El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc (LOCO) Stock Analysis — PE Ratio, PS Ratio, Intrinsic Value & 2030 Price Target
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc stock (LOCO) is currently trading at $14.12. El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc PE ratio is 15.68. El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc PS ratio (Price-to-Sales) is 0.86. Analyst consensus price target for LOCO is $15.12. WallStSmart rates LOCO as Hold.
- LOCO PE ratio analysis and historical PE chart
- LOCO PS ratio (Price-to-Sales) history and trend
- LOCO intrinsic value — DCF, Graham Number, EPV models
- LOCO stock price prediction 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
- LOCO fair value vs current price
- LOCO insider transactions and insider buying
- Is LOCO undervalued or overvalued?
- El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc financial analysis — revenue, earnings, cash flow
- LOCO Piotroski F-Score and Altman Z-Score
- LOCO analyst price target and Smart Rating
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc
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LOCO Intrinsic Value Analysis for Value Investors
Benjamin Graham Formula · El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc (LOCO)
LOCO trades at a significant discount to its Graham intrinsic value of $17.78, offering a 40% margin of safety — a level value investors typically seek before buying.
Based on Benjamin Graham Formula. Growth rate capped at 25%. For informational purposes only. Not financial advice.
Smart Analysis
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc (LOCO) · 10 metrics scored
Smart Score
Category Performance
WallStSmart pulls financial metrics like revenue growth, profit margins, and valuation ratios and scores each one from 0 to 10 based on how strong or weak it is. Those 10 scores are grouped into 4 categories: Growth, Profitability, Valuation, and Quality — which form the 4 axes of the spider chart you see. The categories are then combined into a final score out of 100, but not equally. Growth and Profitability together count for 60% of the total, because a fast-growing profitable business matters more than just a cheap one. That final number maps to a rating (Strong Buy, Buy, Hold, Avoid) and a letter grade, giving you one clear Stock Rating.
Investment Thesis
Strong fundamentals in peg ratio, price/sales, price/book. Concerns around return on equity and operating margin. Fundamentals are solid but monitor weak areas for improvement.
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc (LOCO) Key Strengths (4)
Paying less than $1 for every $1 of annual revenue
92.59% of shares held by major funds and institutions
Good growth relative to its price
Trading at 1.45x book value, attractively priced
Supporting Valuation Data
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc (LOCO) Areas to Watch (6)
Very thin margins with limited operational efficiency
Low profitability relative to shareholder equity
Modest revenue growth at 8.10%
Modest earnings growth at 8.10%
Thin profit margins with limited profitability
Small-cap company with higher risk but more growth potential
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc (LOCO) Detailed Analysis Report
Overall Assessment
This company scores 59/100 in our Smart Analysis, earning a C grade. Out of 10 metrics analyzed, 4 register as strengths (avg 9.0/10) while 6 fall into concern territory (avg 3.7/10). The category breakdown reveals uneven performance, with some areas requiring attention.
The Bull Case
The strongest argument centers on Price/Sales, Institutional Own., PEG Ratio. Valuation metrics including PEG Ratio (1.16), Price/Sales (0.86), Price/Book (1.45) suggest the stock is attractively priced.
The Bear Case
The primary concerns are Operating Margin, Return on Equity, Revenue Growth. Growth concerns include Revenue Growth at 8.10%, EPS Growth at 8.10%, which may limit upside. Profitability pressure is visible in Return on Equity at 9.60%, Operating Margin at 8.71%, Profit Margin at 5.41%.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
Three factors to monitor going forward. First, whether Operating Margin improves, as this is the primary drag on the overall score. Second, margin trajectory, with Return on Equity at 9.60% needing improvement to support the investment thesis. Third, growth sustainability, with Revenue Growth at 8.10% needing to reaccelerate.
Risk Considerations
Based on the metric profile, this is a moderate-to-high risk investment. There are more areas of concern than strength, warranting a more conservative position size. Investors should size positions according to their risk tolerance and maintain diversification.
Bottom Line
Mixed fundamentals with both positives (Price/Sales, Institutional Own.) and negatives (Operating Margin, Return on Equity). A cautious approach is warranted. Monitor for improvement in weak areas before increasing conviction.
Disclaimer: Smart Analysis is a scoring system developed by WallStSmart Team. Scores update daily using multi-model valuation framework. Always conduct your own research and consult with financial advisors before making investment decisions.
LOCO Price-to-Sales(PS) Ratio Chart
Historical valuation based on market cap ÷ trailing 12-month revenue
LOCO's Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.86x sits near its historical average of 0.99x (47th percentile), suggesting the market is pricing in steady-state growth. The current valuation is 75% below its historical high of 3.39x set in Oct 2014, and 66% above its historical low of 0.52x in Oct 2023. Over the past 12 months, the PS ratio has expanded from ~0.7x, reflecting growing market expectations outpacing revenue growth.
WallStSmart Analysis Synopsis
Data-driven financial summary for El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc (LOCO) · CONSUMER CYCLICAL › RESTAURANTS
The Big Picture
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc operates as a stable business with moderate growth and solid fundamentals. Revenue reached 490M with 8% growth year-over-year. Profit margins are thin at 5.4%, typical for companies in this phase that are reinvesting heavily in growth.
Key Findings
Generating 5M in free cash flow and 14M in operating cash flow. Earnings are translating into actual cash generation.
What to Watch Next
Margin expansion: can El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc push profit margins above 15% as the business scales?
Sector dynamics: monitor RESTAURANTS industry trends, competitive moves, and regulatory changes that could impact El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc.
Bottom Line
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc offers stability with moderate growth and solid fundamentals. The valuation may present an opportunity for patient investors, though limited growth means returns will likely come from dividends and modest capital appreciation rather than explosive gains.
This synopsis is generated from publicly available financial data. It is not financial advice. Always conduct your own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Insider Transactions
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About El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc(LOCO)
NASDAQ
CONSUMER CYCLICAL
RESTAURANTS
USA
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary El Pollo Loco, Inc., develops, franchises, licenses and operates quick service restaurants under the name El Pollo Loco. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California.