The earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
The earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A better indicator of the attractiveness of an investment which takes growth into account is the Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. El Pollo Loco Holdings's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 13.86%. The Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
El Pollo Loco Holdings (NAS:LOCO) Earnings Yield % Explanation
If the P/E ratio is an indication of how many years it takes for the company to earn back the stock price shareholders pay to buy the shares, the earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
If a company loses money, the earnings yield is negative. This gives a more straightforward indication that the company is losing money. This is an advantage of using earnings yield instead of the P/E ratio in valuation. For valuation purposes, the P/B Ratio and the P/S Ratio should be used for companies that are losing money.
Like the P/E ratio, the earnings yield can be used to compare investments in different industries. It can even be used to compare the attractiveness of different asset classes such as bonds and cash. Of course, the earnings yield should not be the only factor in deciding which asset classes to invest.
Also similar to the P/E ratio, the earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A growing company with the same earnings yield should be more attractive than a company that has the same earnings yield but does not grow.
Just like the P/E Ratio, non-recurring items such as selling part of the business, selling a previous investment, etc., can affect earnings yield dramatically. The earning yield is also a poor indication for cyclical companies. When a cyclical stock has a high earnings yield it is usually at the peak of its cycle.
El Pollo Loco Holdings Earnings Yield % Related Terms
El Pollo Loco Holdings's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $0.980 Mil.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
It can also be calculated from the numbers for the whole company:
El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO) has a Earnings Yield % of 5.70% as of Jul. 02, 2026. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on El Pollo Loco Holdings and its competitors.
Is El Pollo Loco Holdings' Earnings Yield % too high?
El Pollo Loco Holdings' current Earnings Yield % is 5.70%. Overall, El Pollo Loco Holdings has a GF Score™ of 68/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does El Pollo Loco Holdings' Earnings Yield % compare to DIN and NATH?
El Pollo Loco Holdings' Earnings Yield % of 5.70% can be compared against companies in the Restaurants industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Yield % for a Restaurants company?
A good Earnings Yield % depends on the Restaurants industry context. However, Earnings Yield % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Yield % mean?
A high Earnings Yield % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on El Pollo Loco Holdings and its competitors. El Pollo Loco Holdings's current Earnings Yield % is 5.70%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is El Pollo Loco Holdings stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $11.65, compared to a current price of $17.20 — trading 47.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Earnings Yield % is 5.70%. El Pollo Loco Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 68/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings Yield % calculated?
Earnings Yield % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO), the current Earnings Yield % is 5.70% as of Jul. 02, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, El Pollo Loco Holdings stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $17.20 is trading 47.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of $11.65.
GuruFocus considers El Pollo Loco Holdings to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for LOCO:
Earnings Yield %: 5.70%
GF Value™: $11.65 vs. price of $17.20 (47.6% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LOCO stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc operates and franchises hundreds of fast-casual chicken restaurants in the United States. It specializes in fire-grilling citrus-marinated chicken and operates in the limited service restaurant market segment. Its offerings include Mexican-inspired menu items, including burritos, tostadas, bowls, salads, and bone-in chicken meals in various portion sizes. It also offers citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken, along with a range of salsas and dressings that allow customers to customize their meals. The company operates in one operating segment. The majority of the company's revenue is derived from company-operated restaurant revenue.
68GF Score
Get the complete analysis for LOCO
Earnings Yield % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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