.97M	36.35M	34.25M	29.85M
Dividend Payout Ratio	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.67%	-	-

Balance Sheet

	Dec 2015	Dec 2016	Dec 2017	Dec 2018	Dec 2019	Dec 2020	Dec 2021	Dec 2022	Dec 2023	Dec 2024
Total Current Assets+	38.62M	35.88M	20.73M	22.05M	24.68M	31.67M	49.5M	37.45M	25.13M	19.89M
Cash & Short-Term Investments	6.1M	2.17M	8.55M	6.97M	8.07M	13.22M	30.05M	20.49M	7.29M	2.48M
Cash Only	6.1M	2.17M	8.55M	6.97M	8.07M	13.22M	30.05M	20.49M	7.29M	2.48M
Short-Term Investments	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Accounts Receivable	6.19M	6.92M	7.21M	9.6M	8.88M	12.48M	13.41M	10.85M	10.3M	9.96M
Days Sales Outstanding	6.36	6.64	6.55	8.04	7.33	10.7	10.77	8.43	8.02	7.69
Inventory	1.9M	2.11M	2.29M	2.48M	2.01M	2.1M	2.32M	2.44M	1.91M	1.94M
Days Inventory Outstanding	2.63	2.69	2.74	2.67	2.12	2.31	2.38	2.31	1.86	1.91
Other Current Assets	21.78M	125K	0	0	5.72M	3.87M	3.73M	3.66M	5.63M	5.51M
Total Non-Current Assets+	422.4M	435.42M	421.98M	428.18M	600.07M	573.55M	564.28M	559.77M	567.17M	636.46M
Property, Plant & Equipment	102.51M	118.53M	102.83M	104.16M	284.17M	258.43M	249.28M	245.76M	253.56M	258.14M
Fixed Asset Turnover	3.46x	3.21x	3.91x	4.18x	1.56x	1.65x	1.82x	1.91x	1.85x	1.83x
Goodwill	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M	248.67M
Intangible Assets	62.53M	62.37M	62.27M	62.17M	61.89M	61.89M	61.89M	61.89M	61.89M	61.89M
Long-Term Investments	0	0	0	0	360K	0	0	0	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	1.8M	1.39M	1.04M	1.47M	1.27M	1.39M	2.19M	2.94M	3.04M	67.76M
Total Assets+	461.03M	471.31M	442.71M	450.23M	624.75M	605.22M	613.79M	597.22M	592.3M	592.01M
Asset Turnover	0.77x	0.81x	0.91x	0.97x	0.71x	0.70x	0.74x	0.79x	0.79x	0.80x
Asset Growth %	0.01%	0.02%	-0.06%	0.02%	0.39%	-0.03%	0.01%	-0.03%	-0.01%	-0%
Total Current Liabilities+	39.58M	45.32M	47.33M	82.9M	73.96M	66.41M	74.58M	68.51M	72.58M	75.66M
Accounts Payable	11.05M	11.64M	12.31M	9.56M	5.63M	7.47M	10.63M	12.74M	12.54M	12.09M
Days Payables Outstanding	15.3	14.84	14.71	10.29	5.94	8.2	10.92	12.04	12.2	11.94
Short-Term Debt	0	0	132K	0	16.44M	19.98M	20.1M	0	0	0
Deferred Revenue (Current)	1000K	1000K	1000K	1000K	1000K	1000K	1000K	0	0	0
Other Current Liabilities	14.77M	20.35M	19.25M	53.46M	40.27M	24.79M	25.48M	7.72M	10.61M	8.89M
Current Ratio	0.98x	0.79x	0.44x	0.27x	0.33x	0.48x	0.66x	0.55x	0.35x	0.26x
Quick Ratio	0.93x	0.75x	0.39x	0.24x	0.31x	0.45x	0.63x	0.51x	0.32x	0.24x
Cash Conversion Cycle	-6.31	-5.5	-5.42	0.42	3.51	4.8	2.23	-1.3	-2.32	-2.34
Total Non-Current Liabilities+	176.82M	160.81M	120.44M	102.09M	305.23M	261.23M	228.58M	247.56M	269.02M	255.69M
Long-Term Debt	123M	104M	93M	74M	97M	62.8M	40M	66M	84M	71M
Capital Lease Obligations	461K	317K	184K	116K	197.57M	180.35M	173.36M	166.78M	169.7M	172.11M
Deferred Tax Liabilities	8.74M	18.49M	0	17.96M	1.67M	5.23M	5.46M	8.52M	8.88M	6.36M
Other Non-Current Liabilities	4.07M	38M	27.25M	27.97M	8.98M	7.73M	4.06M	6.26M	6.45M	27K
Total Liabilities	216.4M	206.12M	167.76M	184.99M	379.19M	327.64M	303.16M	316.07M	341.61M	331.35M
Total Debt+	123.64M	104.46M	93.32M	74.18M	311.01M	263.13M	233.47M	252.88M	273.33M	263.02M
Net Debt	117.54M	102.29M	84.77M	67.22M	302.94M	249.91M	203.42M	232.39M	266.04M	260.54M
Debt / Equity	0.51x	0.39x	0.34x	0.28x	1.27x	0.95x	0.75x	0.90x	1.09x	1.01x
Debt / EBITDA	2.00x	2.06x	3.74x	8.87x	5.54x	5.22x	4.13x	5.68x	4.97x	4.62x
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.90x	2.02x	3.40x	8.04x	5.39x	4.96x	3.60x	5.22x	4.83x	4.58x
Interest Coverage	13.00x	10.98x	2.08x	-2.70x	10.39x	10.19x	22.66x	17.96x	8.27x	6.98x
Total Equity+	244.63M	265.18M	274.95M	265.24M	245.57M	277.58M	310.62M	281.15M	250.7M	260.67M
Equity Growth %	0.16%	0.08%	0.04%	-0.04%	-0.07%	0.13%	0.12%	-0.09%	-0.11%	0.04%
Book Value per Share	6.27	6.79	7.03	6.88	6.56	7.75	8.52	7.69	7.29	8.68
Total Shareholders' Equity	244.63M	265.18M	274.95M	265.24M	245.57M	277.58M	310.62M	281.15M	250.7M	260.67M
Common Stock	383K	385K	387K	390K	351K	364K	365K	370K	313K	298K
Retained Earnings	-125.39M	-107.05M	-98.43M	-110.89M	-85.99M	-61.51M	-32.39M	-11.59M	13.96M	18.91M
Treasury Stock	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Accumulated OCI	-84.49M	-96.38M	-106.52M	-144.03M	253K	-833K	-290K	126K	0	0
Minority Interest	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Cash Flow

