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

QWEST CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.1B vs $822.5M, roughly 1.3× MSCI Inc.). MSCI Inc. runs the higher net margin — 34.6% vs -187.5%, a 222.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSCI Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.6% vs -15.0%). MSCI Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($488.7M vs $160.0M). Over the past eight quarters, MSCI Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (10.0% 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.

MSCI Inc. is an American finance company headquartered in New York City. MSCI is a global provider of equity, fixed income, real estate indices, multi-asset portfolio analysis tools, ESG and climate finance products. It operates the MSCI World, MSCI Emerging Markets, and MSCI All Country World (ACWI) indices, among others.

CTBB vs MSCI — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CTBB
CTBB
1.3× larger
CTBB
$1.1B
$822.5M
MSCI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSCI
MSCI
+25.7% gap
MSCI
10.6%
-15.0%
CTBB
Higher net margin
MSCI
MSCI
222.1% more per $
MSCI
34.6%
-187.5%
CTBB
More free cash flow
MSCI
MSCI
$328.7M more FCF
MSCI
$488.7M
$160.0M
CTBB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSCI
MSCI
Annualised
MSCI
10.0%
-8.6%
CTBB

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Revenue
$1.1B
$822.5M
Net Profit
$-2.1B
$284.7M
Gross Margin
67.9%
Operating Margin
-183.2%
56.4%
Net Margin
-187.5%
34.6%
Revenue YoY
-15.0%
10.6%
Net Profit YoY
-627.9%
-6.8%
EPS (diluted)
$3.81

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
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$1.1B
$822.5M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$793.4M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$772.7M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$745.8M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$743.5M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$724.7M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$707.9M
Q1 24
$1.3B
$680.0M
Net Profit
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$-2.1B
$284.7M
Q3 25
$176.0M
$325.4M
Q2 25
$277.0M
$303.6M
Q1 25
$284.0M
$288.6M
Q4 24
$391.0M
$305.5M
Q3 24
$365.0M
$280.9M
Q2 24
$378.0M
$266.8M
Q1 24
$353.0M
$256.0M
Gross Margin
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
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
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
-183.2%
56.4%
Q3 25
22.3%
56.4%
Q2 25
33.1%
55.0%
Q1 25
33.7%
50.6%
Q4 24
40.7%
54.5%
Q3 24
38.5%
55.4%
Q2 24
40.3%
54.0%
Q1 24
37.6%
49.9%
Net Margin
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
-187.5%
34.6%
Q3 25
16.1%
41.0%
Q2 25
24.3%
39.3%
Q1 25
24.7%
38.7%
Q4 24
30.2%
41.1%
Q3 24
28.2%
38.8%
Q2 24
28.7%
37.7%
Q1 24
26.8%
37.6%
EPS (diluted)
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$3.81
Q3 25
$4.25
Q2 25
$3.92
Q1 25
$3.71
Q4 24
$3.89
Q3 24
$3.57
Q2 24
$3.37
Q1 24
$3.22

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$39.0M
$515.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
$6.2B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$10.9B
$-2.7B
Total Assets
$15.8B
$5.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.15×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$39.0M
$515.3M
Q3 25
$36.0M
$400.1M
Q2 25
$25.0M
$347.3M
Q1 25
$40.0M
$360.7M
Q4 24
$26.0M
$409.4M
Q3 24
$22.0M
$501.0M
Q2 24
$18.0M
$451.4M
Q1 24
$14.0M
$519.3M
Total Debt
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$1.7B
$6.2B
Q3 25
$1.7B
$5.5B
Q2 25
$1.7B
$4.5B
Q1 25
$1.7B
$4.5B
Q4 24
$1.7B
$4.5B
Q3 24
$1.7B
$4.5B
Q2 24
$1.9B
$4.5B
Q1 24
$1.9B
$4.5B
Stockholders' Equity
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$10.9B
$-2.7B
Q3 25
$13.0B
$-1.9B
Q2 25
$12.8B
$-886.2M
Q1 25
$12.5B
$-958.6M
Q4 24
$12.2B
$-940.0M
Q3 24
$11.9B
$-751.0M
Q2 24
$11.5B
$-734.5M
Q1 24
$11.1B
$-650.5M
Total Assets
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$15.8B
$5.7B
Q3 25
$17.9B
$5.4B
Q2 25
$17.8B
$5.4B
Q1 25
$17.6B
$5.3B
Q4 24
$17.4B
$5.4B
Q3 24
$17.0B
$5.4B
Q2 24
$16.6B
$5.5B
Q1 24
$16.4B
$5.5B
Debt / Equity
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
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
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$402.0M
$501.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$160.0M
$488.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.5%
59.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
22.0%
1.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.76×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$938.0M
$1.5B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$402.0M
$501.1M
Q3 25
$427.0M
$449.4M
Q2 25
$480.0M
$336.1M
Q1 25
$453.0M
$301.7M
Q4 24
$548.0M
$430.6M
Q3 24
$627.0M
$421.6M
Q2 24
$548.0M
$349.2M
Q1 24
$471.0M
$300.1M
Free Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
$160.0M
$488.7M
Q3 25
$252.0M
$445.5M
Q2 25
$276.0M
$324.7M
Q1 25
$250.0M
$290.2M
Q4 24
$277.0M
$416.4M
Q3 24
$396.0M
$415.0M
Q2 24
$280.0M
$340.6M
Q1 24
$194.0M
$295.9M
FCF Margin
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
14.5%
59.4%
Q3 25
23.1%
56.2%
Q2 25
24.2%
42.0%
Q1 25
21.7%
38.9%
Q4 24
21.4%
56.0%
Q3 24
30.6%
57.3%
Q2 24
21.3%
48.1%
Q1 24
14.7%
43.5%
Capex Intensity
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
22.0%
1.5%
Q3 25
16.0%
0.5%
Q2 25
17.9%
1.5%
Q1 25
17.6%
1.5%
Q4 24
20.9%
1.9%
Q3 24
17.9%
0.9%
Q2 24
20.4%
1.2%
Q1 24
21.0%
0.6%
Cash Conversion
CTBB
CTBB
MSCI
MSCI
Q4 25
1.76×
Q3 25
2.43×
1.38×
Q2 25
1.73×
1.11×
Q1 25
1.60×
1.05×
Q4 24
1.40×
1.41×
Q3 24
1.72×
1.50×
Q2 24
1.45×
1.31×
Q1 24
1.33×
1.17×

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%

MSCI
MSCI

Recurring Subscriptions$246.4M30%
Asset Based Fees$211.7M26%
Analytics Segment$182.3M22%
Sustainability And Climate Segment$90.3M11%
Other$70.9M9%
Non Recurring$21.1M3%

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