Fri, Mar 7, 10:06 PM (49 days ago)
**El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) Summary** For the fiscal year ended December 25, 2024, El Pollo Loco reported total revenue of $473.0 million, a 0.9% increase from the prior year. Company-operated restaurant revenue decreased slightly by 0.5% to $396.3 million, while franchise revenue increased by 11.1% to $45.6 million. Net income rose marginally to $25.7 million, reflecting a net income margin of 5.4%. The company’s average unit volume (AUV) was approximately $2.3 million, with a restaurant-level contribution margin of 17.4%. Operating expenses included food and paper costs of $100.7 million (25.4% of revenue), labor costs of $127.2 million (32.1%), and occupancy costs of $99.3 million (25.1%). The company opened four new restaurants in fiscal 2024 and plans to continue expansion with one to two new company-operated and eight to nine franchised locations in 2025. Key risk factors include labor cost increases due to California's AB 1228, supply chain disruptions, and inflationary pressures impacting food costs. The company maintains a strong liquidity position with $2.5 million in cash and $68.7 million available under its $150 million revolving credit facility. The share repurchase program allows for $20 million in stock buybacks, with approximately $1.8 million remaining as of December 25, 2024.