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Side-by-side financial comparison of H2O AMERICA (HTO) and El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

H2O AMERICA is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($199.4M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.6× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). H2O AMERICA runs the higher net margin — 8.1% vs 5.3%, a 2.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.1% vs 1.5%). Over the past eight quarters, H2O AMERICA's revenue compounded faster (15.3% CAGR vs 3.1%).

H2O Wireless is a United States-based prepaid cell phone service, that utilizes the AT&T network. It is a brand of the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Locus Telecommunications, a subsidiary of Telrite Holdings, Inc., since 2019. Locus was formerly a subsidiary of KDDI America corporation, starting in 2010. H2O Wireless is primarily advertised as a non-restrictive phone service for customers to bring or buy unlocked smartphones, although AT&T contract/locked phones may be accepted as well.

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.

HTO vs LOCO — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
HTO
HTO
1.6× larger
HTO
$199.4M
$123.5M
LOCO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LOCO
LOCO
+6.6% gap
LOCO
8.1%
1.5%
HTO
Higher net margin
HTO
HTO
2.8% more per $
HTO
8.1%
5.3%
LOCO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HTO
HTO
Annualised
HTO
15.3%
3.1%
LOCO

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Revenue
$199.4M
$123.5M
Net Profit
$16.2M
$6.5M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
16.6%
8.3%
Net Margin
8.1%
5.3%
Revenue YoY
1.5%
8.1%
Net Profit YoY
-29.2%
9.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.45
$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
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$199.4M
$123.5M
Q3 25
$243.5M
$121.5M
Q2 25
$197.8M
$125.8M
Q1 25
$164.9M
$119.2M
Q4 24
$196.5M
$114.3M
Q3 24
$216.7M
$120.4M
Q2 24
$173.1M
$122.2M
Q1 24
$150.0M
$116.2M
Net Profit
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$16.2M
$6.5M
Q3 25
$45.1M
$7.4M
Q2 25
$24.7M
$7.1M
Q1 25
$16.6M
$5.5M
Q4 24
$22.9M
$6.0M
Q3 24
$38.7M
$6.2M
Q2 24
$20.7M
$7.6M
Q1 24
$11.7M
$5.9M
Operating Margin
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
16.6%
8.3%
Q3 25
26.5%
9.4%
Q2 25
22.2%
9.0%
Q1 25
21.8%
7.5%
Q4 24
22.2%
7.9%
Q3 24
26.9%
8.4%
Q2 24
23.4%
10.1%
Q1 24
18.6%
8.3%
Net Margin
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
8.1%
5.3%
Q3 25
18.5%
6.1%
Q2 25
12.5%
5.6%
Q1 25
10.0%
4.6%
Q4 24
11.7%
5.2%
Q3 24
17.8%
5.1%
Q2 24
12.0%
6.2%
Q1 24
7.8%
5.1%
EPS (diluted)
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$0.45
$0.22
Q3 25
$1.27
$0.25
Q2 25
$0.71
$0.24
Q1 25
$0.49
$0.19
Q4 24
$0.70
$0.21
Q3 24
$1.17
$0.21
Q2 24
$0.64
$0.25
Q1 24
$0.36
$0.19

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$20.7M
$6.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.9B
$51.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.5B
$291.1M
Total Assets
$5.1B
$606.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.23×
0.18×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$20.7M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$11.3M
$10.9M
Q2 25
$19.8M
$9.0M
Q1 25
$23.7M
$4.3M
Q4 24
$11.1M
$2.5M
Q3 24
$4.0M
$7.9M
Q2 24
$22.8M
$10.5M
Q1 24
$4.5M
$9.1M
Total Debt
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$1.9B
$51.0M
Q3 25
$61.0M
Q2 25
$69.0M
Q1 25
$73.0M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$71.0M
Q3 24
$76.0M
Q2 24
$87.0M
Q1 24
$80.0M
Stockholders' Equity
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$1.5B
$291.1M
Q3 25
$1.5B
$282.9M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$274.2M
Q1 25
$1.4B
$265.7M
Q4 24
$1.4B
$260.7M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$255.2M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$248.6M
Q1 24
$1.2B
$256.3M
Total Assets
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$5.1B
$606.6M
Q3 25
$5.0B
$602.7M
Q2 25
$4.8B
$596.8M
Q1 25
$4.7B
$590.5M
Q4 24
$4.7B
$592.0M
Q3 24
$4.6B
$590.0M
Q2 24
$4.4B
$593.8M
Q1 24
$4.4B
$598.0M
Debt / Equity
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
1.23×
0.18×
Q3 25
0.22×
Q2 25
0.25×
Q1 25
0.27×
Q4 24
1.26×
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
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$63.5M
$13.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$5.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.92×
2.13×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$63.5M
$13.9M
Q3 25
$77.3M
$15.3M
Q2 25
$60.8M
$14.1M
Q1 25
$43.2M
$4.7M
Q4 24
$41.5M
$5.6M
Q3 24
$53.5M
$13.0M
Q2 24
$49.3M
$17.0M
Q1 24
$51.2M
$11.2M
Free Cash Flow
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
$5.1M
Q3 25
$9.9M
Q2 25
$9.1M
Q1 25
$1.3M
Q4 24
$1.1M
Q3 24
$9.1M
Q2 24
$10.4M
Q1 24
$7.0M
FCF Margin
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
4.1%
Q3 25
8.2%
Q2 25
7.2%
Q1 25
1.1%
Q4 24
1.0%
Q3 24
7.6%
Q2 24
8.5%
Q1 24
6.0%
Capex Intensity
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
7.1%
Q3 25
4.4%
Q2 25
4.0%
Q1 25
2.8%
Q4 24
3.9%
Q3 24
3.2%
Q2 24
5.3%
Q1 24
3.6%
Cash Conversion
HTO
HTO
LOCO
LOCO
Q4 25
3.92×
2.13×
Q3 25
1.71×
2.08×
Q2 25
2.47×
1.99×
Q1 25
2.61×
0.86×
Q4 24
1.81×
0.95×
Q3 24
1.39×
2.11×
Q2 24
2.38×
2.22×
Q1 24
4.38×
1.89×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HTO
HTO

Water Utility Services$191.0M96%
Other$8.4M4%

LOCO
LOCO

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

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