What is the 13F Pro Quality Score for LOCO?

13F Pro ranks El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) on the 13F Pro Quality Score, a 0–100 composite of 32 fundamental signals including return on invested capital, free cash flow consistency, balance-sheet strength, earnings quality, growth durability, and valuation discipline. The score refreshes after each 10-K and 10-Q filing on SEC EDGAR. View LOCO's current score at https://13fpro.ai/company/LOCO (free sign-up required for the full ranking).

Which hedge funds own the most LOCO stock?

Based on the most recent Form 13F-HR filings on SEC EDGAR, the largest reported institutional holders of LOCO include BIGLARI CAPITAL, BlackRock,, DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS. Holdings are reported quarterly within 45 days of quarter-end and updated on https://13fpro.ai/company/LOCO as soon as new 13F filings post.

Where does 13F Pro source LOCO data?

All El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. fundamentals and ownership data come directly from SEC EDGAR. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. files with the SEC under CIK 1606366. 13F Pro ingests XBRL financial facts from 10-K and 10-Q filings, Form 13F-HR institutional holdings, and Form 4 insider transactions, with no third-party rewrites or estimates.

What sector is LOCO in?

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) is classified in the Consumer Discretionary sector. 13F Pro publishes sector-level fund flow analysis and quality leaders at https://13fpro.ai/research/sector/consumer-discretionary.

What drives LOCO's revenue?

Per El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s latest 10-Q filed with the SEC on 2026-08-07, the biggest revenue drivers are: Company-operated restaurant revenue ($108.1M, +3.7% YoY); Franchise revenue ($12.9M, -3.8% YoY); Franchise advertising fee revenue ($8.6M, +5.3% YoY). Figures are extracted from the filing text and machine-verified against the document. Full breakdown at https://13fpro.ai/company/LOCO.

What are LOCO's largest expenses?

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s latest 10-Q reports these as the largest expense items: Labor and related expenses ($32.3M, +0.4% YoY); Food and paper costs ($27.5M, +7.7% YoY); Occupancy and other operating expenses ($27.3M, +2.1% YoY). Sourced directly from SEC EDGAR filing text for Q2 FY2026 (thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2026).

How often is LOCO research updated on 13F Pro?

LOCO's fundamentals refresh within hours of each new 10-K or 10-Q filing on SEC EDGAR. Institutional ownership updates after each quarterly 13F filing window. Insider transactions update after each Form 4 filing. The 13F Pro Quality Score recalculates after every fundamentals refresh.

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.(LOCO)Stock Analysis

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Consumer Discretionary →Nasdaqsmall

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SEC EDGAR: CIK 1606366 LOCO stock profile & AI dashboard →

13F Pro Quality Score

51.9/100

Rank #1,502 of 2,962 stocks

View Consumer Discretionary peers →

Rankings refresh quarterly once 80% of peers have filed (~45 days after quarter-end). Next update: ~Nov 14, 2026.

Revenue Growth

31.2/100

Profitability

59.7/100

Balance Sheet

72.9/100

Earnings Quality

69.2/100

Free Cash Flow

51.0/100

Institutional Flow

73.8/100

Revenue Scale

37.2/100

Dilution Risk

54.4/100

Email me the moment this company reports earnings

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Why LOCO Scores 52/100

exact factor attribution · 2026-09-11

LOCO's composite is driven by capital efficiency and earnings quality, held back by revenue growth and scale. Bars show each factor's exact push vs. a median company, using the same weights the ranking engine applies.

Capital efficiency

+2.3 pts

73th pct

Earnings quality

+1.9 pts

69th pct

Profitability

+1.5 pts

60th pct

Institutional flow

+1.2 pts

74th pct

Earnings growth

+0.3 pts

56th pct

Shareholder dilution

+0.2 pts

54th pct

Free cash flow

+0.1 pts

51th pct

Scale

-1.9 pts

37th pct

Revenue growth

-3.8 pts

31th pct

Latest change (2026-08-07): 51 → 55 · ↑ Profit margin 55→65; ↑ Free cash flow 50→60

Factor percentiles are cross-sectional ranks across the ~2,800-stock scored universe, computed from SEC EDGAR filings. Not investment advice.

LOCO Stock Analysis & AI Quality Score

Data updated 2026-09-11

AI stock analysis and institutional research for El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO), a Consumer Discretionary sector company. 13F Pro's AI-powered ranking engine scores LOCO at 51.9/100 on a 32-signal composite quality model, placing it at rank #1,502 of 2,962 stocks — the bottom half of the AI-ranked universe. Areas of concern include revenue growth (31.2) and revenue scale (37.2), which score below median versus the broader universe. Based on the latest XBRL financial filings (Q2 2026), El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. reports quarterly revenue of $129.6M, net income of $12.8M, free cash flow of $23.3M. Top institutional holders of LOCO by reported 13-F value include BIGLARI CAPITAL, BlackRock, DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS, based on the most recent SEC filings. LOCO trades on the Nasdaq exchange and files with the SEC under CIK 1606366. 13F Pro's AI research platform runs 10 specialized AI analysts — value, growth, momentum, macro, and activist specialists — that debate LOCO daily and publish AI-generated analysis with cited SEC sources. The platform aggregates historical XBRL financial facts, 10-Q and 10-K filings, insider Form 4 transactions, and institutional 13-F holdings for El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. directly from SEC EDGAR. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s 13F Pro composite quality score has ranged between 46 and 70 since 2021, currently 51.9 — a declining long-term trajectory across 52 quarterly and live scoring snapshots.

