El Pollo Loco (LOCO) Q4 Earnings Preview: What You Should Know Beyond the Headline Estimates

Core Viewpoint - El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO) is expected to report a quarterly earnings decline of 18.8% year-over-year, with earnings per share projected at $0.13, while revenues are forecasted to increase by 0.8$113.15 million [1] Earnings Projections - Analysts have not revised the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter over the past 30 days, indicating stability in projections [1][2] - Revisions to earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor behavior and short-term stock performance [2] Revenue Estimates - Revenue from Franchise advertising fees is estimated to be $7.36 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 0.4$11.17 million, indicating a year-over-year change of 1.9% [4] - Company-operated restaurant revenue is expected to reach $94.62 million, suggesting a 0.7% increase year-over-year [4] Store Metrics - The number of Franchise restaurants at the end of the period is forecasted to be 326, up from 323 a year ago [5] - Company-owned restaurants are expected to total 173, compared to 172 in the previous year [5] - Total restaurants are projected to reach 499, an increase from 495 in the same quarter last year [5] Stock Performance - Over the past month, El Pollo Loco shares have declined by 5%, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has decreased by 1.3% [6] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it may outperform the overall market in the near future [6]