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Side-by-side financial comparison of A. O. Smith (AOS) and QWEST CORP (CTBB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

QWEST CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.1B vs $945.6M, roughly 1.2× A. O. Smith). A. O. Smith runs the higher net margin — 12.5% vs -187.5%, a 199.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, A. O. Smith posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-2.0% vs -15.0%). QWEST CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($160.0M vs $118.9M). Over the past eight quarters, A. O. Smith's revenue compounded faster (-3.9% CAGR vs -8.6%).

A. O. Smith Corporation is an American manufacturer of both residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, and the largest manufacturer and marketer of water heaters in North America. It also supplies water treatment and purification products in the Asian market. The company has 27 locations worldwide, including five manufacturing facilities in North America, as well as plants in Bengaluru in India, Nanjing in China and Veldhoven in The Netherlands.

Qwest Corporation, doing business as CenturyLink QC, is a Regional Bell Operating Company owned by Lumen Technologies. It was originally named Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company, later becoming known as Mountain Bell, then US West Communications, Inc. from 1991 to 2000. It includes the former operations of Malheur Bell, Northwestern Bell and Pacific Northwest Bell as well.

AOS vs CTBB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CTBB
CTBB
1.2× larger
CTBB
$1.1B
$945.6M
AOS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AOS
AOS
+13.0% gap
AOS
-2.0%
-15.0%
CTBB
Higher net margin
AOS
AOS
199.9% more per $
AOS
12.5%
-187.5%
CTBB
More free cash flow
CTBB
CTBB
$41.1M more FCF
CTBB
$160.0M
$118.9M
AOS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AOS
AOS
Annualised
AOS
-3.9%
-8.6%
CTBB

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Revenue
$945.6M
$1.1B
Net Profit
$118.0M
$-2.1B
Gross Margin
38.7%
67.9%
Operating Margin
-183.2%
Net Margin
12.5%
-187.5%
Revenue YoY
-2.0%
-15.0%
Net Profit YoY
-14.0%
-627.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.85

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$945.6M
Q4 25
$912.5M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$942.5M
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.0B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$963.9M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$912.4M
$1.3B
Q3 24
$902.6M
$1.3B
Q2 24
$1.0B
$1.3B
Net Profit
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$118.0M
Q4 25
$125.4M
$-2.1B
Q3 25
$132.0M
$176.0M
Q2 25
$152.2M
$277.0M
Q1 25
$136.6M
$284.0M
Q4 24
$109.7M
$391.0M
Q3 24
$120.1M
$365.0M
Q2 24
$156.2M
$378.0M
Gross Margin
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
38.7%
Q4 25
38.4%
67.9%
Q3 25
38.7%
65.3%
Q2 25
39.3%
68.2%
Q1 25
38.9%
69.3%
Q4 24
37.1%
71.2%
Q3 24
37.4%
69.9%
Q2 24
38.7%
71.6%
Operating Margin
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
Q4 25
17.9%
-183.2%
Q3 25
18.6%
22.3%
Q2 25
20.4%
33.1%
Q1 25
19.1%
33.7%
Q4 24
10.1%
40.7%
Q3 24
19.5%
38.5%
Q2 24
21.9%
40.3%
Net Margin
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
12.5%
Q4 25
13.7%
-187.5%
Q3 25
14.0%
16.1%
Q2 25
15.0%
24.3%
Q1 25
14.2%
24.7%
Q4 24
12.0%
30.2%
Q3 24
13.3%
28.2%
Q2 24
15.2%
28.7%
EPS (diluted)
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$0.85
Q4 25
$0.89
Q3 25
$0.94
Q2 25
$1.07
Q1 25
$0.95
Q4 24
$0.75
Q3 24
$0.82
Q2 24
$1.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$185.2M
$39.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$574.2M
$1.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$10.9B
Total Assets
$3.7B
$15.8B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.31×
0.15×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$185.2M
Q4 25
$193.2M
$39.0M
Q3 25
$172.8M
$36.0M
Q2 25
$177.9M
$25.0M
Q1 25
$200.2M
$40.0M
Q4 24
$276.1M
$26.0M
Q3 24
$255.6M
$22.0M
Q2 24
$233.3M
$18.0M
Total Debt
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$574.2M
Q4 25
$155.0M
$1.7B
Q3 25
$1.7B
Q2 25
$1.7B
Q1 25
$1.7B
Q4 24
$193.2M
$1.7B
Q3 24
$1.7B
Q2 24
$1.9B
Stockholders' Equity
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$1.9B
Q4 25
$1.9B
$10.9B
Q3 25
$1.8B
$13.0B
Q2 25
$1.8B
$12.8B
Q1 25
$1.9B
$12.5B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$12.2B
Q3 24
$1.9B
$11.9B
Q2 24
$1.9B
$11.5B
Total Assets
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$3.7B
Q4 25
$3.1B
$15.8B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$17.9B
Q2 25
$3.2B
$17.8B
Q1 25
$3.3B
$17.6B
Q4 24
$3.2B
$17.4B
Q3 24
$3.2B
$17.0B
Q2 24
$3.2B
$16.6B
Debt / Equity
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
0.31×
Q4 25
0.08×
0.15×
Q3 25
0.13×
Q2 25
0.13×
Q1 25
0.13×
Q4 24
0.10×
0.14×
Q3 24
0.14×
Q2 24
0.17×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$402.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$118.9M
$160.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.6%
14.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.1%
22.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$647.5M
$938.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$183.1M
$402.0M
Q3 25
$255.4M
$427.0M
Q2 25
$139.6M
$480.0M
Q1 25
$38.7M
$453.0M
Q4 24
$221.9M
$548.0M
Q3 24
$195.9M
$627.0M
Q2 24
$57.4M
$548.0M
Free Cash Flow
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$118.9M
Q4 25
$165.5M
$160.0M
Q3 25
$240.6M
$252.0M
Q2 25
$122.5M
$276.0M
Q1 25
$17.4M
$250.0M
Q4 24
$191.3M
$277.0M
Q3 24
$163.4M
$396.0M
Q2 24
$34.5M
$280.0M
FCF Margin
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
12.6%
Q4 25
18.1%
14.5%
Q3 25
25.5%
23.1%
Q2 25
12.1%
24.2%
Q1 25
1.8%
21.7%
Q4 24
21.0%
21.4%
Q3 24
18.1%
30.6%
Q2 24
3.4%
21.3%
Capex Intensity
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
1.1%
Q4 25
1.9%
22.0%
Q3 25
1.6%
16.0%
Q2 25
1.7%
17.9%
Q1 25
2.2%
17.6%
Q4 24
3.4%
20.9%
Q3 24
3.6%
17.9%
Q2 24
2.2%
20.4%
Cash Conversion
AOS
AOS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.46×
Q3 25
1.93×
2.43×
Q2 25
0.92×
1.73×
Q1 25
0.28×
1.60×
Q4 24
2.02×
1.40×
Q3 24
1.63×
1.72×
Q2 24
0.37×
1.45×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AOS
AOS

Segment breakdown not available.

CTBB
CTBB

Nonrelated Party$665.0M60%
Other$436.0M40%

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