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

Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($151.7M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.2× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 5.3% vs -5.5%, a 10.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (128.4% vs 8.1%). Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($13.0M vs $5.1M). Over the past eight quarters, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (134.4% 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.

Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapeutic candidates for unmet medical needs in ophthalmology, dermatology, and other specialty care areas. It operates primarily in the United States, with lead product candidates targeting common, underdiagnosed conditions including demodex blepharitis and rosacea.

LOCO vs TARS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
TARS
TARS
1.2× larger
TARS
$151.7M
$123.5M
LOCO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
TARS
TARS
+120.3% gap
TARS
128.4%
8.1%
LOCO
Higher net margin
LOCO
LOCO
10.8% more per $
LOCO
5.3%
-5.5%
TARS
More free cash flow
TARS
TARS
$7.9M more FCF
TARS
$13.0M
$5.1M
LOCO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
TARS
TARS
Annualised
TARS
134.4%
3.1%
LOCO

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Revenue
$123.5M
$151.7M
Net Profit
$6.5M
$-8.4M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
8.3%
-5.3%
Net Margin
5.3%
-5.5%
Revenue YoY
8.1%
128.4%
Net Profit YoY
9.9%
63.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.22
$-0.17

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
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$123.5M
$151.7M
Q3 25
$121.5M
$118.7M
Q2 25
$125.8M
$102.7M
Q1 25
$119.2M
$78.3M
Q4 24
$114.3M
$66.4M
Q3 24
$120.4M
$48.1M
Q2 24
$122.2M
$40.8M
Q1 24
$116.2M
$27.6M
Net Profit
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$6.5M
$-8.4M
Q3 25
$7.4M
$-12.6M
Q2 25
$7.1M
$-20.3M
Q1 25
$5.5M
$-25.1M
Q4 24
$6.0M
$-23.1M
Q3 24
$6.2M
$-23.4M
Q2 24
$7.6M
$-33.3M
Q1 24
$5.9M
$-35.7M
Operating Margin
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
8.3%
-5.3%
Q3 25
9.4%
-12.2%
Q2 25
9.0%
-21.6%
Q1 25
7.5%
-33.5%
Q4 24
7.9%
-36.8%
Q3 24
8.4%
-52.3%
Q2 24
10.1%
-81.6%
Q1 24
8.3%
-136.5%
Net Margin
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
5.3%
-5.5%
Q3 25
6.1%
-10.6%
Q2 25
5.6%
-19.8%
Q1 25
4.6%
-32.1%
Q4 24
5.2%
-34.8%
Q3 24
5.1%
-48.7%
Q2 24
6.2%
-81.6%
Q1 24
5.1%
-129.4%
EPS (diluted)
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$0.22
$-0.17
Q3 25
$0.25
$-0.30
Q2 25
$0.24
$-0.48
Q1 25
$0.19
$-0.64
Q4 24
$0.21
$-0.57
Q3 24
$0.21
$-0.61
Q2 24
$0.25
$-0.88
Q1 24
$0.19
$-1.01

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$6.2M
$417.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$51.0M
$72.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$291.1M
$343.4M
Total Assets
$606.6M
$562.2M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.18×
0.21×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$6.2M
$417.3M
Q3 25
$10.9M
$401.8M
Q2 25
$9.0M
$381.1M
Q1 25
$4.3M
$407.9M
Q4 24
$2.5M
$291.4M
Q3 24
$7.9M
$317.0M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$323.6M
Q1 24
$9.1M
$298.5M
Total Debt
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$51.0M
$72.4M
Q3 25
$61.0M
$72.3M
Q2 25
$69.0M
$72.1M
Q1 25
$73.0M
$72.0M
Q4 24
$71.0M
$71.8M
Q3 24
$76.0M
$71.7M
Q2 24
$87.0M
$71.6M
Q1 24
$80.0M
$29.9M
Stockholders' Equity
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$291.1M
$343.4M
Q3 25
$282.9M
$335.1M
Q2 25
$274.2M
$332.6M
Q1 25
$265.7M
$342.5M
Q4 24
$260.7M
$224.5M
Q3 24
$255.2M
$237.5M
Q2 24
$248.6M
$252.2M
Q1 24
$256.3M
$275.2M
Total Assets
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$606.6M
$562.2M
Q3 25
$602.7M
$534.6M
Q2 25
$596.8M
$495.0M
Q1 25
$590.5M
$500.8M
Q4 24
$592.0M
$377.0M
Q3 24
$590.0M
$376.3M
Q2 24
$593.8M
$376.8M
Q1 24
$598.0M
$349.3M
Debt / Equity
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
0.18×
0.21×
Q3 25
0.22×
0.22×
Q2 25
0.25×
0.22×
Q1 25
0.27×
0.21×
Q4 24
0.27×
0.32×
Q3 24
0.30×
0.30×
Q2 24
0.35×
0.28×
Q1 24
0.31×
0.11×

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
TARS
TARS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$13.9M
$19.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$5.1M
$13.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.1%
8.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.1%
4.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.13×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.4M
$-22.3M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$13.9M
$19.3M
Q3 25
$15.3M
$18.3M
Q2 25
$14.1M
$-29.4M
Q1 25
$4.7M
$-20.7M
Q4 24
$5.6M
$-22.2M
Q3 24
$13.0M
$-8.7M
Q2 24
$17.0M
$-14.4M
Q1 24
$11.2M
$-37.8M
Free Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
$5.1M
$13.0M
Q3 25
$9.9M
$16.3M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$-30.4M
Q1 25
$1.3M
$-21.2M
Q4 24
$1.1M
$-22.3M
Q3 24
$9.1M
$-8.9M
Q2 24
$10.4M
$-15.4M
Q1 24
$7.0M
$-38.0M
FCF Margin
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
4.1%
8.6%
Q3 25
8.2%
13.8%
Q2 25
7.2%
-29.6%
Q1 25
1.1%
-27.1%
Q4 24
1.0%
-33.5%
Q3 24
7.6%
-18.6%
Q2 24
8.5%
-37.8%
Q1 24
6.0%
-137.5%
Capex Intensity
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
Q4 25
7.1%
4.2%
Q3 25
4.4%
1.6%
Q2 25
4.0%
1.0%
Q1 25
2.8%
0.8%
Q4 24
3.9%
0.1%
Q3 24
3.2%
0.6%
Q2 24
5.3%
2.5%
Q1 24
3.6%
0.6%
Cash Conversion
LOCO
LOCO
TARS
TARS
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

LOCO
LOCO

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

TARS
TARS

Segment breakdown not available.

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