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Side-by-side financial comparison of QWEST CORP (CTBB) and CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC (CWST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

QWEST CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.1B vs $557.2M, roughly 2.0× CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC). CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC runs the higher net margin — -1.0% vs -187.5%, a 186.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.6% vs -15.0%). QWEST CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($160.0M vs $30.7M). Over the past eight quarters, CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC's revenue compounded faster (21.5% CAGR vs -8.6%).

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.

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. is a waste management company based in Rutland, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1975 with a single truck, Casella is a regional, vertically integrated solid waste services company. Casella provides resource management expertise and services to residential, commercial, municipal and industrial customers, primarily in the areas of solid waste collection and disposal, transfer, recycling and organics services. The company provides integrated solid waste services in...

CTBB vs CWST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CTBB
CTBB
2.0× larger
CTBB
$1.1B
$557.2M
CWST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CWST
CWST
+24.7% gap
CWST
9.6%
-15.0%
CTBB
Higher net margin
CWST
CWST
186.5% more per $
CWST
-1.0%
-187.5%
CTBB
More free cash flow
CTBB
CTBB
$129.3M more FCF
CTBB
$160.0M
$30.7M
CWST
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CWST
CWST
Annualised
CWST
21.5%
-8.6%
CTBB

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Revenue
$1.1B
$557.2M
Net Profit
$-2.1B
$-5.5M
Gross Margin
67.9%
Operating Margin
-183.2%
0.9%
Net Margin
-187.5%
-1.0%
Revenue YoY
-15.0%
9.6%
Net Profit YoY
-627.9%
-15.2%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.09

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
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$557.2M
Q4 25
$1.1B
$469.1M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$485.4M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$465.3M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$417.1M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$427.5M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$411.6M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$377.2M
Net Profit
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$-5.5M
Q4 25
$-2.1B
$-2.5M
Q3 25
$176.0M
$10.0M
Q2 25
$277.0M
$5.2M
Q1 25
$284.0M
$-4.8M
Q4 24
$391.0M
$4.9M
Q3 24
$365.0M
$5.8M
Q2 24
$378.0M
$7.0M
Gross Margin
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
Q4 25
67.9%
33.3%
Q3 25
65.3%
35.0%
Q2 25
68.2%
33.8%
Q1 25
69.3%
32.8%
Q4 24
71.2%
33.2%
Q3 24
69.9%
35.1%
Q2 24
71.6%
35.4%
Operating Margin
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
0.9%
Q4 25
-183.2%
2.5%
Q3 25
22.3%
6.1%
Q2 25
33.1%
4.1%
Q1 25
33.7%
0.8%
Q4 24
40.7%
4.3%
Q3 24
38.5%
5.9%
Q2 24
40.3%
6.1%
Net Margin
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
-1.0%
Q4 25
-187.5%
-0.5%
Q3 25
16.1%
2.1%
Q2 25
24.3%
1.1%
Q1 25
24.7%
-1.2%
Q4 24
30.2%
1.1%
Q3 24
28.2%
1.4%
Q2 24
28.7%
1.9%
EPS (diluted)
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$-0.09
Q4 25
$-0.04
Q3 25
$0.16
Q2 25
$0.08
Q1 25
$-0.08
Q4 24
$0.08
Q3 24
$0.10
Q2 24
$0.12

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$39.0M
$126.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$10.9B
$1.6B
Total Assets
$15.8B
$3.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.15×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$126.9M
Q4 25
$39.0M
$123.8M
Q3 25
$36.0M
$192.7M
Q2 25
$25.0M
$217.8M
Q1 25
$40.0M
$267.7M
Q4 24
$26.0M
$358.3M
Q3 24
$22.0M
$519.0M
Q2 24
$18.0M
$208.5M
Total Debt
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q4 24
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.7B
$1.0B
Q2 24
$1.9B
$976.6M
Stockholders' Equity
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$10.9B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$13.0B
$1.6B
Q2 25
$12.8B
$1.6B
Q1 25
$12.5B
$1.5B
Q4 24
$12.2B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$11.9B
$1.5B
Q2 24
$11.5B
$1.0B
Total Assets
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$3.3B
Q4 25
$15.8B
$3.3B
Q3 25
$17.9B
$3.3B
Q2 25
$17.8B
$3.3B
Q1 25
$17.6B
$3.2B
Q4 24
$17.4B
$3.2B
Q3 24
$17.0B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$16.6B
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.15×
0.72×
Q3 25
0.13×
0.72×
Q2 25
0.13×
0.72×
Q1 25
0.13×
0.72×
Q4 24
0.14×
0.70×
Q3 24
0.14×
0.68×
Q2 24
0.17×
0.94×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$402.0M
$62.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$160.0M
$30.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.5%
5.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
22.0%
9.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$938.0M
$120.7M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$62.3M
Q4 25
$402.0M
$96.6M
Q3 25
$427.0M
$93.6M
Q2 25
$480.0M
$89.5M
Q1 25
$453.0M
$50.1M
Q4 24
$548.0M
$109.8M
Q3 24
$627.0M
$91.8M
Q2 24
$548.0M
$72.1M
Free Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
$30.7M
Q4 25
$160.0M
$39.3M
Q3 25
$252.0M
$27.6M
Q2 25
$276.0M
$23.1M
Q1 25
$250.0M
$-5.4M
Q4 24
$277.0M
$32.9M
Q3 24
$396.0M
$40.4M
Q2 24
$280.0M
$27.5M
FCF Margin
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
5.5%
Q4 25
14.5%
8.4%
Q3 25
23.1%
5.7%
Q2 25
24.2%
5.0%
Q1 25
21.7%
-1.3%
Q4 24
21.4%
7.7%
Q3 24
30.6%
9.8%
Q2 24
21.3%
7.3%
Capex Intensity
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
9.0%
Q4 25
22.0%
12.2%
Q3 25
16.0%
13.6%
Q2 25
17.9%
14.3%
Q1 25
17.6%
13.3%
Q4 24
20.9%
18.0%
Q3 24
17.9%
12.5%
Q2 24
20.4%
11.8%
Cash Conversion
CTBB
CTBB
CWST
CWST
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
2.43×
9.37×
Q2 25
1.73×
17.19×
Q1 25
1.60×
Q4 24
1.40×
22.51×
Q3 24
1.72×
15.91×
Q2 24
1.45×
10.29×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CTBB
CTBB

Nonrelated Party$665.0M60%
Other$436.0M40%

CWST
CWST

Collection$334.8M60%
Transfer station$65.9M12%
Processing (ii)$49.0M9%
Landfill$48.0M9%
National Accounts (ii)$45.6M8%
Transportation$8.2M1%
Landfill gas-to-energy$2.9M1%

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