✦

Fun facts about El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.

Quirks, history, and lore behind LOCO — the kind of stuff that makes a stock memorable.

1
The Basics
U.S. quick-service restaurant company · small-cap · listed on Nasdaq · headquartered in Southern California.
2
The Numbers
Operates and franchises roughly 500 locations, nearly all in the western United States, with annual system sales in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
3
The History
The chain was founded in 1980 in Los Angeles and went public in 2014, bringing a regional cult favorite to Wall Street for the first time.
4
The Secret
It occupies a deliberate niche between fast food and fast casual — sometimes called 'Mexified chicken' — leaning hard on citrus-marinated proteins to stand out.
5
The Lore
The brand built its identity around flame-grilled chicken long before 'grilled' was a health buzzword, and its loyal fanbase in California and Texas treats it more like a local institution than a chain.
6
The Giveaway
The name literally means 'The Crazy Chicken' in Spanish — and yes, that's also the Nasdaq ticker: pure poultry, proudly unhinged.

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What's Driving LOCO's Business? Latest 10-Q Breakdown

✓ 27/27 datapoints verified

AI-extracted from El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s 10-Q filed 2026-08-07 — Q2 FY2026 (thirteen weeks ended July 1, 2026). Every figure is machine-verified against the filing text on SEC EDGAR.

Total revenue rose 3.0% to $129.6M and net income jumped 80.2% to $12.8M, aided by $6.3M of legal settlement income that cut G&A 47.9%.

Biggest Revenue Drivers

Company-operated restaurant revenue$108.1M+3.7% YoY

Comparable restaurant revenue up $3.1 million, or 3.0%, plus $1.0 million from three restaurants opened after Q2 2025

Franchise revenue$12.9M-3.8% YoY

A $1.1 million decrease in franchisee IT pass-through revenue related to the franchise POS system rollout completed in 2025

Biggest Revenue Drivers

Total revenue: $129.6M+3.0% YoY

Company-operated restaurant revenue$108.1M+3.7% YoY

Comparable restaurant revenue up $3.1 million, or 3.0%, plus $1.0 million from three restaurants opened after Q2 2025

Within Company-operated restaurant revenue

Greater Los Angeles area market80.2% of company-operated restaurant revvs 80.8% a year ago

Franchise revenue$12.9M-3.8% YoY

A $1.1 million decrease in franchisee IT pass-through revenue related to the franchise POS system rollout completed in 2025

Franchise advertising fee revenue$8.6M+5.3% YoY

Advertising fee revenue is a percentage of franchisees' revenue, so it moved with franchise revenue

Largest Expense Items

Labor and related expenses$32.3M+0.4% YoY

$0.7 million from three new restaurants plus wage inflation and incentive expense, offset by $0.6 million lower group insurance and workers' compensation

Food and paper costs$27.5M+7.7% YoY

Higher sales, higher commodity costs, increased discounts, and menu-mix shifts

Occupancy and other operating expenses$27.3M+2.1% YoY

$0.4 million higher delivery, mobile order and credit card fees, and $0.4 million higher repairs and maintenance

General and administrative expenses$7.1M-47.9% YoY

$6.3 million received from a legal settlement net of legal expenses, plus lower shareholder-activism and executive transition costs

Margins: Restaurant contribution margin rose to 19.5% from 19.1%; food and paper cost climbed to 25.4% of company revenue from 24.5% on commodities and discounts, while labor fell to 29.9% from 30.8% on sales leverage.

Watch Items from the Filing

Purchases from the largest supplier were 38.7% of total expenses for the quarter, up from 23.8% a year ago; one supplier exceeds 10% of accounts payable.
Greater Los Angeles restaurants generated approximately 71.4% of total revenue, versus 71.7% a year ago — heavy single-market concentration.
Company-operated comparable sales came entirely from a 4.2% higher average check, offset by a 1.1% decline in transactions; franchise transactions fell 0.8%.
The quarter's G&A benefit is non-recurring: $13.9 million of legal settlement received, of which $7.6 million is owed to franchisees and payable in Q3 2026.
Credit facility amended August 4, 2026 extending the $150.0 million revolver to 2031; borrowings paid down to $26.0 million, with a new $40.0 million buyback authorization untapped.

AI-extracted and verified against SEC EDGAR filing text. Not investment advice.

