Operate quick-service restaurants specializing in Mexican-style grilled chicken. Franchise and license restaurant locations across the United States and internationally. Now — the numbers.
That much dependence is a risk in itself: if this one line weakens, the whole company feels it directly.
This is an established company with proven profits.
No real growth (2% a year).
The gap is $233.3M. In times of high interest rates, a gap like that can squeeze a company.
The market pays 17.5× for every dollar of annual profit — around what a business like this usually costs.
Against companies in its own sector, it looks cheaper than 68% of them.
Analysts' average target sits 12% above today's price.
We compared this company with its own sector across five subjects.
A score of 50 means class average.
Profit indicators sit around the sector average.
A solid grade overall — yet the debt outweighs the cash. The strength here comes from earnings power.
Clearly above the class average — a step short of the very top.
There is growth, but not at top-of-the-class tempo.
The stock has been running stronger than the market lately.
No real weak spot in any of the five subjects — a balanced report card.
The stock trades below its recent peak — about 12% off the top. A pullback, not a collapse.
It met or beat analyst expectations in 7 of the last 8 quarters — consistency is a promise kept.
Over the last 4 years, sales grew only 2% a year on average. At this size, speeding back up is not easy.
On our five-subject report card, LOCO sits near the top of the class. A high grade doesn’t mean “guaranteed win” — it means “the evidence looks strong for now.”
The takeaway: LOCO is an established business that has proven its profits for years. The real debate here isn’t the price — it’s whether the company can keep up this pace.