El Pollo Loco Q2 net income rises to $12.8 million; raises 2026 outlook
El Pollo Loco reported second-quarter 2026 results for the 13 weeks ended July 1, 2026, with total revenue of $129.6 million, up from $125.8 million, and net income of $12.8 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, up from $7.1 million, or $0.24. The company also raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA outlook to $68 million to $70 million, which shareholders will weigh against the $6.3 million legal settlement that helped lower general and administrative expenses this quarter.
Key points
- System-wide comparable restaurant sales rose 3.9%; company-operated comparable sales rose 3.0%, driven by a 4.2% increase in average check and a 1.1% decrease in transactions.
- Adjusted net income was $8.9 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, compared with $8.2 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, a year earlier.
- Fiscal 2026 outlook: system-wide comparable sales growth of 3.5% to 4.5%, adjusted EBITDA of $68 million to $70 million, and capital spending of $33 million to $37 million.
- As of July 29, 2026, outstanding borrowings under the credit facility were $26.0 million; on August 4, 2026, the facility was amended to extend its term to August 4, 2031.
The filing
Written by AI on Nov 9, 2026, 8:38 AM ET, from this filing only. Written later: this filing was briefed after the fact, when past filings were added to the site, so the brief may be read with hindsight; the filing itself is the record of what was known on August 06, 2026.
Briefs are written by AI from the filing text and can contain mistakes — open the filing before acting on anything. Impact (1-5) and tone are the AI's reading of the filing for shareholders, not a price forecast. Not investment advice.