Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

El Pollo Loco Hldgs Inc (LOCO)

150 + 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
↑ +10
Streak
1Q ▲
Buyers last Q
62%

Smart Money Signals — LOCO

Based on 152 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q2 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row

last 6Q
For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added LOCO than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

100% of all-time peak
152 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.
📶

Steady growth — +13% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q
+17 new funds entered over the past year (+13% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟢

More buyers than sellers — 62% buying

91 buying56 selling
Last quarter: 91 funds were net buyers (26 opened a brand new position + 65 added to an existing one). Only 56 were sellers (40 trimmed + 16 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.
➡️

Steady new buyers — ~26 new funds per quarter

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 15 → 27 → 29 → 26. A stable flow of new institutional buyers suggests ongoing interest without signs of either acceleration or slowdown.
🔒

64% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 64% conviction (2yr+) ■ 20% medium ■ 16% new
97 out of 152 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 +31% but shares only +7% — price-driven

Value
+31%
Shares
+6%
Last quarter: the total dollar value of institutional holdings rose +31%, but actual share count only changed +7%. 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

27 → 15 → 27 → 29 → 26 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 15 → 27 → 29 → 26. A growing number of institutions are discovering LOCO each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.
🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 71% veterans vs 18% newcomers

■ 71% veterans ■ 12% 1-2yr ■ 18% new
Entry-cohort mix of 153 holders: 108 (71%) are 2+ year veterans, 18 entered 1–2 years ago, and 27 (18%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
🏆

Elite ownership — 44% AUM from top-100 funds

44% from top-100 AUM funds
43 of 152 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 44% of total institutional value in LOCO. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
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 Q2, 91 hedge funds were net buyers of LOCO (26 opened a new position, 65 added to an existing one), while 56 reduced or exited (40 trimmed, 16 sold completely) — a 62% buyer ratio, indicating clear institutional accumulation. 44% of total institutional value in LOCO is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting elite-tier ownership quality. Net fund flow last quarter: +10 funds (more new holders than closures). Total institutional holders: 152.

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.

Loading signal freshness…
Smart Money Signal ?
Limited Smart Money Interest

No strong consensus or elite conviction detected among institutional holders.

8 top-rated funds 0 high-conviction
Consensus
4.1
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
1.7
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: LOCO
150 + Investors

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

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q2) Prior (2026 Q1) Change
Funds Holding 150 142 5.63%
13F Shares 28M 27M 6.73%
Total Value $456M $347M 31.26%
New Positions 26 29 -3
Increased Positions 64 46 +18
Closed Positions 18 29 -11
Reduced Positions 40 43 -3
Total Calls 1 1 -
Total Puts 0 0 -
PUT/CALL Ratio 0.0 0.0 Bullish

Statistics: LOCO

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Short % of Float --

Financial Highlights

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Institutional Holders (2026 Q2)

150 + 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:
Top 25 LOCO holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q2 · 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 Empowered Funds, LLC 0.02% 246,867 $4.2M
21 Trexquant Investment LP 0.02% 218,709 $3.7M
22 Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC 0.02% 371,373 $6.3M
23 Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. 0.02% 8,236 $140K
24 Two Sigma Investments, LP 0.01% 906,685 $15.4M
25 Renaissance Technologies LLC 0.01% 418,400 $7.1M
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?

Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row: For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added LOCO than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for LOCO?

More buyers than sellers — 62% buying: Last quarter: 91 funds were net buyers (26 opened a brand new position + 65 added to an existing one). Only 56 were sellers (40 trimmed + 16 sold completely). A clear majority buying is a strong confirmation signal.

What is the fund quality score for LOCO holders?

Elite ownership — 44% AUM from top-100 funds: 43 of 152 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 44% of total institutional value in LOCO. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held LOCO?

64% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 97 out of 152 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.

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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