El Pollo Loco HoldingsLOCO +1.42%68 Quick Ratio is 0.32 as of Mar. 2026, which is 6% below its 10-year median of 0.34. GuruFocus rates LOCO with a GF Score™ of 68/100 and a GF Value™ of $11.65 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 363 Restaurants companies, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks worse than 84.85% on this metric.
El Pollo Loco Holdings has a quick ratio of 0.32. It indicates that the company cannot currently fully pay back its current liabilities.
The historical rank and industry rank for El Pollo Loco Holdings's Quick Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
LOCO'
s Quick Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.24 Med: 0.34 Max: 1.18
Current: 0.32
During the past 13 years, El Pollo Loco Holdings's highest Quick Ratio was 1.18. The lowest was 0.24. And the median was 0.34.
LOCO's Quick Ratio is ranked worse than 84.85% of 363
companies
in the Restaurants industry
Industry Median: 0.88
vs LOCO: 0.32
El Pollo Loco Holdings (NAS:LOCO) Quick Ratio Explanation
The quick ratio is more conservative than the Current Ratio because it excludes inventories from current assets. The ratio derives its name presumably from the fact that assets such as cash and marketable securities are quick sources of cash. Inventories generally take time to be converted into cash, and if they have to be sold quickly, the company may have to accept a lower price than book value of these inventories. As a result, they are justifiably excluded from assets that are ready sources of immediate cash.
In general, low or decreasing quick ratios generally suggest that a company is over-leveraged, struggling to maintain or grow sales, paying bills too quickly or collecting receivables too slowly. On the other hand, a high or increasing quick ratio generally indicates that a company is experiencing solid top-line growth, quickly converting receivables into cash, and easily able to cover its financial obligations. Such companies often have faster inventory turnover and cash conversion cycles.
The higher the quick ratio, the better the company's liquidity position.
El Pollo Loco Holdings Quick Ratio Related Terms
El Pollo Loco Holdings Quick Ratio Historical Data
* 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.
For the Restaurants subindustry, El Pollo Loco Holdings's Quick Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Quick Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
El Pollo Loco Holdings Quick Ratio vs Restaurants Industry
For the Restaurants industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, El Pollo Loco Holdings's Quick Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where El Pollo Loco Holdings's Quick Ratio falls into.
The quick ratio measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets. For this reason, the ratio excludes inventories from current assets.
El Pollo Loco Holdings's Quick Ratio for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* 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.
El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO) has a Quick Ratio of 0.32 as of Mar. 2026. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on El Pollo Loco Holdings and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 0.34. Over the past decade, El Pollo Loco Holdings' Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.24 to 1.18. According to the industry distribution chart, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks #308 out of 363 companies in the Restaurants industry, placing it in the top 84.8%.
Is El Pollo Loco Holdings' Quick Ratio too high?
El Pollo Loco Holdings' current Quick Ratio of 0.32 is near median its 10-year median of 0.34. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.24 to a high of 1.18. The Restaurants industry median Quick Ratio is 0.88. El Pollo Loco Holdings' value of 0.32 is 63.6% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks #308 out of 363 companies in the Restaurants industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. 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' Quick Ratio compare to DIN and NATH?
According to the Restaurants industry distribution chart, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks #308 out of 363 companies for Quick Ratio. This places El Pollo Loco Holdings in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Quick Ratio is 0.88. El Pollo Loco Holdings' value of 0.32 is 63.6% below this benchmark. Historically, El Pollo Loco Holdings' own Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.24 to 1.18 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.34 vs. the industry median of 0.88, El Pollo Loco Holdings has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Quick Ratio for a Restaurants company?
The median Quick Ratio among Restaurants companies is 0.88, based on 363 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Quick Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Quick Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. El Pollo Loco Holdings's current Quick Ratio of 0.32 is 63.6% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Quick Ratio mean?
A high Quick Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on El Pollo Loco Holdings and its competitors. For the Restaurants industry, the median Quick Ratio is 0.88 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. El Pollo Loco Holdings's current Quick Ratio is 0.32, which is near median its own 10-year median of 0.34. 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 Quick Ratio is 0.32, which is near median its 10-year median of 0.34 and 63.6% below the Restaurants industry median of 0.88. 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 Quick Ratio calculated?
Quick Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO), the current Quick Ratio is 0.32 as of Mar. 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:
Quick Ratio: 0.32 (near median its 10-year median of 0.34)
GF Value™: $11.65 vs. price of $17.20 (47.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 63.6% below the Restaurants median (#308 of 363)
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
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