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Side-by-side financial comparison of Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERII) 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 ($123.5M vs $66.9M, roughly 1.8× Energy Recovery, Inc.). Energy Recovery, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 40.2% vs 5.3%, a 35.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.1% vs -0.3%). Energy Recovery, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($6.4M vs $5.1M). Over the past eight quarters, Energy Recovery, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (8.1% CAGR vs 3.1%).

Energy Recovery Inc. is an American manufacturer of energy recovery devices for water and CO2 refrigeration industries.

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.

ERII vs LOCO — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LOCO
LOCO
1.8× larger
LOCO
$123.5M
$66.9M
ERII
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LOCO
LOCO
+8.4% gap
LOCO
8.1%
-0.3%
ERII
Higher net margin
ERII
ERII
35.0% more per $
ERII
40.2%
5.3%
LOCO
More free cash flow
ERII
ERII
$1.3M more FCF
ERII
$6.4M
$5.1M
LOCO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ERII
ERII
Annualised
ERII
8.1%
3.1%
LOCO

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Revenue
$66.9M
$123.5M
Net Profit
$26.9M
$6.5M
Gross Margin
67.2%
Operating Margin
46.8%
8.3%
Net Margin
40.2%
5.3%
Revenue YoY
-0.3%
8.1%
Net Profit YoY
14.7%
9.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.49
$0.22

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
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$66.9M
$123.5M
Q3 25
$32.0M
$121.5M
Q2 25
$28.1M
$125.8M
Q1 25
$119.2M
Q4 24
$67.1M
$114.3M
Q3 24
$38.6M
$120.4M
Q2 24
$27.2M
$122.2M
Q1 24
$12.1M
$116.2M
Net Profit
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$26.9M
$6.5M
Q3 25
$3.9M
$7.4M
Q2 25
$2.1M
$7.1M
Q1 25
$5.5M
Q4 24
$23.5M
$6.0M
Q3 24
$8.5M
$6.2M
Q2 24
$-642.0K
$7.6M
Q1 24
$-8.3M
$5.9M
Gross Margin
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
67.2%
Q3 25
64.2%
Q2 25
64.0%
Q1 25
Q4 24
70.2%
Q3 24
65.1%
Q2 24
64.6%
Q1 24
59.0%
Operating Margin
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
46.8%
8.3%
Q3 25
11.4%
9.4%
Q2 25
5.3%
9.0%
Q1 25
7.5%
Q4 24
38.2%
7.9%
Q3 24
18.3%
8.4%
Q2 24
-7.4%
10.1%
Q1 24
-90.4%
8.3%
Net Margin
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
40.2%
5.3%
Q3 25
12.1%
6.1%
Q2 25
7.3%
5.6%
Q1 25
4.6%
Q4 24
35.0%
5.2%
Q3 24
22.0%
5.1%
Q2 24
-2.4%
6.2%
Q1 24
-68.3%
5.1%
EPS (diluted)
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$0.49
$0.22
Q3 25
$0.07
$0.25
Q2 25
$0.04
$0.24
Q1 25
$0.19
Q4 24
$0.40
$0.21
Q3 24
$0.15
$0.21
Q2 24
$-0.01
$0.25
Q1 24
$-0.14
$0.19

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$75.2M
$6.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$51.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$206.2M
$291.1M
Total Assets
$231.5M
$606.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.18×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$75.2M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$70.4M
$10.9M
Q2 25
$79.5M
$9.0M
Q1 25
$4.3M
Q4 24
$78.0M
$2.5M
Q3 24
$118.6M
$7.9M
Q2 24
$101.0M
$10.5M
Q1 24
$117.4M
$9.1M
Total Debt
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$51.0M
Q3 25
$61.0M
Q2 25
$69.0M
Q1 25
$73.0M
Q4 24
$71.0M
Q3 24
$76.0M
Q2 24
$87.0M
Q1 24
$80.0M
Stockholders' Equity
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$206.2M
$291.1M
Q3 25
$180.8M
$282.9M
Q2 25
$185.2M
$274.2M
Q1 25
$265.7M
Q4 24
$210.0M
$260.7M
Q3 24
$233.9M
$255.2M
Q2 24
$218.5M
$248.6M
Q1 24
$216.0M
$256.3M
Total Assets
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$231.5M
$606.6M
Q3 25
$209.6M
$602.7M
Q2 25
$212.3M
$596.8M
Q1 25
$590.5M
Q4 24
$242.8M
$592.0M
Q3 24
$262.7M
$590.0M
Q2 24
$249.0M
$593.8M
Q1 24
$244.3M
$598.0M
Debt / Equity
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
0.18×
Q3 25
0.22×
Q2 25
0.25×
Q1 25
0.27×
Q4 24
0.27×
Q3 24
0.30×
Q2 24
0.35×
Q1 24
0.31×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$7.1M
$13.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$6.4M
$5.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.6%
4.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.0%
7.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.26×
2.13×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$15.8M
$25.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$7.1M
$13.9M
Q3 25
$-3.1M
$15.3M
Q2 25
$4.1M
$14.1M
Q1 25
$4.7M
Q4 24
$9.0M
$5.6M
Q3 24
$-3.0M
$13.0M
Q2 24
$8.1M
$17.0M
Q1 24
$6.5M
$11.2M
Free Cash Flow
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$6.4M
$5.1M
Q3 25
$-3.5M
$9.9M
Q2 25
$4.0M
$9.1M
Q1 25
$1.3M
Q4 24
$8.9M
$1.1M
Q3 24
$-3.2M
$9.1M
Q2 24
$7.9M
$10.4M
Q1 24
$5.7M
$7.0M
FCF Margin
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
9.6%
4.1%
Q3 25
-10.9%
8.2%
Q2 25
14.3%
7.2%
Q1 25
1.1%
Q4 24
13.2%
1.0%
Q3 24
-8.2%
7.6%
Q2 24
28.9%
8.5%
Q1 24
46.9%
6.0%
Capex Intensity
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
1.0%
7.1%
Q3 25
1.1%
4.4%
Q2 25
0.5%
4.0%
Q1 25
2.8%
Q4 24
0.2%
3.9%
Q3 24
0.4%
3.2%
Q2 24
0.7%
5.3%
Q1 24
6.8%
3.6%
Cash Conversion
ERII
ERII
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
0.26×
2.13×
Q3 25
-0.81×
2.08×
Q2 25
2.02×
1.99×
Q1 25
0.86×
Q4 24
0.38×
0.95×
Q3 24
-0.35×
2.11×
Q2 24
2.22×
Q1 24
1.89×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ERII
ERII

Water Segment$38.6M58%
Other$11.0M16%
Original Equipment Manufacturer$10.6M16%
Aftermarket$6.6M10%

LOCO
LOCO

Services$102.4M83%
Franchise$13.0M11%
Franchise Advertising Fee$8.1M7%

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