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Side-by-side financial comparison of El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (LOCO) and WD 40 CO (WDFC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

WD 40 CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($154.4M vs $123.5M, roughly 1.3× El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.). WD 40 CO runs the higher net margin — 11.3% vs 5.3%, a 6.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.1% vs 0.6%). WD 40 CO produced more free cash flow last quarter ($9.1M vs $5.1M). Over the past eight quarters, WD 40 CO's revenue compounded faster (5.4% 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.

WD-40 Company is a global consumer and industrial goods manufacturer best known for its signature multi-purpose lubricant of the same name. Its product portfolio includes cleaners, degreasers, rust removers and specialty lubricants, serving retail, industrial and automotive markets across more than 170 countries and regions worldwide.

LOCO vs WDFC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WDFC
WDFC
1.3× larger
WDFC
$154.4M
$123.5M
LOCO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LOCO
LOCO
+7.5% gap
LOCO
8.1%
0.6%
WDFC
Higher net margin
WDFC
WDFC
6.0% more per $
WDFC
11.3%
5.3%
LOCO
More free cash flow
WDFC
WDFC
$4.0M more FCF
WDFC
$9.1M
$5.1M
LOCO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WDFC
WDFC
Annualised
WDFC
5.4%
3.1%
LOCO

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Revenue
$123.5M
$154.4M
Net Profit
$6.5M
$17.5M
Gross Margin
56.2%
Operating Margin
8.3%
15.1%
Net Margin
5.3%
11.3%
Revenue YoY
8.1%
0.6%
Net Profit YoY
9.9%
-7.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.22
$1.28

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
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$123.5M
$154.4M
Q3 25
$121.5M
$163.5M
Q2 25
$125.8M
$156.9M
Q1 25
$119.2M
$146.1M
Q4 24
$114.3M
$153.5M
Q3 24
$120.4M
$156.0M
Q2 24
$122.2M
$155.0M
Q1 24
$116.2M
$139.1M
Net Profit
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$6.5M
$17.5M
Q3 25
$7.4M
$21.2M
Q2 25
$7.1M
$21.0M
Q1 25
$5.5M
$29.9M
Q4 24
$6.0M
$18.9M
Q3 24
$6.2M
$16.8M
Q2 24
$7.6M
$19.8M
Q1 24
$5.9M
$15.5M
Gross Margin
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
56.2%
Q3 25
54.7%
Q2 25
56.2%
Q1 25
54.6%
Q4 24
54.8%
Q3 24
54.1%
Q2 24
53.1%
Q1 24
52.4%
Operating Margin
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
8.3%
15.1%
Q3 25
9.4%
17.1%
Q2 25
9.0%
17.4%
Q1 25
7.5%
15.9%
Q4 24
7.9%
16.4%
Q3 24
8.4%
15.4%
Q2 24
10.1%
17.5%
Q1 24
8.3%
15.1%
Net Margin
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
5.3%
11.3%
Q3 25
6.1%
13.0%
Q2 25
5.6%
13.4%
Q1 25
4.6%
20.4%
Q4 24
5.2%
12.3%
Q3 24
5.1%
10.8%
Q2 24
6.2%
12.8%
Q1 24
5.1%
11.2%
EPS (diluted)
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$0.22
$1.28
Q3 25
$0.25
$1.57
Q2 25
$0.24
$1.54
Q1 25
$0.19
$2.19
Q4 24
$0.21
$1.39
Q3 24
$0.21
$1.23
Q2 24
$0.25
$1.46
Q1 24
$0.19
$1.14

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$6.2M
$48.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$51.0M
$85.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$291.1M
$264.1M
Total Assets
$606.6M
$459.7M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.18×
0.32×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$6.2M
$48.6M
Q3 25
$10.9M
$58.1M
Q2 25
$9.0M
$51.7M
Q1 25
$4.3M
$53.0M
Q4 24
$2.5M
$54.9M
Q3 24
$7.9M
$46.7M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$45.3M
Q1 24
$9.1M
$55.4M
Total Debt
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$51.0M
$85.7M
Q3 25
$61.0M
$86.2M
Q2 25
$69.0M
$85.6M
Q1 25
$73.0M
$84.4M
Q4 24
$71.0M
$84.6M
Q3 24
$76.0M
$86.0M
Q2 24
$87.0M
$85.5M
Q1 24
$80.0M
$85.9M
Stockholders' Equity
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$291.1M
$264.1M
Q3 25
$282.9M
$268.2M
Q2 25
$274.2M
$257.1M
Q1 25
$265.7M
$242.1M
Q4 24
$260.7M
$226.3M
Q3 24
$255.2M
$230.5M
Q2 24
$248.6M
$222.2M
Q1 24
$256.3M
$216.3M
Total Assets
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$606.6M
$459.7M
Q3 25
$602.7M
$475.8M
Q2 25
$596.8M
$456.0M
Q1 25
$590.5M
$458.3M
Q4 24
$592.0M
$447.3M
Q3 24
$590.0M
$449.0M
Q2 24
$593.8M
$443.6M
Q1 24
$598.0M
$442.0M
Debt / Equity
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
0.18×
0.32×
Q3 25
0.22×
0.32×
Q2 25
0.25×
0.33×
Q1 25
0.27×
0.35×
Q4 24
0.27×
0.37×
Q3 24
0.30×
0.37×
Q2 24
0.35×
0.38×
Q1 24
0.31×
0.40×

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
WDFC
WDFC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$13.9M
$10.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$5.1M
$9.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.1%
5.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.1%
0.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.13×
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.4M
$78.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$13.9M
$10.0M
Q3 25
$15.3M
$29.9M
Q2 25
$14.1M
$35.1M
Q1 25
$4.7M
$8.0M
Q4 24
$5.6M
$14.9M
Q3 24
$13.0M
$27.2M
Q2 24
$17.0M
$19.9M
Q1 24
$11.2M
$18.0M
Free Cash Flow
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
$5.1M
$9.1M
Q3 25
$9.9M
$28.6M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$34.0M
Q1 25
$1.3M
$6.6M
Q4 24
$1.1M
$14.2M
Q3 24
$9.1M
$26.4M
Q2 24
$10.4M
$18.7M
Q1 24
$7.0M
$16.7M
FCF Margin
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
4.1%
5.9%
Q3 25
8.2%
17.5%
Q2 25
7.2%
21.6%
Q1 25
1.1%
4.5%
Q4 24
1.0%
9.3%
Q3 24
7.6%
16.9%
Q2 24
8.5%
12.0%
Q1 24
6.0%
12.0%
Capex Intensity
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
7.1%
0.6%
Q3 25
4.4%
0.8%
Q2 25
4.0%
0.7%
Q1 25
2.8%
0.9%
Q4 24
3.9%
0.5%
Q3 24
3.2%
0.5%
Q2 24
5.3%
0.8%
Q1 24
3.6%
0.9%
Cash Conversion
LOCO
LOCO
WDFC
WDFC
Q4 25
2.13×
0.57×
Q3 25
2.08×
1.41×
Q2 25
1.99×
1.67×
Q1 25
0.86×
0.27×
Q4 24
0.95×
0.79×
Q3 24
2.11×
1.62×
Q2 24
2.22×
1.00×
Q1 24
1.89×
1.16×

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%

WDFC
WDFC

Other$82.6M53%
WD40Multi Use Product$56.0M36%
WD40Specialist$9.0M6%
Other Maintenance Products$4.0M3%
Homecare And Cleaning Products$2.7M2%

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