El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc. said its normalized net income for the fiscal third quarter ended Sept. 28 came to 17 cents per share, compared with the S&P Capital IQ consensus estimate of 19 cents per share.

EPS fell 9.8% year over year from 19 cents.

Normalized net income, which excludes unusual gains or losses on a pre- and after-tax basis, was $6.8 million, a decrease of 9.9% from $7.6 million in the prior-year period.

The normalized profit margin fell to 7.1% from 8.5% in the year-earlier period.

Total revenue rose 7.8% on an annual basis to $95.8 million from $88.9 million, and total operating expenses grew 10.8% on an annual basis to $84.1 million from $75.9 million.

Reported net income rose 8.3% year over year to $5.1 million, or 13 cents per share, from $4.7 million, or 12 cents per share.