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

PAMT CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($141.3M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.1× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 5.3% vs -20.7%, a 26.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.1% vs -15.1%). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($5.1M vs $-25.0M). Over the past eight quarters, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (3.1% CAGR vs -12.0%).

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.

LOCO vs PAMT — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PAMT
PAMT
1.1× larger
PAMT
$141.3M
$123.5M
LOCO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LOCO
LOCO
+23.2% gap
LOCO
8.1%
-15.1%
PAMT
Higher net margin
LOCO
LOCO
26.0% more per $
LOCO
5.3%
-20.7%
PAMT
More free cash flow
LOCO
LOCO
$30.1M more FCF
LOCO
$5.1M
$-25.0M
PAMT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LOCO
LOCO
Annualised
LOCO
3.1%
-12.0%
PAMT

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Revenue
$123.5M
$141.3M
Net Profit
$6.5M
$-29.3M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
8.3%
-27.0%
Net Margin
5.3%
-20.7%
Revenue YoY
8.1%
-15.1%
Net Profit YoY
9.9%
7.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.22
$-1.38

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
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$123.5M
$141.3M
Q3 25
$121.5M
$150.3M
Q2 25
$125.8M
$151.1M
Q1 25
$119.2M
$155.3M
Q4 24
$114.3M
$166.5M
Q3 24
$120.4M
$182.6M
Q2 24
$122.2M
$182.9M
Q1 24
$116.2M
$182.6M
Net Profit
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$6.5M
$-29.3M
Q3 25
$7.4M
$-5.6M
Q2 25
$7.1M
$-9.6M
Q1 25
$5.5M
$-8.1M
Q4 24
$6.0M
$-31.6M
Q3 24
$6.2M
$2.4M
Q2 24
$7.6M
$-2.9M
Q1 24
$5.9M
$281.0K
Operating Margin
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
8.3%
-27.0%
Q3 25
9.4%
-3.8%
Q2 25
9.0%
-7.3%
Q1 25
7.5%
-5.9%
Q4 24
7.9%
-22.6%
Q3 24
8.4%
1.3%
Q2 24
10.1%
-0.4%
Q1 24
8.3%
-0.4%
Net Margin
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
5.3%
-20.7%
Q3 25
6.1%
-3.7%
Q2 25
5.6%
-6.4%
Q1 25
4.6%
-5.2%
Q4 24
5.2%
-19.0%
Q3 24
5.1%
1.3%
Q2 24
6.2%
-1.6%
Q1 24
5.1%
0.2%
EPS (diluted)
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$0.22
$-1.38
Q3 25
$0.25
$-0.27
Q2 25
$0.24
$-0.46
Q1 25
$0.19
$-0.37
Q4 24
$0.21
$-1.44
Q3 24
$0.21
$0.11
Q2 24
$0.25
$-0.13
Q1 24
$0.19
$0.01

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$6.2M
$83.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$51.0M
$333.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$291.1M
$210.5M
Total Assets
$606.6M
$697.9M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.18×
1.59×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$6.2M
$83.7M
Q3 25
$10.9M
$115.6M
Q2 25
$9.0M
$117.3M
Q1 25
$4.3M
$102.7M
Q4 24
$2.5M
$110.7M
Q3 24
$7.9M
$92.3M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$114.0M
Q1 24
$9.1M
$125.8M
Total Debt
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$51.0M
$333.9M
Q3 25
$61.0M
Q2 25
$69.0M
Q1 25
$73.0M
Q4 24
$71.0M
$325.6M
Q3 24
$76.0M
Q2 24
$87.0M
Q1 24
$80.0M
Stockholders' Equity
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$291.1M
$210.5M
Q3 25
$282.9M
$239.5M
Q2 25
$274.2M
$244.9M
Q1 25
$265.7M
$269.6M
Q4 24
$260.7M
$277.5M
Q3 24
$255.2M
$308.9M
Q2 24
$248.6M
$306.7M
Q1 24
$256.3M
$314.6M
Total Assets
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$606.6M
$697.9M
Q3 25
$602.7M
$715.2M
Q2 25
$596.8M
$707.9M
Q1 25
$590.5M
$712.6M
Q4 24
$592.0M
$741.7M
Q3 24
$590.0M
$756.7M
Q2 24
$593.8M
$733.5M
Q1 24
$598.0M
$746.4M
Debt / Equity
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
0.18×
1.59×
Q3 25
0.22×
Q2 25
0.25×
Q1 25
0.27×
Q4 24
0.27×
1.17×
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
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$13.9M
$-5.8M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$5.1M
$-25.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.1%
-17.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.1%
13.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.13×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.4M
$-23.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$13.9M
$-5.8M
Q3 25
$15.3M
$5.9M
Q2 25
$14.1M
$12.2M
Q1 25
$4.7M
$5.0M
Q4 24
$5.6M
$15.2M
Q3 24
$13.0M
$15.5M
Q2 24
$17.0M
$18.7M
Q1 24
$11.2M
$9.6M
Free Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
$5.1M
$-25.0M
Q3 25
$9.9M
$2.5M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$5.9M
Q1 25
$1.3M
$-6.8M
Q4 24
$1.1M
$-39.9M
Q3 24
$9.1M
$-33.6M
Q2 24
$10.4M
$4.1M
Q1 24
$7.0M
$-12.2M
FCF Margin
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
4.1%
-17.7%
Q3 25
8.2%
1.7%
Q2 25
7.2%
3.9%
Q1 25
1.1%
-4.4%
Q4 24
1.0%
-24.0%
Q3 24
7.6%
-18.4%
Q2 24
8.5%
2.2%
Q1 24
6.0%
-6.7%
Capex Intensity
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
7.1%
13.6%
Q3 25
4.4%
2.3%
Q2 25
4.0%
4.2%
Q1 25
2.8%
7.6%
Q4 24
3.9%
33.1%
Q3 24
3.2%
26.9%
Q2 24
5.3%
8.0%
Q1 24
3.6%
12.0%
Cash Conversion
LOCO
LOCO
PAMT
PAMT
Q4 25
2.13×
Q3 25
2.08×
Q2 25
1.99×
Q1 25
0.86×
Q4 24
0.95×
Q3 24
2.11×
6.44×
Q2 24
2.22×
Q1 24
1.89×
34.11×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LOCO
LOCO

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

PAMT
PAMT

Freight Transportation Service$123.1M87%
Fuel Surcharge$18.2M13%

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