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El Pollo Loco HoldingsLOCO +0.06%70 Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 10.97% as of Mar. 2026, which is 21% above its 10-year median of 9.06. GuruFocus rates LOCO with a GF Score™ of 70/100 and a GF Value™ of $11.65 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 363 Restaurants companies, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks better than 84.85% on this metric.
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated as Net Income divided by its average total tangible assets. Total tangible assets equals to Total Assets minus Intangible Assets. El Pollo Loco Holdings's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $32.6 Mil. El Pollo Loco Holdings's average total tangible assets for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $297.3 Mil. Therefore, El Pollo Loco Holdings's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 10.97%.
The historical rank and industry rank for El Pollo Loco Holdings's Return-on-Tangible-Asset or its related term are showing as below:
LOCO'
s Return-on-Tangible-Asset Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -6.63 Med: 9.06 Max: 11.83
Current: 10.04
During the past 13 years, El Pollo Loco Holdings's highest Return-on-Tangible-Asset was 11.83%. The lowest was -6.63%. And the median was 9.06%.
LOCO's Return-on-Tangible-Asset is ranked better than 84.85% of 363
companies
in the Restaurants industry
Industry Median: 2.37
vs LOCO: 10.04
El Pollo Loco Holdings (NAS:LOCO) Return-on-Tangible-Asset Explanation
Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures the rate of return on the average total tangible assets (total assets minus intangible assets). Tangible means physical in nature. Intangible Assets are assets that are not physical in nature, and typically "derive their value from legal or intellectual rights." Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from its tangible assets. It shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. Return-on-Tangible-Assets can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be used to compare companies in different industries.
Be Aware
Like ROE and ROA, Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the companys earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by a companys tax rate and its interest payment. Return-on-Tangible-Asset may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high Return-on-Tangible-Asset may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
El Pollo Loco Holdings Return-on-Tangible-Asset Related Terms
El Pollo Loco Holdings Return-on-Tangible-Asset Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for El Pollo Loco Holdings's Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be seen below:
* 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset Chart
LOCO vs DIN, NATH, CNNE: Return-on-Tangible-Asset Comparison
For the Restaurants subindustry, El Pollo Loco Holdings's Return-on-Tangible-Asset, along with its competitors' market caps and Return-on-Tangible-Asset 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset vs Restaurants Industry
For the Restaurants industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, El Pollo Loco Holdings's Return-on-Tangible-Asset distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where El Pollo Loco Holdings's Return-on-Tangible-Asset falls into.
* 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.
In the calculation of annual Return-on-Tangible-Asset, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total tangible assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
What does a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 10.97% mean?
El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO) has a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 10.97% as of Mar. 2026. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on El Pollo Loco Holdings and its competitors. This is 21% above median its historical median of 9.06. According to the industry distribution chart, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks #55 out of 363 companies in the Restaurants industry, placing it in the top 15.2%.
Is El Pollo Loco Holdings' Return-on-Tangible-Asset too high?
El Pollo Loco Holdings' current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 10.97% is 21% above median its 10-year median of 9.06. The Restaurants industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.37. El Pollo Loco Holdings' value of 10.97% is 362.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks #55 out of 363 companies in the Restaurants industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, El Pollo Loco Holdings has a GF Score™ of 70/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does El Pollo Loco Holdings' Return-on-Tangible-Asset compare to DIN and NATH?
According to the Restaurants industry distribution chart, El Pollo Loco Holdings ranks #55 out of 363 companies for Return-on-Tangible-Asset. This places El Pollo Loco Holdings in the top 15% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.37. El Pollo Loco Holdings' value of 10.97% is 362.9% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 9.06 vs. the industry median of 2.37, El Pollo Loco Holdings has consistently been above 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset for a Restaurants company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Asset among Restaurants companies is 2.37, based on 363 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Return-on-Tangible-Asset significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. El Pollo Loco Holdings's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 10.97% is 362.9% above 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset mean?
A high Return-on-Tangible-Asset can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on El Pollo Loco Holdings and its competitors. For the Restaurants industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.37 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. El Pollo Loco Holdings's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 10.97%, which is 21% above median its own 10-year median of 9.06. 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 $16.59 — trading 42.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 10.97%, which is 21% above median its 10-year median of 9.06 and 362.9% above the Restaurants industry median of 2.37. El Pollo Loco Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 70/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Return-on-Tangible-Asset calculated?
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated from a company's financial statements. For El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO), the current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 10.97% 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 $16.59 is trading 42.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $11.65.
GuruFocus considers El Pollo Loco Holdings to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for LOCO:
Return-on-Tangible-Asset: 10.97% (21% above median its 10-year median of 9.06)
GF Value™: $11.65 vs. price of $16.59 (42.4% above fair value)
Industry Position: 362.9% above the Restaurants median (#55 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.
70GF Score
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