El Pollo Loco Faces Weaker Sales, Modest 2% Revenue Growth Amid Expansion Plans
LOCO sits 89% above its 52-week low of $8.985.
Summary
El Pollo Loco is projected to experience weaker same-store sales compared to peers and only a modest ~2% revenue growth over the next 12 months. This outlook contrasts with the strong first-quarter results reported in May, which showed a 5.8% increase in system-wide comparable restaurant sales, and earlier FY2026 guidance of 2.5% to 4.5% comparable sales growth. While the company continues its expansion with plans for 18-20 new restaurants in 2026, including additional Idaho locations, the downgraded growth expectations could pressure the stock, which is currently trading near its 52-week high.
At the time of this announcement, LOCO was trading at $17.01 on NASDAQ in the Trade & Services sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $508M. The 52-week trading range was $8.99 to $17.40. This news item was assessed with negative market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10. Source: Wiseek News.