NASDAQ$LOCO

El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc · Q1 2026 earnings

Q1 2026 earnings · · Investor relations

Briefing

El Pollo Loco reported Q1 2026 total revenue of $126.2M and net income of $8.2M ($0.28 diluted EPS).

El Pollo Loco generated Q1 2026 total revenue of $126.2 million (+5.9% YoY) with net income of $8.2 million versus $5.5 million; diluted EPS was $0.28. Company-operated comparable sales rose 5.4% on higher check; franchise revenue declined on prior-year POS pass-through.

  • Revenue $126.2M (+5.9%); net income $8.2M.
  • Diluted EPS $0.28; comp sales +5.4% company-operated.
  • LA-area stores ~72% of revenue.
  • Labor efficiencies offset wage inflation.
  • Nine franchise openings since Q1 2025.

Headline financials

Total Revenue

$126M

Previous: $119M+5.9%
EPS (adj)

$0.28

Previous: $0.19+47.4%
Capital Expenditures

-$10.2M

Previous: -$3.39M-202.4%
Net Income

$8.16M

Previous: $5.48M+48.8%
Operating Income

$12.2M

Previous: $8.97M+36.2%

Revenue & EPS history

El Pollo Loco · Revenue · Quarterly

$126M

Q1 2026+5.9%vs Q1 2025
Beat estimate in 12 of 15 quarters(80%)
ActualEstimate

Revenue by segment

El Pollo Loco · $121M total across 3 segments · Q2 2023

  • Company-operated restaurants
    $104M+55266389.4%
  • Franchise revenue
    $10.1M+0.5%
  • Franchise advertising fee revenue
    $7.47M-1.6%

Forward guidance

POS rollout complete; focus on comps and franchise growth in MD&A.

Tailwinds

  • Comp sales and margin improvement.
  • Franchise expansion.
  • Regional brand strength in California.

Headwinds

  • Geographic concentration in LA.
  • Franchise revenue down on POS lap.
  • Food and labor cost inflation.

Historical earnings impact

How earnings announcements have historically affected this stock's price.

Avg. return before/after earnings

Based on 20 quarterly earnings reports · overlaid with Q1 2026

Historical avgQ1 2026

-0.2%

Avg return

Earnings day

+0.6%

Avg return

5 days after

+0.5%

Avg return

30 days after

48%

25 / 52 earnings

Positive

+27.8%

Q3 2019

Best reaction

-18.4%

Q3 2020

Worst reaction

Earnings price reactions
QuarterReport dateReaction (Day 0)+5 days+30 days
Q1 2026+3.7%-2.7%+2.3%
Q4 2025+16.8%+27.8%+27.6%
Q3 2025+13.6%+17.4%+20.4%
Q1 2025-3.8%-5.8%+11.3%
Q4 2024-0.1%-1.1%-12.5%
Q3 2024-4.7%-3.9%+1.4%
Q2 2024-0.8%-2.2%+14.9%
Q1 2024+18.6%+21.0%+26.5%
Q4 2023-3.3%-4.2%+1.4%
Q3 2023+2.7%-1.6%+0.6%
Q2 2023+2.4%+5.9%-5.5%
Q1 2023-6.5%-8.0%-5.8%
Q4 2022-10.3%-6.8%-26.0%
Q3 2022+11.1%+11.3%+8.7%
Q2 2022-7.4%-7.3%-11.5%
Q1 2022+0.9%-2.8%-2.2%
Q4 2021-11.3%-14.7%-12.1%
Q3 2021+4.0%+2.1%-14.9%
Q2 2021+1.8%-1.0%-1.5%
Q1 2021+4.6%+3.4%+0.0%
Q4 2020-2.6%-4.2%-15.4%
Q3 2020-18.4%-15.1%-8.6%
Q2 2020+16.0%+1.2%+7.3%
Q1 2020+10.3%+0.7%+12.1%
Q4 2019-12.4%-21.2%-41.5%
Q3 2019+27.8%+29.6%+37.3%
Q2 2019+12.8%+11.8%+3.8%
Q1 2019-10.1%-12.5%-20.1%
Q4 2018-16.2%-13.8%-15.2%
Q3 2018+23.3%+31.7%+22.1%
Q2 2018+0.0%-0.4%+4.4%
Q1 2018+6.6%+6.1%+8.7%
Q4 2017+7.3%+10.9%-0.5%
Q3 2017-13.7%-15.0%-8.8%
Q2 2017-8.7%-9.1%-13.2%
Q1 2017+12.1%+12.5%+10.9%
Q4 2016-6.4%-7.6%+4.2%
Q3 2016-9.6%-10.8%+4.6%
Q2 2016+2.7%+3.2%+4.3%
Q1 2016-16.9%
Q4 2015-6.8%
Q3 2015-15.6%
Q2 2015-18.4%
Q1 2014-16.5%
Q1 2015-12.5%
Q4 2012-0.7%
Q4 2014+15.5%
Q3 2013-1.9%
Q3 2014+0.7%
Q2 2013+2.1%
Q4 2013+2.1%
Q2 2014+5.4%
Q1 2013

Discussion

Share your read of this quarter. Sign-in carries your eToro identity.

Join the conversation

Sign in with eToro to post your read of this quarter and vote on others'.

Sign in with eToro