Portillo’s (NASDAQ:PTLO) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.02 EPS

06 May 2026, 13:16 by Doug Wharley · The Cerbat Gem

Portillo’s (NASDAQ:PTLO – Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported ($0.01) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.01 by ($0.02), FiscalAI reports. Portillo’s had a net margin of 2.64% and a return on equity of 3.93%. The firm had revenue of $182.62 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $183.27 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.05 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Portillo’s’ conference call:

New CEO Brett Patterson outlined a three‑pillar strategy—operational excellence, integrated marketing, and disciplined development—and reiterated fiscal year guidance while prioritizing long‑term foundational work.
CFO Michelle Hook is departing and the company has launched an immediate search with a national executive search firm, saying the move is consistent with its internal succession plan.
First‑quarter revenue was $182.6 million (+3.5% YoY) driven by new restaurants, but same‑restaurant sales fell 0.1% and adjusted EBITDA declined to $18.5 million (10.1% of revenue), with restaurant‑level EBITDA margin down ~170 bps.
Promotions and the Portillo’s Perks loyalty offers (e.g., Big Burger Bundle, LTOs) increased transactions and Perks penetration but reduced average check and net effective pricing, and April showed weaker trends as the company lapped prior promotions.
Cost pressures from beef and produce and wage inflation pushed food/bev/packaging to 34.7% of revenue and labor to 26.9%, while net debt was about $347 million with $24 million cash, weighing on margins and capital flexibility.

Portillo’s Trading Down 2.6%

Shares of NASDAQ:PTLO traded down $0.13 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $4.66. 1,557,760 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,759,500. Portillo’s has a 1-year low of $4.41 and a 1-year high of $13.55. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $5.57 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $5.33. The company has a current ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The firm has a market cap of $351.50 million, a P/E ratio of 17.28, a PEG ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.72.

Trending Headlines about Portillo’s

Here are the key news stories impacting Portillo’s this week:

Positive Sentiment: Piper Sandler kept an “overweight” rating and set a $6.00 price target (down from $8.00). The new PT still implies roughly ~27% upside from current levels, signaling the firm still sees recovery potential. Piper Sandler Lowers Target
Positive Sentiment: Marketing/product push: Portillo’s launched a limited-time Hot & Saucy Italian Beef sandwich in May — a promotional item that could help traffic and comps in the near term if it resonates with customers. Product Launch
Neutral Sentiment: Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating with a $6.00 target — a sign of mixed conviction: the price target aligns with Piper Sandler but the rating is more conservative. Stephens Note
Neutral Sentiment: Investors can review the Q1 earnings call transcript for management commentary on comps, margins, and initiatives; the tone and guidance in the call will influence near-term sentiment. Earnings Call Transcript
Negative Sentiment: Q1 results missed street estimates: Portillo’s reported ($0.01) EPS vs. $0.01 expected and revenue of $182.62M slightly below estimates. EPS fell from $0.05 a year ago and net margins are thin, pressuring near‑term investor confidence. Q1 Financial Results
Negative Sentiment: Analyst/news coverage highlights the Q1 loss and revenue miss (Zacks, BayStreet headlines), which can amplify selling pressure given the stock’s recent low trading range and weak liquidity metrics. Zacks Coverage

Insider Activity at Portillo’s

In other Portillo’s news, Director Eugene I. Lee, Jr. purchased 286,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 13th. The stock was bought at an average price of $5.18 per share, for a total transaction of $1,481,480.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 416,250 shares in the company, valued at $2,156,175. This represents a 219.58% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 6.34% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in Portillo’s by 5.9% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 32,550 shares of the company’s stock valued at $387,000 after purchasing an additional 1,808 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its holdings in Portillo’s by 69.6% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 5,426 shares of the company’s stock valued at $63,000 after purchasing an additional 2,227 shares during the period. Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in Portillo’s by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 103,579 shares of the company’s stock valued at $470,000 after purchasing an additional 2,820 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its holdings in Portillo’s by 17.2% during the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 34,765 shares of the company’s stock valued at $158,000 after purchasing an additional 5,109 shares during the period. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP grew its holdings in Portillo’s by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 227,408 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,032,000 after purchasing an additional 5,593 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.34% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Stephens restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $6.00 price objective on shares of Portillo’s in a research report on Tuesday. Stifel Nicolaus restated a “hold” rating and issued a $6.00 price objective (down from $8.00) on shares of Portillo’s in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on shares of Portillo’s from $8.00 to $6.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. DA Davidson began coverage on shares of Portillo’s in a research report on Friday, March 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $5.50 price objective for the company. Finally, Roth Mkm set a $8.00 price target on shares of Portillo’s in a research report on Wednesday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Portillo’s currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $7.20.

View Our Latest Stock Report on PTLO

About Portillo’s

(Get Free Report)

Portillo’s, Inc operates a fast‐casual restaurant chain best known for its Chicago‐style menu, featuring Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago‐style hot dogs, char‐grilled burgers, salads, crinkle‐cut fries and hand‐spun milkshakes. In addition to its signature sandwiches and dogs, the company offers a selection of desserts—including its famous chocolate cake and frozen custard—as well as catering services designed to bring its Midwestern flavors to corporate and social events.

The company was founded in 1963 by Dick Portillo, who opened the first Portillo’s in Villa Park, Illinois.