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Side-by-side financial comparison of Ares Management Corp (ARES) and QWEST CORP (CTBB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ares Management Corp is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.5B vs $1.1B, roughly 1.4× QWEST CORP). Ares Management Corp runs the higher net margin — 3.6% vs -187.5%, a 191.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ares Management Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (19.5% vs -15.0%). Over the past eight quarters, Ares Management Corp's revenue compounded faster (45.9% CAGR vs -8.6%).

Ares Management Corporation is a global alternative investment manager operating in the credit, private equity and real estate markets. The company was founded in 1997, with additional offices across North America, Europe, and Asia.

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.

ARES vs CTBB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ARES
ARES
1.4× larger
ARES
$1.5B
$1.1B
CTBB
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ARES
ARES
+34.6% gap
ARES
19.5%
-15.0%
CTBB
Higher net margin
ARES
ARES
191.1% more per $
ARES
3.6%
-187.5%
CTBB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ARES
ARES
Annualised
ARES
45.9%
-8.6%
CTBB

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Revenue
$1.5B
$1.1B
Net Profit
$54.2M
$-2.1B
Gross Margin
67.9%
Operating Margin
13.7%
-183.2%
Net Margin
3.6%
-187.5%
Revenue YoY
19.5%
-15.0%
Net Profit YoY
-69.4%
-627.9%
EPS (diluted)

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
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$1.5B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$1.3B
Q3 24
$1.1B
$1.3B
Q2 24
$788.7M
$1.3B
Q1 24
$707.4M
$1.3B
Net Profit
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$54.2M
$-2.1B
Q3 25
$288.9M
$176.0M
Q2 25
$137.1M
$277.0M
Q1 25
$47.2M
$284.0M
Q4 24
$177.3M
$391.0M
Q3 24
$118.5M
$365.0M
Q2 24
$94.9M
$378.0M
Q1 24
$73.0M
$353.0M
Gross Margin
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
67.9%
Q3 25
65.3%
Q2 25
68.2%
Q1 25
69.3%
Q4 24
71.2%
Q3 24
69.9%
Q2 24
71.6%
Q1 24
71.9%
Operating Margin
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
13.7%
-183.2%
Q3 25
39.3%
22.3%
Q2 25
21.3%
33.1%
Q1 25
13.0%
33.7%
Q4 24
31.8%
40.7%
Q3 24
29.0%
38.5%
Q2 24
40.2%
40.3%
Q1 24
32.7%
37.6%
Net Margin
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
3.6%
-187.5%
Q3 25
17.4%
16.1%
Q2 25
10.2%
24.3%
Q1 25
4.3%
24.7%
Q4 24
14.1%
30.2%
Q3 24
10.5%
28.2%
Q2 24
12.0%
28.7%
Q1 24
10.3%
26.8%

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$39.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.3B
$10.9B
Total Assets
$28.6B
$15.8B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.15×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$39.0M
Q3 25
$36.0M
Q2 25
$25.0M
Q1 25
$40.0M
Q4 24
$26.0M
Q3 24
$22.0M
Q2 24
$18.0M
Q1 24
$14.0M
Total Debt
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$1.7B
Q3 25
$1.7B
Q2 25
$1.7B
Q1 25
$1.7B
Q4 24
$1.7B
Q3 24
$1.7B
Q2 24
$1.9B
Q1 24
$1.9B
Stockholders' Equity
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$4.3B
$10.9B
Q3 25
$4.5B
$13.0B
Q2 25
$4.4B
$12.8B
Q1 25
$4.5B
$12.5B
Q4 24
$3.5B
$12.2B
Q3 24
$2.1B
$11.9B
Q2 24
$2.0B
$11.5B
Q1 24
$1.8B
$11.1B
Total Assets
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$28.6B
$15.8B
Q3 25
$27.0B
$17.9B
Q2 25
$27.3B
$17.8B
Q1 25
$27.2B
$17.6B
Q4 24
$24.9B
$17.4B
Q3 24
$24.5B
$17.0B
Q2 24
$24.2B
$16.6B
Q1 24
$24.4B
$16.4B
Debt / Equity
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
0.15×
Q3 25
0.13×
Q2 25
0.13×
Q1 25
0.13×
Q4 24
0.14×
Q3 24
0.14×
Q2 24
0.17×
Q1 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
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-483.7M
$402.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$160.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
22.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-8.92×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$938.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$-483.7M
$402.0M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$427.0M
Q2 25
$415.7M
$480.0M
Q1 25
$2.0B
$453.0M
Q4 24
$807.6M
$548.0M
Q3 24
$841.3M
$627.0M
Q2 24
$432.2M
$548.0M
Q1 24
$710.0M
$471.0M
Free Cash Flow
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
$160.0M
Q3 25
$252.0M
Q2 25
$276.0M
Q1 25
$250.0M
Q4 24
$277.0M
Q3 24
$396.0M
Q2 24
$280.0M
Q1 24
$194.0M
FCF Margin
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
14.5%
Q3 25
23.1%
Q2 25
24.2%
Q1 25
21.7%
Q4 24
21.4%
Q3 24
30.6%
Q2 24
21.3%
Q1 24
14.7%
Capex Intensity
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
22.0%
Q3 25
16.0%
Q2 25
17.9%
Q1 25
17.6%
Q4 24
20.9%
Q3 24
17.9%
Q2 24
20.4%
Q1 24
21.0%
Cash Conversion
ARES
ARES
CTBB
CTBB
Q4 25
-8.92×
Q3 25
4.64×
2.43×
Q2 25
3.03×
1.73×
Q1 25
42.28×
1.60×
Q4 24
4.55×
1.40×
Q3 24
7.10×
1.72×
Q2 24
4.55×
1.45×
Q1 24
9.72×
1.33×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ARES
ARES

Management Service$991.1M66%
Management Service Incentive$206.7M14%
Carried Interest$205.4M14%
Fee Related Performance Revenues$113.3M8%

CTBB
CTBB

Nonrelated Party$665.0M60%
Other$436.0M40%

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