Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

El Pollo Loco Hldgs Inc (LOCO)

141 + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in LOCO. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↓ -1
Streak
1Q ▼
Buyers last Q
51%

Smart Money Signals — LOCO

Based on 141 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📉

Selling streak — 1 quarter in a row

last 6Q
For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds reduced or closed their LOCO positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.
🏔️

At the ownership peak (99% of max)

99% of all-time peak
141 hedge funds hold LOCO right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
〰️

Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year

fund count last 6Q
The number of hedge funds holding LOCO is almost the same as a year ago (+3 funds, +2% change). No significant rush to buy or sell — institutional backing is holding steady.
🟡

Slight buying edge — 51% buying

75 buying72 selling
Last quarter: 75 funds bought or added vs 72 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
➡️

Steady new buyers — ~29 new funds per quarter

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 27 → 15 → 27 → 29. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.
🔒

60% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 60% conviction (2yr+) ■ 19% medium ■ 21% new
84 out of 141 hedge funds have held LOCO for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
💰

Value +27% but shares only +3% — price-driven

Value
+26%
Shares
+2%
Last quarter: the total dollar value of institutional holdings rose +27%, but actual share count only changed +3%. The gap is explained by the stock's price rising — not new buying. Strong value growth with weak share growth means the rally is price momentum, not fresh institutional demand.
📈

Growing discovery — still being found

21 → 27 → 15 → 27 → 29 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 27 → 15 → 27 → 29. A growing number of institutions are discovering LOCO each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.
🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 70% veterans vs 21% newcomers

■ 70% veterans ■ 9% 1-2yr ■ 21% new
Entry-cohort mix of 142 holders: 99 (70%) are 2+ year veterans, 13 entered 1–2 years ago, and 30 (21%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
✅

Strong quality — 38% AUM from major funds

38% from top-100 AUM funds
38 of 141 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 38% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.
3.6
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 3.6/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — LOCO

In 2026 Q1, 75 hedge funds were net buyers of LOCO (29 opened a new position, 46 added to an existing one), while 72 reduced or exited (42 trimmed, 30 sold completely) — a 51% buyer ratio, indicating a slight buying edge. 38% of total institutional value in LOCO is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting strong institutional quality. Net fund flow last quarter: -1 funds (more exits than new entries). Total institutional holders: 141.

Hedge Fund Ownership: LOCO

How many hedge funds hold LOCO — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of LOCO vs. share price

Market Analysis: LOCO

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: LOCO

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Is It Too Late to Buy El Pollo Loco Hldgs Inc (LOCO) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Signal Freshness measures how much LOCO has moved relative to its sector benchmark (XLY) since the 2026 Q2 13F filing. A stock that has barely outrun its sector is still a relatively fresh entry point — the fund's thesis has not yet been priced in by the broader market.

Since Quarter End June 30, 2026 · 46d ago
LOCO
-8.4%
XLY
+0.8%

LOCO outperformed XLY by -9.2% since June 30, 2026.

Since 13F Filing Date August 14, 2026 · 1d ago
LOCO
+0.0%
XLY
+0.0%

Since the filing became public, LOCO outperformed XLY by +0.0% .

Interpretation: The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference. Learn more →

Smart Money Signal ?
Limited Smart Money Interest

No strong consensus or elite conviction detected among institutional holders.

14 top-rated funds 1 high-conviction
Consensus
5.1
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
1.9
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: LOCO
2026 Q2 Stats Unlock in 4 days 141 + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in LOCO. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q1) Prior (2025 Q4) Change
Funds Holding 141 142 -0.7%
13F Shares 27M 26M 2.87%
Total Value $347M $274M 26.7%
New Positions 29 27 +2
Increased Positions 46 50 -4
Closed Positions 30 12 +18
Reduced Positions 42 45 -3
Total Calls 1 1 -
Total Puts 0 0 -
PUT/CALL Ratio 0.0 0.0 Bullish

Statistics: LOCO

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Valuation Measures Data as of: --

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Enterprise Value/EBITDA --
Beta (5Y Monthly) --
Short Ratio (Days to Cover) --
Short % of Float --

Financial Highlights

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Institutional Holders (2026 Q2)

141 + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in LOCO. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:
2026 Q2 filings are still coming in. Only funds that have filed so far are shown — top holders may not have reported yet. Full 13F data typically settles by ~50 days after quarter-end.
Top 25 LOCO holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Biglari, Sardar 13.33% 489,247 $8.3M
2 Biglari Capital CORP. 5.36% 3,777,400 $64.1M
3 Tieton Capital Management, LLC 5.04% 1,033,917 $17.5M
4 Archon Capital Management LLC 2.90% 420,690 $7.1M
5 Monimus Capital Management, LP 1.79% 455,982 $7.7M
6 Semanteon Capital Management, LP 1.17% 15,319 $260K
7 SummerHaven Investment Management, LLC 0.63% 69,741 $1.2M
8 Rodgers Brothers Inc. 0.58% 352,300 $6.0M
9 Watershed Asset Management, L.L.C. 0.43% 28,598 $485K
10 Aristides Capital LLC 0.26% 79,833 $1.4M
11 Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. 0.25% 656,096 $11.1M
12 Divisadero Street Capital Management, LP 0.16% 409,925 $7.0M
13 Bridgeway Capital Management, LLC 0.13% 428,716 $7.3M
14 Informed Momentum Co LLC 0.12% 80,170 $1.4M
15 Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC 0.06% 62,733 $1.1M
16 Headlands Technologies LLC 0.05% 28,665 $486K
17 State of Wyoming 0.05% 29,200 $495K
18 Occudo Quantitative Strategies LP 0.03% 37,331 $633K
19 First Eagle Investment Management, LLC 0.03% 995,799 $16.9M
20 Trexquant Investment LP 0.02% 218,709 $3.7M
21 Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC 0.02% 371,373 $6.3M
22 Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. 0.02% 8,236 $140K
23 Two Sigma Investments, LP 0.01% 906,685 $15.4M
24 Renaissance Technologies LLC 0.01% 418,400 $7.1M
25 Prudential Financial Inc 0.01% 449,926 $7.6M
Investor Ownership
History 		% of Portfolio Prev % Rank Conviction Avg Buy Price 13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y Sell Timing Shares Mkt Value Change Change % Source Quarter Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — El Pollo Loco Hldgs Inc (LOCO)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for LOCO?

Selling streak — 1 quarter in a row: For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds reduced or closed their LOCO positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.

What is the institutional breadth score for LOCO?

Slight buying edge — 51% buying: Last quarter: 75 funds bought or added vs 72 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for LOCO holders?

Strong quality — 38% AUM from major funds: 38 of 141 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 38% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.

How long have hedge funds held LOCO?

60% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 84 out of 141 hedge funds have held LOCO for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy El Pollo Loco Hldgs Inc (LOCO) following the 2026 Q2 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, LOCO has moved +0.0% since the 2026 Q2 13F filing date (August 14, 2026), compared to +0.0% for the XLY sector ETF — an outperformance of +0.0%. Since the quarter end (June 30, 2026), LOCO has gained -8.4% vs +0.8% for XLY. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.

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