El Pollo Loco (LOCO) CEO has 12,272 shares withheld to cover taxes

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. reported a routine tax-related share disposition by its Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Goodman Williams. On the vesting of a restricted stock award for 34,200 common shares, the company retained 12,272 shares to cover her tax obligations at a reference price of $11.10 per share. Following this withholding, she directly holds 204,810 common shares. This event reflects compensation-related tax settlement rather than an open-market trade.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Williams Elizabeth Goodman

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS. INC.

575 ANTON BLVD., SUITE 1100

(Street)

COSTA MESA CA 92626

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. [ LOCO ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	Chief Executive Officer

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/11/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	03/11/2026	03/11/2026	F		12,272(1)	D	$11.1(1)	204,810	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. The reporting person vested in restricted stock for 34,200 shares of common stock, of which the issuer retained 12,272 shares to satisfy the reporting person's tax obligation upon vesting of the restricted stock award. The price quoted in column 4 is the closing share price on March 10, 2026.

	/s/ Jason Weintraub, Attorney-in-Fact	03/12/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

FAQ

What insider transaction did El Pollo Loco (LOCO) disclose for its CEO?

El Pollo Loco disclosed a tax-withholding disposition by CEO Elizabeth Goodman Williams. When 34,200 restricted shares vested, the company retained 12,272 shares to satisfy her tax obligations, using a reference price of $11.10 per share for the withheld stock.

Did the El Pollo Loco (LOCO) CEO sell shares on the open market in this Form 4?

No, the Form 4 shows a tax-withholding disposition, not an open-market sale. The issuer retained 12,272 vested shares from a 34,200-share restricted stock award to cover the CEO’s tax obligation upon vesting, based on a closing price of $11.10.

How many El Pollo Loco (LOCO) shares were withheld for the CEO’s taxes?

The company withheld 12,272 common shares to satisfy the CEO’s tax obligation. These shares came from a restricted stock award of 34,200 shares that vested, with the withholding price referenced at the $11.10 closing share price on March 10, 2026.

What is the CEO’s direct El Pollo Loco (LOCO) share ownership after this Form 4?

After the tax-withholding disposition, CEO Elizabeth Goodman Williams directly owns 204,810 shares of El Pollo Loco common stock. This figure reflects her position following the vesting of 34,200 restricted shares and the retention of 12,272 shares by the issuer for tax obligations.

What does transaction code F mean in the El Pollo Loco (LOCO) Form 4?

Transaction code F indicates a tax-withholding disposition, where shares are delivered to the issuer to cover tax liabilities. In this case, 12,272 shares from a 34,200-share restricted stock vesting were retained by El Pollo Loco to satisfy the CEO’s tax obligation at $11.10 per share.

Was any derivative security exercised in this El Pollo Loco (LOCO) Form 4 filing?

No derivative securities were reported as exercised in this filing. The Form 4 describes vesting of 34,200 restricted common shares and a related tax-withholding disposition of 12,272 shares, with no separate option or other derivative transactions listed in the derivative summary.