Read the full 10-Q on SEC EDGAR →Share on X

Revenue

Q2 2026

$129.6M

Net Income

Q2 2026

$12.8M

Free Cash Flow

Q2 2026

$23.3M

ROIC

Q2 2026

21.5%

D/E Ratio

Q2 2026

0.09

Period

Revenue & Net Income

Earnings Per Share

Key Financials Over Time

Export Financial Table · Pro

Revenue

+3.6% YoY

$490.0MFY 2025

FY22 $470.0MFY23 $468.7MFY24 $473.0MFY25 $490.0M

Net Income

+3.1% YoY

$26.5MFY 2025

FY22 $20.8MFY23 $25.6MFY24 $25.7MFY25 $26.5M

Operating Income

+2.1% YoY

$42.0MFY 2025

FY22 $30.1MFY23 $39.8MFY24 $41.2MFY25 $42.0M

EPS (Diluted)

+4.7% YoY

$0.90FY 2025

FY22 $0.57FY23 $0.74FY24 $0.86FY25 $0.90

Total Assets

+2.5% YoY

$606.6MFY 2025

FY22 $597.2MFY23 $592.3MFY24 $592.0MFY25 $606.6M

Total Debt

-28.2% YoY

$51.0MFY 2025

FY22 $66.0MFY23 $84.0MFY24 $71.0MFY25 $51.0M

Op. Cash Flow

+2.8% YoY

$48.1MFY 2025

FY22 $38.5MFY23 $40.7MFY24 $46.8MFY25 $48.1M

Free Cash Flow

-8.2% YoY

$25.4MFY 2025

FY22 $18.6MFY23 $19.4MFY24 $27.7MFY25 $25.4M

Metric	FY 2025	FY 2024	FY 2023	FY 2022	FY 2021	FY 2020
Revenue	$490.0M +3.6%	$473.0M +0.9%	$468.7M -0.3%	$470.0M +3.4%	$454.4M +6.6%	$426.1M
Net Income	$26.5M +3.1%	$25.7M +0.5%	$25.6M +22.8%	$20.8M -28.6%	$29.1M +19.0%	$24.5M
Operating Income	$42.0M +2.1%	$41.2M +3.5%	$39.8M +32.1%	$30.1M -27.1%	$41.3M +23.2%	$33.6M
EPS (Diluted)	$0.90 +4.7%	$0.86 +16.2%	$0.74 +29.8%	$0.57 -28.8%	$0.80 +17.6%	$0.68
Total Assets	$606.6M +2.5%	$592.0M -0.0%	$592.3M -0.8%	$597.2M -2.7%	$613.8M +1.4%	$605.2M
Total Debt	$51.0M -28.2%	$71.0M -15.5%	$84.0M +27.3%	$66.0M +65.0%	$40.0M -36.3%	$62.8M
Operating Cash Flow	$48.1M +2.8%	$46.8M +15.0%	$40.7M +5.5%	$38.5M -26.0%	$52.1M +28.5%	$40.5M
Free Cash Flow	$25.4M -8.2%	$27.7M +43.1%	$19.4M +3.9%	$18.6M -46.9%	$35.1M +3.5%	$33.9M

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Available Research

13F Pro tracks comprehensive data for El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. including:

SEC EDGAR filings (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K)

XBRL financial facts (revenue, EPS, margins)

Insider transactions (Form 4)

Institutional 13F holdings

Quality rankings (32 signals)

AI analyst debates & daily meetings

Historical financial trends

Peer comparison & sector analysis

Top Institutional Holders of LOCO

BIGLARI CAPITAL CORP.
$64.1M3,777,400 sh
BlackRock, Inc.
$41.7M2,459,692 sh
DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP
$34.8M2,049,479 sh
LSV ASSET MANAGEMENT
$25.0M1,471,545 sh
GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC
$21.3M1,256,043 sh
VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
$18.8M1,108,984 sh
Tieton Capital Management, LLC
$17.5M1,033,917 sh
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC
$16.9M995,799 sh
TWO SIGMA INVESTMENTS, LP
$15.4M906,685 sh
GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
$15.1M887,623 sh

Fund	Value	Shares
BIGLARI CAPITAL CORP.	$64.1M	3,777,400
BlackRock, Inc.	$41.7M	2,459,692
DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP	$34.8M	2,049,479
LSV ASSET MANAGEMENT	$25.0M	1,471,545
GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC	$21.3M	1,256,043
VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC	$18.8M	1,108,984
Tieton Capital Management, LLC	$17.5M	1,033,917
First Eagle Investment Management, LLC	$16.9M	995,799
TWO SIGMA INVESTMENTS, LP	$15.4M	906,685
GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC	$15.1M	887,623

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Is LOCO a good stock to buy?

13F Pro's AI-powered analysis of El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) draws on SEC EDGAR-sourced fundamentals, institutional 13F holdings, and insider Form 4 transactions in the Consumer Discretionary sector (listed on Nasdaq). The 32-signal AI Quality Score, current rank, and full bull/bear verdict for LOCO are available on the LOCO stock profile dashboard — with the same data, AI insights, ratios, and institutional activity refreshed after every 10-K, 10-Q, 13F, and Form 4 filing. LOCO is classified as a small company.

Which hedge funds own LOCO?

Institutional investors are required to disclose their holdings quarterly via SEC Form 13F. 13F Pro aggregates these filings to show which hedge funds, mutual funds, and asset managers are buying or selling LOCO. Combined with insider transaction data from Form 4 filings and AI-powered analysis from 10 specialized research agents, 13F Pro provides a comprehensive view of El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s investment landscape.