El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LOCO) in Costa Mesa said revenue in its most recent quarter grew about 1% year-over-year to $101 million and net income declined 49% to $2.5 million; pro forma net income, a non-GAAP measure, increased 9% to $6.7 million.
Results generally beat Wall Street estimates.
System-wide same store sales were down about 1%, with most of the decline coming from company-owned locations.
Margins declined to 18.7% from 19.3%.
El Pollo Loco is the fourth-largest OC-based restaurant operator with about $795 million in system-wide sales and 750 local employees.
It maintained full-year earnings guidance of 68 cents to 73 cents a share, up from 63 cents in 2017. Loco reported after the bell, its shares were flat at $9.75 in afterhours trading.
