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

Wheels Up Experience Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($183.8M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.5× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 5.3% vs -15.7%, a 21.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.1% vs -10.2%). El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($5.1M vs $-58.3M). Over the past eight quarters, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (3.1% CAGR vs -3.4%).

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.

Wheels Up is a provider of "on demand" private aviation in the United States and one of the largest private aviation companies in the world. It was founded in 2013 by Kenny Dichter, using a membership/on-demand business model. Wheels Up members can book private aircraft from the company fleet and third-party operators using a mobile application.

LOCO vs UP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
UP
UP
1.5× larger
UP
$183.8M
$123.5M
LOCO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LOCO
LOCO
+18.3% gap
LOCO
8.1%
-10.2%
UP
Higher net margin
LOCO
LOCO
21.0% more per $
LOCO
5.3%
-15.7%
UP
More free cash flow
LOCO
LOCO
$63.3M more FCF
LOCO
$5.1M
$-58.3M
UP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LOCO
LOCO
Annualised
LOCO
3.1%
-3.4%
UP

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Revenue
$123.5M
$183.8M
Net Profit
$6.5M
$-28.9M
Gross Margin
14.3%
Operating Margin
8.3%
-0.9%
Net Margin
5.3%
-15.7%
Revenue YoY
8.1%
-10.2%
Net Profit YoY
9.9%
67.0%
EPS (diluted)
$0.22
$-0.04

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
UP
UP
Q4 25
$123.5M
$183.8M
Q3 25
$121.5M
$185.5M
Q2 25
$125.8M
$189.6M
Q1 25
$119.2M
$177.5M
Q4 24
$114.3M
$204.8M
Q3 24
$120.4M
$193.9M
Q2 24
$122.2M
$196.3M
Q1 24
$116.2M
$197.1M
Net Profit
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$6.5M
$-28.9M
Q3 25
$7.4M
$-83.7M
Q2 25
$7.1M
$-82.3M
Q1 25
$5.5M
$-99.3M
Q4 24
$6.0M
$-87.5M
Q3 24
$6.2M
$-57.7M
Q2 24
$7.6M
$-97.0M
Q1 24
$5.9M
$-97.4M
Gross Margin
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
14.3%
Q3 25
6.8%
Q2 25
8.3%
Q1 25
10.8%
Q4 24
13.9%
Q3 24
13.9%
Q2 24
2.3%
Q1 24
-0.6%
Operating Margin
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
8.3%
-0.9%
Q3 25
9.4%
-33.1%
Q2 25
9.0%
-31.4%
Q1 25
7.5%
-45.5%
Q4 24
7.9%
-26.0%
Q3 24
8.4%
-21.6%
Q2 24
10.1%
-40.3%
Q1 24
8.3%
-42.9%
Net Margin
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
5.3%
-15.7%
Q3 25
6.1%
-45.1%
Q2 25
5.6%
-43.4%
Q1 25
4.6%
-55.9%
Q4 24
5.2%
-42.7%
Q3 24
5.1%
-29.8%
Q2 24
6.2%
-49.4%
Q1 24
5.1%
-49.4%
EPS (diluted)
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$0.22
$-0.04
Q3 25
$0.25
$-0.12
Q2 25
$0.24
$-0.12
Q1 25
$0.19
$-0.14
Q4 24
$0.21
$-0.13
Q3 24
$0.21
$-0.08
Q2 24
$0.25
$-0.14
Q1 24
$0.19
$-0.14

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$6.2M
$133.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$51.0M
$671.3M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$291.1M
$-392.1M
Total Assets
$606.6M
$968.8M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.18×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$6.2M
$133.9M
Q3 25
$10.9M
$125.3M
Q2 25
$9.0M
$107.0M
Q1 25
$4.3M
$171.8M
Q4 24
$2.5M
$216.4M
Q3 24
$7.9M
$115.9M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$141.5M
Q1 24
$9.1M
$180.9M
Total Debt
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$51.0M
$671.3M
Q3 25
$61.0M
$766.5M
Q2 25
$69.0M
$770.5M
Q1 25
$73.0M
$765.8M
Q4 24
$71.0M
$761.3M
Q3 24
$76.0M
$596.9M
Q2 24
$87.0M
$597.4M
Q1 24
$80.0M
$603.2M
Stockholders' Equity
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$291.1M
$-392.1M
Q3 25
$282.9M
$-374.5M
Q2 25
$274.2M
$-347.8M
Q1 25
$265.7M
$-288.1M
Q4 24
$260.7M
$-202.1M
Q3 24
$255.2M
$-117.7M
Q2 24
$248.6M
$-72.2M
Q1 24
$256.3M
$936.0K
Total Assets
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$606.6M
$968.8M
Q3 25
$602.7M
$973.0M
Q2 25
$596.8M
$1.0B
Q1 25
$590.5M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$592.0M
$1.2B
Q3 24
$590.0M
$1.0B
Q2 24
$593.8M
$1.1B
Q1 24
$598.0M
$1.2B
Debt / Equity
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
0.18×
Q3 25
0.22×
Q2 25
0.25×
Q1 25
0.27×
Q4 24
0.27×
Q3 24
0.30×
Q2 24
0.35×
Q1 24
0.31×
644.43×

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
UP
UP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$13.9M
$-18.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$5.1M
$-58.3M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.1%
-31.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.1%
21.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.13×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.4M
$-259.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$13.9M
$-18.4M
Q3 25
$15.3M
$-37.1M
Q2 25
$14.1M
$-62.9M
Q1 25
$4.7M
$-47.9M
Q4 24
$5.6M
$37.9M
Q3 24
$13.0M
$-16.9M
Q2 24
$17.0M
$-25.2M
Q1 24
$11.2M
$-73.8M
Free Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
$5.1M
$-58.3M
Q3 25
$9.9M
$-60.4M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$-78.6M
Q1 25
$1.3M
$-62.6M
Q4 24
$1.1M
$-70.2M
Q3 24
$9.1M
$-21.9M
Q2 24
$10.4M
$-30.8M
Q1 24
$7.0M
$-77.8M
FCF Margin
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
4.1%
-31.7%
Q3 25
8.2%
-32.6%
Q2 25
7.2%
-41.5%
Q1 25
1.1%
-35.3%
Q4 24
1.0%
-34.3%
Q3 24
7.6%
-11.3%
Q2 24
8.5%
-15.7%
Q1 24
6.0%
-39.5%
Capex Intensity
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
Q4 25
7.1%
21.7%
Q3 25
4.4%
12.5%
Q2 25
4.0%
8.3%
Q1 25
2.8%
8.3%
Q4 24
3.9%
52.8%
Q3 24
3.2%
2.6%
Q2 24
5.3%
2.9%
Q1 24
3.6%
2.0%
Cash Conversion
LOCO
LOCO
UP
UP
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%

UP
UP

Segment breakdown not available.

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