El Pollo Loco: Multiple Catalysts Driving Sales Strength

Summary El Pollo Loco Holdings remains a high-quality value pick, outperforming the market with >40% YTD gains despite the recent pullback. LOCO raised FY26 comparable sales guidance to 3.5-4.5%, up from the prior 2-4%, signaling resilient demand in a tough consumer environment. Carryout sales and loyalty program strength are driving comps, with carryout up 12% y/y and Rewards members visiting 3x more frequently. LOCO trades at just 6.6x EV/FY26 adjusted EBITDA, offering a rare combination of strong performance and compelling valuation. Edward Chaidez/iStock Editorial via Getty Images The end of summer has brought a renewed bout of bearishness and volatility into the stock market. Investors have a range of concerns now, from the possibility of greater AI oversight and soaring yields. My core This article was written by Gary Alexander 34.45K Followers Follow With combined experience of covering technology companies on Wall Street and working in Silicon Valley, and serving as an outside adviser to several seed-round startups, Gary Alexander has exposure to many of the themes shaping the industry today. He has been a regular contributor on Seeking Alpha since 2017. He has been quoted in many web publications and his articles are syndicated to company pages in popular trading apps like Robinhood. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of LOCO either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.