	Dec 2015	Dec 2016	Dec 2017	Dec 2018	Dec 2019	Dec 2020	Dec 2021	Dec 2022	Dec 2023	Dec 2024
Cash from Operations+	57.97M	49.3M	53.67M	45.44M	36.13M	40.55M	52.1M	38.55M	40.69M	46.78M
Operating CF Margin %	0.16%	0.13%	0.13%	0.1%	0.08%	0.1%	0.11%	0.08%	0.09%	0.1%
Operating CF Growth %	1.22%	-0.15%	0.09%	-0.15%	-0.2%	0.12%	0.28%	-0.26%	0.06%	0.15%
Net Income	24.05M	18.34M	8.62M	-8.99M	24.9M	24.47M	29.12M	20.8M	25.55M	25.68M
Depreciation & Amortization	13.09M	16.05M	18.13M	17.82M	17.86M	16.88M	15.18M	14.42M	15.23M	15.72M
Stock-Based Compensation	539K	1.06M	1.06M	2M	2.47M	3.09M	3.22M	3.49M	2.96M	3.93M
Deferred Taxes	15.4M	12.74M	-5.32M	-4.19M	9.63M	4.15M	1.01M	4.16M	906K	-2.86M
Other Non-Cash Items	-4.71M	8.62M	34.63M	10.16M	9.13M	4.13M	2.79M	138K	-2.92M	487K
Working Capital Changes	9.59M	-7.52M	-3.44M	28.63M	-27.86M	-12.17M	782K	-4.46M	-1.05M	3.82M
Change in Receivables	1.68M	-2.94M	-4.39M	28.3M	1.09M	-1.16M	-3.44M	3.32M	-216K	677K
Change in Inventory	1K	-221K	-177K	-190K	338K	-92K	-218K	-125K	531K	-27K
Change in Payables	2.32M	-4.58M	1.09M	482K	-3.19M	666K	2.53M	3.98M	-3.96M	-544K
Cash from Investing+	-30.84M	-35.2M	-36.24M	-27.8M	-10.67M	-6.69M	-12.48M	-18.91M	-13.45M	-18.94M
Capital Expenditures	-30.84M	-37.41M	-36.24M	-27.8M	-15.44M	-6.69M	-17.04M	-19.92M	-21.33M	-19.08M
CapEx % of Revenue	0.09%	0.1%	0.09%	0.06%	0.03%	0.02%	0.04%	0.04%	0.05%	0.04%
Acquisitions	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Investments	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Other Investing	0	743K	0	0	0	0	0	0	163K	141K
Cash from Financing+	-32.53M	-18.03M	-11.05M	-19.22M	-24.36M	-28.71M	-22.79M	-29.19M	-40.45M	-32.65M
Debt Issued (Net)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Equity Issued (Net)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dividends Paid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-55.57M	0	0
Share Repurchases	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Other Financing	9.67M	1.15M	93K	-252K	1.08M	5.53M	161K	549K	1.17M	1.12M
Net Change in Cash	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Free Cash Flow+	27.14M	11.89M	17.43M	17.64M	20.7M	33.86M	35.06M	18.63M	19.36M	27.7M
FCF Margin %	0.08%	0.03%	0.04%	0.04%	0.05%	0.08%	0.08%	0.04%	0.04%	0.06%
FCF Growth %	37.13%	-0.56%	0.47%	0.01%	0.17%	0.64%	0.04%	-0.47%	0.04%	0.43%
FCF per Share	0.70	0.30	0.45	0.46	0.55	0.95	0.96	0.51	0.56	0.92
FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income)	2.41x	2.69x	6.23x	-5.05x	1.45x	1.66x	1.79x	1.85x	1.59x	1.82x
Interest Paid	3.49M	3.09M	3.31M	3.39M	3.65M	2.96M	1.07M	1.45M	4.82M	5.89M
Taxes Paid	18K	171K	336K	183K	558K	4.22M	5.97M	5.1M	7.72M	10.35M

