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Side-by-side financial comparison of BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC. (BFAM) and StepStone Group Inc. (STEP). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($733.7M vs $586.5M, roughly 1.3× StepStone Group Inc.). On growth, StepStone Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (73.0% vs 8.8%). BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONS INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($258.5M vs $26.7M). Over the past eight quarters, StepStone Group Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (28.2% CAGR vs 8.5%).

Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. is a United States–based child-care provider and is the largest provider of employer-sponsored child care. It also provides back-up child care and elder care, tuition program management, education advising, and student loan repayment programs. It is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts.

Rosetta Stone Inc. is an American education technology software company that develops language, literacy and brain-fitness software. Best known for its language-learning products, in 2013, the company expanded beyond language into education-technology with its acquisitions of Livemocha, Lexia Learning, Fit Brains, and Tell Me More. In 2021, it became a subsidiary of IXL Learning.

BFAM vs STEP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
BFAM
BFAM
1.3× larger
BFAM
$733.7M
$586.5M
STEP
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
STEP
STEP
+64.2% gap
STEP
73.0%
8.8%
BFAM
More free cash flow
BFAM
BFAM
$231.8M more FCF
BFAM
$258.5M
$26.7M
STEP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
STEP
STEP
Annualised
STEP
28.2%
8.5%
BFAM

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Revenue
$733.7M
$586.5M
Net Profit
$-123.5M
Gross Margin
19.3%
Operating Margin
6.2%
-33.2%
Net Margin
-21.0%
Revenue YoY
8.8%
73.0%
Net Profit YoY
35.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.38
$-1.55

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
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$733.7M
$586.5M
Q3 25
$802.8M
$454.2M
Q2 25
$731.6M
$364.3M
Q1 25
$665.5M
$377.7M
Q4 24
$674.1M
$339.0M
Q3 24
$719.1M
$271.7M
Q2 24
$670.1M
$186.4M
Q1 24
$622.7M
$356.8M
Net Profit
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$-123.5M
Q3 25
$78.6M
$-366.1M
Q2 25
$54.8M
$-38.4M
Q1 25
$38.0M
$-18.5M
Q4 24
$-192.0M
Q3 24
$54.9M
$17.6M
Q2 24
$39.2M
$13.3M
Q1 24
$17.0M
$30.8M
Gross Margin
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
19.3%
Q3 25
27.0%
Q2 25
25.0%
Q1 25
23.4%
Q4 24
20.8%
Q3 24
25.2%
Q2 24
24.2%
Q1 24
21.7%
Operating Margin
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
6.2%
-33.2%
Q3 25
15.1%
-148.8%
Q2 25
11.8%
-5.6%
Q1 25
9.4%
2.6%
Q4 24
7.2%
-101.7%
Q3 24
12.4%
21.3%
Q2 24
10.3%
29.4%
Q1 24
6.4%
26.5%
Net Margin
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
-21.0%
Q3 25
9.8%
-80.6%
Q2 25
7.5%
-10.5%
Q1 25
5.7%
-4.9%
Q4 24
-56.6%
Q3 24
7.6%
6.5%
Q2 24
5.8%
7.2%
Q1 24
2.7%
8.6%
EPS (diluted)
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$0.38
$-1.55
Q3 25
$1.37
$-4.66
Q2 25
$0.95
$-0.49
Q1 25
$0.66
$-0.37
Q4 24
$0.50
$-2.61
Q3 24
$0.94
$0.26
Q2 24
$0.67
$0.20
Q1 24
$0.29
$0.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$140.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$747.6M
$270.2M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.3B
$-378.8M
Total Assets
$3.9B
$5.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.56×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$140.1M
Q3 25
$116.6M
Q2 25
$179.2M
Q1 25
$112.0M
Q4 24
$110.3M
Q3 24
$109.9M
Q2 24
$140.2M
Q1 24
$63.7M
Total Debt
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$747.6M
$270.2M
Q3 25
$747.5M
$269.9M
Q2 25
$797.0M
$269.6M
Q1 25
$872.7M
$269.3M
Q4 24
$918.4M
$168.9M
Q3 24
$925.7M
$172.3M
Q2 24
$931.9M
$172.1M
Q1 24
$938.1M
$148.8M
Stockholders' Equity
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$1.3B
$-378.8M
Q3 25
$1.4B
$-233.5M
Q2 25
$1.4B
$153.9M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$179.4M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$209.8M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$397.5M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$366.9M
Q1 24
$1.2B
$324.5M
Total Assets
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$3.9B
$5.2B
Q3 25
$3.9B
$5.3B
Q2 25
$3.9B
$4.8B
Q1 25
$3.8B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$3.9B
$4.3B
Q3 24
$3.9B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$3.8B
$3.8B
Q1 24
$3.8B
$3.8B
Debt / Equity
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
0.56×
Q3 25
0.52×
Q2 25
0.57×
1.75×
Q1 25
0.66×
1.50×
Q4 24
0.72×
0.81×
Q3 24
0.66×
0.43×
Q2 24
0.73×
0.47×
Q1 24
0.76×
0.46×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$350.7M
$27.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$258.5M
$26.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
35.2%
4.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
12.6%
0.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$402.4M
$18.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$350.7M
$27.2M
Q3 25
$-17.6M
$16.2M
Q2 25
$134.2M
$46.3M
Q1 25
$86.2M
$-66.5M
Q4 24
$337.5M
$27.6M
Q3 24
$-8.9M
$53.7M
Q2 24
$109.4M
$50.2M
Q1 24
$116.3M
$7.6M
Free Cash Flow
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$258.5M
$26.7M
Q3 25
$-42.4M
$15.9M
Q2 25
$115.4M
$45.2M
Q1 25
$70.9M
$-69.2M
Q4 24
$240.2M
$27.0M
Q3 24
$-32.2M
$52.4M
Q2 24
$86.8M
$49.6M
Q1 24
$96.9M
$6.7M
FCF Margin
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
35.2%
4.6%
Q3 25
-5.3%
3.5%
Q2 25
15.8%
12.4%
Q1 25
10.7%
-18.3%
Q4 24
35.6%
8.0%
Q3 24
-4.5%
19.3%
Q2 24
13.0%
26.6%
Q1 24
15.6%
1.9%
Capex Intensity
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
12.6%
0.1%
Q3 25
3.1%
0.1%
Q2 25
2.6%
0.3%
Q1 25
2.3%
0.7%
Q4 24
14.4%
0.2%
Q3 24
3.2%
0.5%
Q2 24
3.4%
0.3%
Q1 24
3.1%
0.3%
Cash Conversion
BFAM
BFAM
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
Q3 25
-0.22×
Q2 25
2.45×
Q1 25
2.26×
Q4 24
Q3 24
-0.16×
3.05×
Q2 24
2.79×
3.76×
Q1 24
6.85×
0.25×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

BFAM
BFAM

Segment breakdown not available.

STEP
STEP

Other$210.1M36%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Focused Commingled Funds$143.3M24%
Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$85.1M15%
Carried Interest Allocation Separately Managed Accounts$63.6M11%
Carried Interest Allocation Realized$46.7M8%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Advisory And Other Services$18.3M3%
Legacy Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$10.3M2%
Income Based Incentive Fees$6.0M1%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Fund Reimbursement Revenues$3.1M1%

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