William Blair Lowers Earnings Projections for El Pollo Loco Amid Market Caution

William Blair Adjusts Downward Earnings Forecasts for El Pollo Loco In a recent analysis published on August 1, 2025, investment firm William Blair revised its earnings projections for El Pollo Loco, reflecting a slight decrease in expectations. The firm now anticipates a Q3 2025 earnings per share (EPS) of $0.23, down from their previous estimate of $0.24. For the full fiscal year 2025, William Blair projects an EPS of $0.90, with an expected increase to $0.94 in 2026. Additionally, Wall Street Zen downgraded El Pollo Loco from a "buy" to a "hold" rating as of May 2nd, signaling cautious optimism among investors. El Pollo Loco's stock opened at $10.45 on Monday, with a one-year range between $8.29 and $14.25. The company has a market capitalization of approximately $314 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.44, and a beta of 1.01, indicating market sensitivity. The company reported its latest quarterly earnings on July 31st, surpassing analyst expectations with an EPS of $0.28 against the estimated $0.25. Revenue for the quarter reached $125.83 million, a 3% increase compared to the same period last year. Despite a modest net margin of 5.15%, these results highlight steady ...