El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOCO – Get Free Report) major shareholder Sardar Biglari sold 22,600 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.91, for a total value of $382,166.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 3,777,400 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $63,875,834. The trade was a 0.59% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a company’s stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.
Sardar Biglari also recently made the following trade(s):
- On Monday, June 29th, Sardar Biglari sold 100,000 shares of El Pollo Loco stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.58, for a total transaction of $1,658,000.00.
- On Friday, June 26th, Sardar Biglari sold 100,000 shares of El Pollo Loco stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.75, for a total transaction of $1,675,000.00.
El Pollo Loco Stock Performance
Shares of El Pollo Loco stock opened at $17.20 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $14.55 and a two-hundred day moving average of $12.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $523.74 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.55 and a beta of 0.78. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. has a 52 week low of $8.98 and a 52 week high of $17.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 0.34.
El Pollo Loco declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, May 28th that authorizes the company to repurchase $40.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the restaurant operator to buy up to 9.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.
El Pollo Loco News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting El Pollo Loco this week:
- Positive Sentiment: El Pollo Loco said it has entered its 10th state, marking a development milestone that underscores its nationwide expansion plan and could support future unit growth and sales. El Pollo Loco Marks Development Milestone as it Enters 10th State
- Positive Sentiment: Freedom Capital reportedly issued bullish ratings on El Pollo Loco alongside other restaurant names, adding to the case that analysts see upside in the stock after recent earnings strength and operational improvement. Dutch Bros, First Watch, and El Pollo Loco land bull ratings from Freedom Capital
- Positive Sentiment: Coverage discussing whether LOCO is a buy after Q1 earnings suggests investors are still digesting a stronger-than-expected quarter, which included EPS and revenue beats. El Pollo Loco (LOCO): Buy, sell, or hold post Q1 earnings?
- Positive Sentiment: New store openings, including the first El Pollo Loco location in Idaho and a planned opening in Lubbock, support the company’s growth narrative and could lift long-term sales expectations. In nationwide push, El Pollo Loco makes its debut in Idaho Lubbock 1st El Pollo Loco location set to open
- Neutral Sentiment: The stock is also being weighed by a recent insider sale from major shareholder Sardar Biglari, who sold 22,600 shares after earlier larger sales, which can pressure sentiment even though he still retains a large stake. Insider Selling: El Pollo Loco (NASDAQ:LOCO) Major Shareholder Sells 22,600 Shares
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wall Street Zen raised El Pollo Loco from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 21st. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of El Pollo Loco from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 13th. DA Davidson boosted their price objective on shares of El Pollo Loco from $13.00 to $15.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of El Pollo Loco from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, William Blair reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of El Pollo Loco in a report on Friday, March 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $14.88.
Get Our Latest Report on El Pollo Loco
Institutional Investors Weigh In On El Pollo Loco
Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of LOCO. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in shares of El Pollo Loco by 93.9% during the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,037,293 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $10,850,000 after purchasing an additional 502,378 shares during the period. Fund 1 Investments LLC grew its position in shares of El Pollo Loco by 193.4% in the 4th quarter. Fund 1 Investments LLC now owns 745,140 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $7,794,000 after purchasing an additional 491,184 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in El Pollo Loco by 197.4% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 680,391 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $7,008,000 after purchasing an additional 451,575 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. increased its stake in El Pollo Loco by 203.8% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 635,468 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $8,808,000 after purchasing an additional 426,320 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in El Pollo Loco by 59.0% during the 4th quarter. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. now owns 571,296 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $5,976,000 after buying an additional 211,900 shares during the period. 81.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
About El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco (NASDAQ: LOCO) is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in Mexican-style fire-grilled chicken and complementary menu offerings. The company’s signature product is its marinated, flame-grilled chicken, which is prepared in an open-flame rotisserie and served in a variety of formats including tacos, burritos, bowls and salads. In addition to its core chicken offerings, El Pollo Loco menu items feature fresh-made salsas, guacamole, sides such as charro beans and fresh tortillas, as well as a selection of beverages and desserts.
Founded in 1975 in Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico, by Juan Francisco Ochoa, the concept expanded into the United States in 1980 with its first U.S.
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