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Side-by-side financial comparison of El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) and Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. (SHLS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($148.3M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.2× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 5.5% vs 5.3%, a 0.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (38.6% vs 8.1%). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($5.1M vs $-11.3M). Over the past eight quarters, Shoals Technologies Group, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (27.8% CAGR vs 3.1%).
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.
Shoals Technologies Group is a leading provider of electrical balance of systems solutions for renewable energy and e-mobility. It supplies connectivity components for solar projects, energy storage systems and EV charging infrastructure, serving clients across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
LOCO vs SHLS — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $123.5M | $148.3M |
| Net Profit | $6.5M | $8.1M |
| Gross Margin | — | 31.6% |
| Operating Margin | 8.3% | 11.7% |
| Net Margin | 5.3% | 5.5% |
| Revenue YoY | 8.1% | 38.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | 9.9% | 3.9% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.22 | $0.05 |
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 | $123.5M | $148.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $121.5M | $135.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $125.8M | $110.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $119.2M | $80.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | $114.3M | $107.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $120.4M | $102.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $122.2M | $99.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $116.2M | $90.8M |
| Q4 25 | $6.5M | $8.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $7.4M | $11.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $7.1M | $13.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | $5.5M | $-282.0K | ||
| Q4 24 | $6.0M | $7.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $6.2M | $-267.0K | ||
| Q2 24 | $7.6M | $11.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $5.9M | $4.8M |
| Q4 25 | — | 31.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 37.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 37.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 35.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 37.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 24.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 40.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 40.2% |
| Q4 25 | 8.3% | 11.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 9.4% | 13.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 9.0% | 14.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 7.5% | 5.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 7.9% | 15.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 8.4% | 4.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 10.1% | 18.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | 8.3% | 12.8% |
| Q4 25 | 5.3% | 5.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.1% | 8.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.6% | 12.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.6% | -0.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 5.2% | 7.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | 5.1% | -0.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 6.2% | 11.9% | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.1% | 5.3% |
| Q4 25 | $0.22 | $0.05 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.25 | $0.07 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.24 | $0.08 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.19 | $0.00 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.21 | $0.04 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.21 | $0.00 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.25 | $0.07 | ||
| Q1 24 | $0.19 | $0.03 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $6.2M | $7.3M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $51.0M | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $291.1M | $600.0M |
| Total Assets | $606.6M | $904.1M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.18× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $6.2M | $7.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $10.9M | $8.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $9.0M | $4.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $4.3M | $35.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.5M | $23.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $7.9M | $11.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.5M | $3.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $9.1M | $15.2M |
| Q4 25 | $51.0M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $61.0M | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $69.0M | — | ||
| Q1 25 | $73.0M | $141.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $71.0M | $141.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $76.0M | $141.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $87.0M | $146.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $80.0M | $168.8M |
| Q4 25 | $291.1M | $600.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $282.9M | $589.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $274.2M | $575.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $265.7M | $558.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $260.7M | $556.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $255.2M | $545.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $248.6M | $544.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | $256.3M | $554.0M |
| Q4 25 | $606.6M | $904.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $602.7M | $851.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $596.8M | $795.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $590.5M | $788.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | $592.0M | $793.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $590.0M | $801.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $593.8M | $788.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $598.0M | $825.3M |
| Q4 25 | 0.18× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.22× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.25× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.27× | 0.25× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.27× | 0.25× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.30× | 0.26× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.35× | 0.27× | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.31× | 0.30× |
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 | $13.9M | $-4.1M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $5.1M | $-11.3M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 4.1% | -7.6% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 7.1% | 4.8% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 2.13× | -0.50× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $25.4M | $-16.0M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $13.9M | $-4.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $15.3M | $19.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $14.1M | $-13.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $4.7M | $15.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $5.6M | $14.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $13.0M | $15.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $17.0M | $37.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $11.2M | $12.9M |
| Q4 25 | $5.1M | $-11.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $9.9M | $9.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $9.1M | $-26.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.3M | $12.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.1M | $12.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $9.1M | $13.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.4M | $35.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $7.0M | $10.4M |
| Q4 25 | 4.1% | -7.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | 8.2% | 6.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 7.2% | -23.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.1% | 15.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.0% | 11.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 7.6% | 13.0% | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.5% | 36.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | 6.0% | 11.4% |
| Q4 25 | 7.1% | 4.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 4.4% | 7.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 4.0% | 11.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 2.8% | 4.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.9% | 1.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 3.2% | 2.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 5.3% | 2.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | 3.6% | 2.7% |
| Q4 25 | 2.13× | -0.50× | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.08× | 1.63× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.99× | -1.00× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.86× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.95× | 1.79× | ||
| Q3 24 | 2.11× | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.22× | 3.21× | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.89× | 2.69× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
LOCO
| Services | $102.4M | 83% |
| Franchise | $13.0M | 11% |
| Franchise Advertising Fee | $8.1M | 7% |
SHLS
| System Solutions | $122.0M | 82% |
| Components | $26.3M | 18% |
