vs

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

PHOTRONICS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($210.4M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.7× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). PHOTRONICS INC runs the higher net margin — 10.9% vs 5.3%, a 5.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.1% vs -5.5%). PHOTRONICS INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($25.2M vs $5.1M). Over the past eight quarters, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (3.1% CAGR vs -3.8%).

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.

Photronics, Inc. is an American semiconductor photomask manufacturer. It was the third largest photomask supplier globally as of 2009. Photronics is a member of the eBeam Initiative.

LOCO vs PLAB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PLAB
PLAB
1.7× larger
PLAB
$210.4M
$123.5M
LOCO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LOCO
LOCO
+13.6% gap
LOCO
8.1%
-5.5%
PLAB
Higher net margin
PLAB
PLAB
5.6% more per $
PLAB
10.9%
5.3%
LOCO
More free cash flow
PLAB
PLAB
$20.1M more FCF
PLAB
$25.2M
$5.1M
LOCO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LOCO
LOCO
Annualised
LOCO
3.1%
-3.8%
PLAB

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Revenue
$123.5M
$210.4M
Net Profit
$6.5M
$22.9M
Gross Margin
33.7%
Operating Margin
8.3%
22.9%
Net Margin
5.3%
10.9%
Revenue YoY
8.1%
-5.5%
Net Profit YoY
9.9%
-32.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.22
$0.39

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
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$123.5M
Q3 25
$121.5M
$210.4M
Q2 25
$125.8M
$211.0M
Q1 25
$119.2M
$212.1M
Q4 24
$114.3M
$222.6M
Q3 24
$120.4M
$211.0M
Q2 24
$122.2M
$217.0M
Q1 24
$116.2M
$216.3M
Net Profit
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$6.5M
Q3 25
$7.4M
$22.9M
Q2 25
$7.1M
$8.9M
Q1 25
$5.5M
$42.9M
Q4 24
$6.0M
$33.9M
Q3 24
$6.2M
$34.4M
Q2 24
$7.6M
$36.3M
Q1 24
$5.9M
$26.2M
Gross Margin
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
Q3 25
33.7%
Q2 25
36.9%
Q1 25
35.6%
Q4 24
37.0%
Q3 24
35.6%
Q2 24
36.5%
Q1 24
36.6%
Operating Margin
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
8.3%
Q3 25
9.4%
22.9%
Q2 25
9.0%
26.4%
Q1 25
7.5%
24.6%
Q4 24
7.9%
25.1%
Q3 24
8.4%
24.7%
Q2 24
10.1%
25.8%
Q1 24
8.3%
26.6%
Net Margin
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
5.3%
Q3 25
6.1%
10.9%
Q2 25
5.6%
4.2%
Q1 25
4.6%
20.2%
Q4 24
5.2%
15.2%
Q3 24
5.1%
16.3%
Q2 24
6.2%
16.7%
Q1 24
5.1%
12.1%
EPS (diluted)
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$0.22
Q3 25
$0.25
$0.39
Q2 25
$0.24
$0.15
Q1 25
$0.19
$0.68
Q4 24
$0.21
$0.54
Q3 24
$0.21
$0.55
Q2 24
$0.25
$0.58
Q1 24
$0.19
$0.42

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$6.2M
$575.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$51.0M
$16.0K
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$291.1M
$1.1B
Total Assets
$606.6M
$1.8B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.18×
0.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$6.2M
Q3 25
$10.9M
$575.8M
Q2 25
$9.0M
$558.4M
Q1 25
$4.3M
$642.2M
Q4 24
$2.5M
$640.7M
Q3 24
$7.9M
$606.4M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$559.9M
Q1 24
$9.1M
$521.5M
Total Debt
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$51.0M
Q3 25
$61.0M
$16.0K
Q2 25
$69.0M
$19.0K
Q1 25
$73.0M
$21.0K
Q4 24
$71.0M
$25.0K
Q3 24
$76.0M
$28.0K
Q2 24
$87.0M
$2.5M
Q1 24
$80.0M
$2.7M
Stockholders' Equity
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$291.1M
Q3 25
$282.9M
$1.1B
Q2 25
$274.2M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$265.7M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$260.7M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$255.2M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$248.6M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$256.3M
$1.0B
Total Assets
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$606.6M
Q3 25
$602.7M
$1.8B
Q2 25
$596.8M
$1.7B
Q1 25
$590.5M
$1.7B
Q4 24
$592.0M
$1.7B
Q3 24
$590.0M
$1.6B
Q2 24
$593.8M
$1.6B
Q1 24
$598.0M
$1.6B
Debt / Equity
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
0.18×
Q3 25
0.22×
0.00×
Q2 25
0.25×
0.00×
Q1 25
0.27×
0.00×
Q4 24
0.27×
0.00×
Q3 24
0.30×
0.00×
Q2 24
0.35×
0.00×
Q1 24
0.31×
0.00×

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
PLAB
PLAB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$13.9M
$50.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$5.1M
$25.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.1%
12.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.1%
11.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.13×
2.19×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.4M
$64.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$13.9M
Q3 25
$15.3M
$50.1M
Q2 25
$14.1M
$31.5M
Q1 25
$4.7M
$78.5M
Q4 24
$5.6M
$68.4M
Q3 24
$13.0M
$75.1M
Q2 24
$17.0M
$76.5M
Q1 24
$11.2M
$41.5M
Free Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
$5.1M
Q3 25
$9.9M
$25.2M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$-29.1M
Q1 25
$1.3M
$43.3M
Q4 24
$1.1M
$25.2M
Q3 24
$9.1M
$50.7M
Q2 24
$10.4M
$56.5M
Q1 24
$7.0M
$-1.8M
FCF Margin
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
4.1%
Q3 25
8.2%
12.0%
Q2 25
7.2%
-13.8%
Q1 25
1.1%
20.4%
Q4 24
1.0%
11.3%
Q3 24
7.6%
24.0%
Q2 24
8.5%
26.0%
Q1 24
6.0%
-0.8%
Capex Intensity
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
7.1%
Q3 25
4.4%
11.8%
Q2 25
4.0%
28.7%
Q1 25
2.8%
16.6%
Q4 24
3.9%
19.4%
Q3 24
3.2%
11.6%
Q2 24
5.3%
9.2%
Q1 24
3.6%
20.0%
Cash Conversion
LOCO
LOCO
PLAB
PLAB
Q4 25
2.13×
Q3 25
2.08×
2.19×
Q2 25
1.99×
3.55×
Q1 25
0.86×
1.83×
Q4 24
0.95×
2.02×
Q3 24
2.11×
2.18×
Q2 24
2.22×
2.11×
Q1 24
1.89×
1.59×

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%

PLAB
PLAB

High End Integrated Circuits$53.6M25%
High End Flat Panel Displays$53.5M25%
KR$43.7M21%
Other$42.1M20%
Mainstream Flat Panel Displays$9.1M4%
Transferred At Point In Time$8.4M4%

Related Comparisons