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Side-by-side financial comparison of Core Laboratories Inc. (CLB) and El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($126.2M vs $121.8M, roughly 1.0× Core Laboratories Inc.). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 6.5% vs 4.2%, a 2.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (5.9% vs -1.4%). Over the past eight quarters, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (1.6% CAGR vs -3.4%).

Abbott Laboratories, commonly known as Abbott, is an American multinational medical devices and health care company with headquarters in Abbott Park, Illinois. The company produces pharmaceuticals for sale outside the United States, diagnostic products, nutritional products, and medical devices.

El Pollo Loco, Inc., is a restaurant chain based in the United States, specializing in Mexican-style grilled chicken. Restaurant service consists of dine-in and take-out, with some locations offering drive-through options. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and operates about 500 company-owned and franchised restaurants in the Southwestern United States.

CLB vs LOCO — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LOCO
LOCO
1.0× larger
LOCO
$126.2M
$121.8M
CLB
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LOCO
LOCO
+7.3% gap
LOCO
5.9%
-1.4%
CLB
Higher net margin
LOCO
LOCO
2.3% more per $
LOCO
6.5%
4.2%
CLB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LOCO
LOCO
Annualised
LOCO
1.6%
-3.4%
CLB

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Revenue
$121.8M
$126.2M
Net Profit
$5.1M
$8.2M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
1.5%
9.7%
Net Margin
4.2%
6.5%
Revenue YoY
-1.4%
5.9%
Net Profit YoY
48.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.11
$0.27

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$121.8M
$126.2M
Q4 25
$138.3M
$123.5M
Q3 25
$134.5M
$121.5M
Q2 25
$130.2M
$125.8M
Q1 25
$123.6M
$119.2M
Q4 24
$129.2M
$114.3M
Q3 24
$134.4M
$120.4M
Q2 24
$130.6M
$122.2M
Net Profit
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$5.1M
$8.2M
Q4 25
$4.9M
$6.5M
Q3 25
$14.2M
$7.4M
Q2 25
$10.6M
$7.1M
Q1 25
$-154.0K
$5.5M
Q4 24
$7.4M
$6.0M
Q3 24
$11.7M
$6.2M
Q2 24
$9.0M
$7.6M
Gross Margin
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
Q4 25
20.8%
Q3 25
22.0%
Q2 25
20.3%
Q1 25
19.5%
Q4 24
17.8%
Q3 24
20.5%
Q2 24
21.2%
Operating Margin
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
1.5%
9.7%
Q4 25
11.5%
8.3%
Q3 25
15.6%
9.4%
Q2 25
11.7%
9.0%
Q1 25
3.6%
7.5%
Q4 24
11.0%
7.9%
Q3 24
14.7%
8.4%
Q2 24
12.3%
10.1%
Net Margin
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
4.2%
6.5%
Q4 25
3.6%
5.3%
Q3 25
10.6%
6.1%
Q2 25
8.2%
5.6%
Q1 25
-0.1%
4.6%
Q4 24
5.7%
5.2%
Q3 24
8.7%
5.1%
Q2 24
6.9%
6.2%
EPS (diluted)
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$0.11
$0.27
Q4 25
$0.11
$0.22
Q3 25
$0.30
$0.25
Q2 25
$0.22
$0.24
Q1 25
$0.00
$0.19
Q4 24
$0.15
$0.21
Q3 24
$0.25
$0.21
Q2 24
$0.19
$0.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$22.8M
$3.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$275.1M
$302.5M
Total Assets
$587.7M
$609.1M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$22.8M
$3.9M
Q4 25
$22.7M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$25.6M
$10.9M
Q2 25
$31.2M
$9.0M
Q1 25
$22.1M
$4.3M
Q4 24
$19.2M
$2.5M
Q3 24
$21.5M
$7.9M
Q2 24
$17.7M
$10.5M
Total Debt
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
Q4 25
$110.3M
$51.0M
Q3 25
$114.1M
$61.0M
Q2 25
$124.6M
$69.0M
Q1 25
$124.4M
$73.0M
Q4 24
$126.1M
$71.0M
Q3 24
$139.9M
$76.0M
Q2 24
$147.6M
$87.0M
Stockholders' Equity
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$275.1M
$302.5M
Q4 25
$266.0M
$291.1M
Q3 25
$271.3M
$282.9M
Q2 25
$261.3M
$274.2M
Q1 25
$253.4M
$265.7M
Q4 24
$246.6M
$260.7M
Q3 24
$250.7M
$255.2M
Q2 24
$240.3M
$248.6M
Total Assets
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$587.7M
$609.1M
Q4 25
$584.0M
$606.6M
Q3 25
$591.4M
$602.7M
Q2 25
$602.1M
$596.8M
Q1 25
$591.5M
$590.5M
Q4 24
$585.1M
$592.0M
Q3 24
$600.5M
$590.0M
Q2 24
$597.8M
$593.8M
Debt / Equity
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.41×
0.18×
Q3 25
0.42×
0.22×
Q2 25
0.48×
0.25×
Q1 25
0.49×
0.27×
Q4 24
0.51×
0.27×
Q3 24
0.56×
0.30×
Q2 24
0.61×
0.35×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$4.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$517.0K
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.77×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$22.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$4.0M
Q4 25
$7.9M
$13.9M
Q3 25
$8.5M
$15.3M
Q2 25
$13.9M
$14.1M
Q1 25
$6.7M
$4.7M
Q4 24
$20.6M
$5.6M
Q3 24
$13.1M
$13.0M
Q2 24
$17.1M
$17.0M
Free Cash Flow
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
$517.0K
Q4 25
$5.0M
$5.1M
Q3 25
$6.5M
$9.9M
Q2 25
$10.4M
$9.1M
Q1 25
$3.9M
$1.3M
Q4 24
$17.4M
$1.1M
Q3 24
$10.4M
$9.1M
Q2 24
$14.3M
$10.4M
FCF Margin
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
0.4%
Q4 25
3.6%
4.1%
Q3 25
4.8%
8.2%
Q2 25
8.0%
7.2%
Q1 25
3.1%
1.1%
Q4 24
13.4%
1.0%
Q3 24
7.7%
7.6%
Q2 24
10.9%
8.5%
Capex Intensity
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.1%
7.1%
Q3 25
1.5%
4.4%
Q2 25
2.7%
4.0%
Q1 25
2.3%
2.8%
Q4 24
2.5%
3.9%
Q3 24
2.0%
3.2%
Q2 24
2.2%
5.3%
Cash Conversion
CLB
CLB
LOCO
LOCO
Q1 26
0.77×
Q4 25
1.61×
2.13×
Q3 25
0.60×
2.08×
Q2 25
1.31×
1.99×
Q1 25
0.86×
Q4 24
2.78×
0.95×
Q3 24
1.12×
2.11×
Q2 24
1.90×
2.22×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

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