Key Ratios

Metric	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Return on Equity (ROE)	10.57%	7.19%	3.19%	-3.33%	9.75%	9.36%	9.9%	7.03%	9.61%	10.05%
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)	10.07%	7.12%	1.41%	-2.05%	6.53%	4.68%	5.95%	4.4%	5.79%	5.95%
Gross Margin	25.76%	24.69%	23.96%	22.13%	21.87%	21.98%	21.85%	17.81%	19.92%	21.88%
Net Margin	6.77%	4.82%	2.15%	-2.06%	5.63%	5.74%	6.41%	4.43%	5.45%	5.43%
Debt / Equity	0.51x	0.39x	0.34x	0.28x	1.27x	0.95x	0.75x	0.90x	1.09x	1.01x
Interest Coverage	13.00x	10.98x	2.08x	-2.70x	10.39x	10.19x	22.66x	17.96x	8.27x	6.98x
FCF Conversion	2.41x	2.69x	6.23x	-5.05x	1.45x	1.66x	1.79x	1.85x	1.59x	1.82x
Revenue Growth	2.96%	7.06%	5.68%	8.5%	1.49%	-3.67%	6.64%	3.43%	-0.28%	0.93%

Revenue by Segment

	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Service	-	-	-	-	-	-	396.26M
Service Growth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Franchise	-	-	29.42M	-	-	-	45.56M
Franchise Growth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Loyalty Reward Program	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.02M
Loyalty Reward Program Growth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Gift Card Liability	-	-	-	-	-	-	1.06M
Gift Card Liability Growth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Franchise revenue	-	-	-	6.33M	6.38M	7M	-
Franchise revenue Growth	-	-	-	-	0.77%	9.72%	-
Loyalty reward program	-	-	-	2.89M	2.92M	1.9M	-
Loyalty reward program Growth	-	-	-	-	0.87%	-34.68%	-
Gift card liability	-	-	-	1.22M	1.15M	1.06M	-
Gift card liability Growth	-	-	-	-	-5.99%	-7.07%	-
Company Operated Restaurant Revenue	-	-	374.06M	-	-	-	-
Company Operated Restaurant Revenue Growth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Franchise Advertising Fee	-	-	22.61M	-	-	-	-
Franchise Advertising Fee Growth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Company-Operated Restaurant Revenue	388.83M	391.11M	-	-	-	-	-
Company-Operated Restaurant Revenue Growth	-	0.59%	-	-	-	-	-
Franchise, Rental Income	500K	-	-	-	-	-	-
Franchise, Rental Income Growth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Frequently Asked Questions

Valuation & Price

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13.2x. This may indicate the stock is undervalued or faces growth challenges.

Growth & Financials

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) reported $480.8M in revenue for fiscal year 2024. This represents a 64% increase from $293.6M in 2012.

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) grew revenue by 0.9% over the past year. Growth has been modest.

Yes, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) is profitable, generating $25.9M in net income for fiscal year 2024 (5.4% net margin).

Dividend & Returns

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) has a return on equity (ROE) of 10.0%. This is reasonable for most industries.

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) generated $21.5M in free cash flow for fiscal year 2024. Positive FCF indicates the company can fund dividends, buybacks, or reinvestment.

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