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Side-by-side financial comparison of HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC (HTLD) and El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($179.4M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.5× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 5.3% vs -10.8%, a 16.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.1% vs -26.1%). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($5.1M vs $-44.2M). Over the past eight quarters, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (3.1% CAGR vs -18.5%).
Heartland Express is an American trucking company headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa. The company offers truckload shipping services across the United States.
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.
HTLD vs LOCO — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $179.4M | $123.5M |
| Net Profit | $-19.4M | $6.5M |
| Gross Margin | — | — |
| Operating Margin | -12.7% | 8.3% |
| Net Margin | -10.8% | 5.3% |
| Revenue YoY | -26.1% | 8.1% |
| Net Profit YoY | -949.2% | 9.9% |
| EPS (diluted) | $-0.24 | $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.
| Q4 25 | $179.4M | $123.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $196.5M | $121.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $210.4M | $125.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $219.4M | $119.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $242.6M | $114.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | $259.9M | $120.4M | ||
| Q2 24 | $274.8M | $122.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $270.3M | $116.2M |
| Q4 25 | $-19.4M | $6.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-8.3M | $7.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-10.9M | $7.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-13.9M | $5.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-1.9M | $6.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-9.3M | $6.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-3.5M | $7.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-15.1M | $5.9M |
| Q4 25 | -12.7% | 8.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | -3.7% | 9.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | -5.9% | 9.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | -6.8% | 7.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.4% | 7.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | -2.7% | 8.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.1% | 10.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | -5.3% | 8.3% |
| Q4 25 | -10.8% | 5.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | -4.2% | 6.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | -5.2% | 5.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | -6.3% | 4.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | -0.8% | 5.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | -3.6% | 5.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | -1.3% | 6.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | -5.6% | 5.1% |
| Q4 25 | $-0.24 | $0.22 | ||
| Q3 25 | $-0.11 | $0.25 | ||
| Q2 25 | $-0.14 | $0.24 | ||
| Q1 25 | $-0.18 | $0.19 | ||
| Q4 24 | $-0.03 | $0.21 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-0.12 | $0.21 | ||
| Q2 24 | $-0.04 | $0.25 | ||
| Q1 24 | $-0.19 | $0.19 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $18.5M | $6.2M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $154.1M | $51.0M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $755.3M | $291.1M |
| Total Assets | $1.2B | $606.6M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.20× | 0.18× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $18.5M | $6.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $32.7M | $10.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $22.9M | $9.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $23.9M | $4.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $12.8M | $2.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $30.7M | $7.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $23.9M | $10.5M | ||
| Q1 24 | $23.8M | $9.1M |
| Q4 25 | $154.1M | $51.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $61.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $69.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $73.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $187.9M | $71.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $76.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $87.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $80.0M |
| Q4 25 | $755.3M | $291.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $775.6M | $282.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $786.7M | $274.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | $807.7M | $265.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $822.6M | $260.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $825.7M | $255.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $836.8M | $248.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | $848.8M | $256.3M |
| Q4 25 | $1.2B | $606.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.3B | $602.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.3B | $596.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.3B | $590.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.3B | $592.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.4B | $590.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.4B | $593.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.5B | $598.0M |
| Q4 25 | 0.20× | 0.18× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.22× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 0.25× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 0.27× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.23× | 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $14.9M | $13.9M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $-44.2M | $5.1M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | -24.6% | 4.1% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 33.0% | 7.1% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | — | 2.13× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $-66.9M | $25.4M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $14.9M | $13.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $27.5M | $15.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $21.0M | $14.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $25.8M | $4.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $37.8M | $5.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $35.6M | $13.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $40.0M | $17.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $31.0M | $11.2M |
| Q4 25 | $-44.2M | $5.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-12.2M | $9.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-12.8M | $9.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.3M | $1.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-45.5M | $1.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $24.6M | $9.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $29.4M | $10.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $26.3M | $7.0M |
| Q4 25 | -24.6% | 4.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | -6.2% | 8.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | -6.1% | 7.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.0% | 1.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | -18.8% | 1.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | 9.5% | 7.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | 10.7% | 8.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | 9.7% | 6.0% |
| Q4 25 | 33.0% | 7.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | 20.2% | 4.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 16.1% | 4.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 10.7% | 2.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 34.3% | 3.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 4.2% | 3.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.8% | 5.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.7% | 3.6% |
| Q4 25 | — | 2.13× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 2.08× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 1.99× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 0.86× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 0.95× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 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
HTLD
Segment breakdown not available.
LOCO
| Services | $102.4M | 83% |
| Franchise | $13.0M | 11% |
| Franchise Advertising Fee | $8.1M | 7% |
