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

QWEST CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.1B vs $586.5M, roughly 1.9× StepStone Group Inc.). StepStone Group Inc. runs the higher net margin — -21.0% vs -187.5%, a 166.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, StepStone Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (73.0% vs -15.0%). QWEST CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($160.0M vs $26.7M). Over the past eight quarters, StepStone Group Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (28.2% 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.

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.

CTBB vs STEP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CTBB
CTBB
1.9× larger
CTBB
$1.1B
$586.5M
STEP
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
STEP
STEP
+88.0% gap
STEP
73.0%
-15.0%
CTBB
Higher net margin
STEP
STEP
166.4% more per $
STEP
-21.0%
-187.5%
CTBB
More free cash flow
CTBB
CTBB
$133.3M more FCF
CTBB
$160.0M
$26.7M
STEP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
STEP
STEP
Annualised
STEP
28.2%
-8.6%
CTBB

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Revenue
$1.1B
$586.5M
Net Profit
$-2.1B
$-123.5M
Gross Margin
67.9%
Operating Margin
-183.2%
-33.2%
Net Margin
-187.5%
-21.0%
Revenue YoY
-15.0%
73.0%
Net Profit YoY
-627.9%
35.7%
EPS (diluted)
$-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
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$1.1B
$586.5M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$454.2M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$364.3M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$377.7M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$339.0M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$271.7M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$186.4M
Q1 24
$1.3B
$356.8M
Net Profit
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$-2.1B
$-123.5M
Q3 25
$176.0M
$-366.1M
Q2 25
$277.0M
$-38.4M
Q1 25
$284.0M
$-18.5M
Q4 24
$391.0M
$-192.0M
Q3 24
$365.0M
$17.6M
Q2 24
$378.0M
$13.3M
Q1 24
$353.0M
$30.8M
Gross Margin
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
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
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
-183.2%
-33.2%
Q3 25
22.3%
-148.8%
Q2 25
33.1%
-5.6%
Q1 25
33.7%
2.6%
Q4 24
40.7%
-101.7%
Q3 24
38.5%
21.3%
Q2 24
40.3%
29.4%
Q1 24
37.6%
26.5%
Net Margin
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
-187.5%
-21.0%
Q3 25
16.1%
-80.6%
Q2 25
24.3%
-10.5%
Q1 25
24.7%
-4.9%
Q4 24
30.2%
-56.6%
Q3 24
28.2%
6.5%
Q2 24
28.7%
7.2%
Q1 24
26.8%
8.6%
EPS (diluted)
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$-1.55
Q3 25
$-4.66
Q2 25
$-0.49
Q1 25
$-0.37
Q4 24
$-2.61
Q3 24
$0.26
Q2 24
$0.20
Q1 24
$0.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$39.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
$270.2M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$10.9B
$-378.8M
Total Assets
$15.8B
$5.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.15×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
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
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$1.7B
$270.2M
Q3 25
$1.7B
$269.9M
Q2 25
$1.7B
$269.6M
Q1 25
$1.7B
$269.3M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$168.9M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$172.3M
Q2 24
$1.9B
$172.1M
Q1 24
$1.9B
$148.8M
Stockholders' Equity
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$10.9B
$-378.8M
Q3 25
$13.0B
$-233.5M
Q2 25
$12.8B
$153.9M
Q1 25
$12.5B
$179.4M
Q4 24
$12.2B
$209.8M
Q3 24
$11.9B
$397.5M
Q2 24
$11.5B
$366.9M
Q1 24
$11.1B
$324.5M
Total Assets
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$15.8B
$5.2B
Q3 25
$17.9B
$5.3B
Q2 25
$17.8B
$4.8B
Q1 25
$17.6B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$17.4B
$4.3B
Q3 24
$17.0B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$16.6B
$3.8B
Q1 24
$16.4B
$3.8B
Debt / Equity
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
0.15×
Q3 25
0.13×
Q2 25
0.13×
1.75×
Q1 25
0.13×
1.50×
Q4 24
0.14×
0.81×
Q3 24
0.14×
0.43×
Q2 24
0.17×
0.47×
Q1 24
0.17×
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
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$402.0M
$27.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$160.0M
$26.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.5%
4.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
22.0%
0.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$938.0M
$18.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$402.0M
$27.2M
Q3 25
$427.0M
$16.2M
Q2 25
$480.0M
$46.3M
Q1 25
$453.0M
$-66.5M
Q4 24
$548.0M
$27.6M
Q3 24
$627.0M
$53.7M
Q2 24
$548.0M
$50.2M
Q1 24
$471.0M
$7.6M
Free Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$160.0M
$26.7M
Q3 25
$252.0M
$15.9M
Q2 25
$276.0M
$45.2M
Q1 25
$250.0M
$-69.2M
Q4 24
$277.0M
$27.0M
Q3 24
$396.0M
$52.4M
Q2 24
$280.0M
$49.6M
Q1 24
$194.0M
$6.7M
FCF Margin
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
14.5%
4.6%
Q3 25
23.1%
3.5%
Q2 25
24.2%
12.4%
Q1 25
21.7%
-18.3%
Q4 24
21.4%
8.0%
Q3 24
30.6%
19.3%
Q2 24
21.3%
26.6%
Q1 24
14.7%
1.9%
Capex Intensity
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
22.0%
0.1%
Q3 25
16.0%
0.1%
Q2 25
17.9%
0.3%
Q1 25
17.6%
0.7%
Q4 24
20.9%
0.2%
Q3 24
17.9%
0.5%
Q2 24
20.4%
0.3%
Q1 24
21.0%
0.3%
Cash Conversion
CTBB
CTBB
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
Q3 25
2.43×
Q2 25
1.73×
Q1 25
1.60×
Q4 24
1.40×
Q3 24
1.72×
3.05×
Q2 24
1.45×
3.76×
Q1 24
1.33×
0.25×

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%

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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