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Side-by-side financial comparison of QWEST CORP (CTBB) and SBA Communications (SBAC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
QWEST CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.1B vs $703.4M, roughly 1.6× SBA Communications). SBA Communications runs the higher net margin — 26.3% vs -187.5%, a 213.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, SBA Communications posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-1.6% vs -15.0%). Over the past eight quarters, SBA Communications's revenue compounded faster (3.2% 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.
SBA Communications Corporation is a real estate investment trust which owns and operates wireless infrastructure in the United States, Canada, Central America, South America, and South Africa. It was founded in 1989 as Steven Bernstein and Associates by Steven Bernstein.
CTBB vs SBAC — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $1.1B | $703.4M |
| Net Profit | $-2.1B | $184.9M |
| Gross Margin | 67.9% | — |
| Operating Margin | -183.2% | 48.7% |
| Net Margin | -187.5% | 26.3% |
| Revenue YoY | -15.0% | -1.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | -627.9% | -15.1% |
| EPS (diluted) | — | $1.74 |
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.
| Q1 26 | — | $703.4M | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.1B | $719.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.1B | $732.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.1B | $699.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.2B | $664.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.3B | $693.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.3B | $667.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.3B | $660.5M |
| Q1 26 | — | $184.9M | ||
| Q4 25 | $-2.1B | $370.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $176.0M | $236.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $277.0M | $225.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $284.0M | $220.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $391.0M | $178.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $365.0M | $258.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $378.0M | $162.8M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 67.9% | 75.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | 65.3% | 74.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 68.2% | 75.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 69.3% | 76.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 71.2% | 78.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 69.9% | 77.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 71.6% | 78.6% |
| Q1 26 | — | 48.7% | ||
| Q4 25 | -183.2% | 41.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 22.3% | 51.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 33.1% | 47.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 33.7% | 50.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 40.7% | 55.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 38.5% | 56.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 40.3% | 53.7% |
| Q1 26 | — | 26.3% | ||
| Q4 25 | -187.5% | 51.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 16.1% | 32.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 24.3% | 32.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 24.7% | 33.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 30.2% | 25.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 28.2% | 38.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 28.7% | 24.7% |
| Q1 26 | — | $1.74 | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $3.47 | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $2.20 | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $2.09 | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $2.04 | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $1.61 | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $2.40 | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $1.51 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $39.0M | $269.1M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $1.7B | $2.7B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $10.9B | — |
| Total Assets | $15.8B | $11.7B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.15× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $269.1M | ||
| Q4 25 | $39.0M | $271.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $36.0M | $431.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $25.0M | $276.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $40.0M | $702.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $26.0M | $444.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $22.0M | $202.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $18.0M | $250.9M |
| Q1 26 | — | $2.7B | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.7B | $12.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.7B | $12.7B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.7B | $12.5B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.7B | $12.4B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.7B | $13.6B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.7B | $12.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.9B | $12.3B |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $10.9B | $-4.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $13.0B | $-4.9B | ||
| Q2 25 | $12.8B | $-4.9B | ||
| Q1 25 | $12.5B | $-5.0B | ||
| Q4 24 | $12.2B | $-5.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $11.9B | $-5.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $11.5B | $-5.3B |
| Q1 26 | — | $11.7B | ||
| Q4 25 | $15.8B | $11.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $17.9B | $11.3B | ||
| Q2 25 | $17.8B | $10.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | $17.6B | $10.4B | ||
| Q4 24 | $17.4B | $11.4B | ||
| Q3 24 | $17.0B | $10.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $16.6B | $9.8B |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| 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× | — |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $402.0M | $255.1M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $160.0M | — |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 14.5% | — |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 22.0% | 9.5% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | — | 1.38× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $938.0M | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $255.1M | ||
| Q4 25 | $402.0M | $1.3B | ||
| Q3 25 | $427.0M | $318.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $480.0M | $368.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $453.0M | $301.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $548.0M | $1.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $627.0M | $304.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $548.0M | $425.6M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $160.0M | $833.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $252.0M | $258.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $276.0M | $312.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | $250.0M | $255.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $277.0M | $1.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $396.0M | $239.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $280.0M | $375.6M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 14.5% | 115.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 23.1% | 35.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 24.2% | 44.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | 21.7% | 38.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 21.4% | 179.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 30.6% | 35.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 21.3% | 56.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | 9.5% | ||
| Q4 25 | 22.0% | 63.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 16.0% | 8.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 17.9% | 8.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 17.6% | 7.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 20.9% | 12.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 17.9% | 9.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 20.4% | 7.6% |
| Q1 26 | — | 1.38× | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 3.49× | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.43× | 1.34× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.73× | 1.63× | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.60× | 1.36× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.40× | 7.47× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.72× | 1.18× | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.45× | 2.61× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
CTBB
| Nonrelated Party | $665.0M | 60% |
| Other | $436.0M | 40% |
SBAC
| Site leasing | $656.1M | 93% |
| Site development | $47.3M | 7% |
