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

Xylem Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.1B vs $1.1B, roughly 1.9× QWEST CORP). Xylem Inc. runs the higher net margin — 8.9% vs -187.5%, a 196.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Xylem Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.7% vs -15.0%). Over the past eight quarters, Xylem Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (-1.0% 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.

Xylem is one of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants, the other being phloem; both of these are part of the vascular bundle. The basic function of the xylem is to transport water upward from the roots to parts of the plants such as stems and leaves, but it also transports nutrients. The word xylem is derived from the Ancient Greek word ξύλον (xúlon), meaning "wood"; the best-known xylem tissue is wood, though it is found throughout a plant.

CTBB vs XYL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
XYL
XYL
1.9× larger
XYL
$2.1B
$1.1B
CTBB
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
XYL
XYL
+17.8% gap
XYL
2.7%
-15.0%
CTBB
Higher net margin
XYL
XYL
196.4% more per $
XYL
8.9%
-187.5%
CTBB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
XYL
XYL
Annualised
XYL
-1.0%
-8.6%
CTBB

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Revenue
$1.1B
$2.1B
Net Profit
$-2.1B
$189.0M
Gross Margin
67.9%
37.8%
Operating Margin
-183.2%
11.5%
Net Margin
-187.5%
8.9%
Revenue YoY
-15.0%
2.7%
Net Profit YoY
-627.9%
100.0%
EPS (diluted)
$0.79

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
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
$2.1B
Q4 25
$1.1B
$2.4B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$1.1B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$2.1B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$1.3B
$2.1B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$2.2B
Net Profit
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
$189.0M
Q4 25
$-2.1B
$335.0M
Q3 25
$176.0M
$227.0M
Q2 25
$277.0M
$226.0M
Q1 25
$284.0M
$169.0M
Q4 24
$391.0M
$326.0M
Q3 24
$365.0M
$217.0M
Q2 24
$378.0M
$194.0M
Gross Margin
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
37.8%
Q4 25
67.9%
38.9%
Q3 25
65.3%
38.9%
Q2 25
68.2%
38.8%
Q1 25
69.3%
37.1%
Q4 24
71.2%
38.0%
Q3 24
69.9%
37.3%
Q2 24
71.6%
37.8%
Operating Margin
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
11.5%
Q4 25
-183.2%
14.7%
Q3 25
22.3%
14.7%
Q2 25
33.1%
13.3%
Q1 25
33.7%
11.2%
Q4 24
40.7%
11.8%
Q3 24
38.5%
13.3%
Q2 24
40.3%
11.7%
Net Margin
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
8.9%
Q4 25
-187.5%
14.0%
Q3 25
16.1%
10.0%
Q2 25
24.3%
9.8%
Q1 25
24.7%
8.2%
Q4 24
30.2%
14.5%
Q3 24
28.2%
10.3%
Q2 24
28.7%
8.9%
EPS (diluted)
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
$0.79
Q4 25
$1.37
Q3 25
$0.93
Q2 25
$0.93
Q1 25
$0.69
Q4 24
$1.33
Q3 24
$0.89
Q2 24
$0.80

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$39.0M
$808.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
$1.9B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$10.9B
$11.0B
Total Assets
$15.8B
$17.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.15×
0.18×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
$808.0M
Q4 25
$39.0M
$1.5B
Q3 25
$36.0M
$1.2B
Q2 25
$25.0M
$1.2B
Q1 25
$40.0M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$26.0M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$22.0M
$989.0M
Q2 24
$18.0M
$815.0M
Total Debt
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
$1.9B
Q4 25
$1.7B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$1.7B
$2.0B
Q2 25
$1.7B
$2.0B
Q1 25
$1.7B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$1.7B
$2.0B
Q3 24
$1.7B
Q2 24
$1.9B
Stockholders' Equity
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
$11.0B
Q4 25
$10.9B
$11.5B
Q3 25
$13.0B
$11.2B
Q2 25
$12.8B
$11.1B
Q1 25
$12.5B
$10.8B
Q4 24
$12.2B
$10.6B
Q3 24
$11.9B
$10.6B
Q2 24
$11.5B
$10.3B
Total Assets
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
$17.0B
Q4 25
$15.8B
$17.6B
Q3 25
$17.9B
$17.3B
Q2 25
$17.8B
$17.2B
Q1 25
$17.6B
$16.6B
Q4 24
$17.4B
$16.5B
Q3 24
$17.0B
$16.0B
Q2 24
$16.6B
$15.8B
Debt / Equity
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
0.18×
Q4 25
0.15×
0.17×
Q3 25
0.13×
0.18×
Q2 25
0.13×
0.18×
Q1 25
0.13×
0.19×
Q4 24
0.14×
0.19×
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
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$402.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$160.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
22.0%
4.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$938.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$402.0M
$543.0M
Q3 25
$427.0M
$360.0M
Q2 25
$480.0M
$305.0M
Q1 25
$453.0M
$33.0M
Q4 24
$548.0M
$575.0M
Q3 24
$627.0M
$311.0M
Q2 24
$548.0M
$288.0M
Free Cash Flow
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$160.0M
$460.0M
Q3 25
$252.0M
$281.0M
Q2 25
$276.0M
$207.0M
Q1 25
$250.0M
$-38.0M
Q4 24
$277.0M
$475.0M
Q3 24
$396.0M
$237.0M
Q2 24
$280.0M
$215.0M
FCF Margin
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
Q4 25
14.5%
19.2%
Q3 25
23.1%
12.4%
Q2 25
24.2%
9.0%
Q1 25
21.7%
-1.8%
Q4 24
21.4%
21.1%
Q3 24
30.6%
11.3%
Q2 24
21.3%
9.9%
Capex Intensity
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
4.2%
Q4 25
22.0%
3.5%
Q3 25
16.0%
3.5%
Q2 25
17.9%
4.3%
Q1 25
17.6%
3.4%
Q4 24
20.9%
4.4%
Q3 24
17.9%
3.5%
Q2 24
20.4%
3.4%
Cash Conversion
CTBB
CTBB
XYL
XYL
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.62×
Q3 25
2.43×
1.59×
Q2 25
1.73×
1.35×
Q1 25
1.60×
0.20×
Q4 24
1.40×
1.76×
Q3 24
1.72×
1.43×
Q2 24
1.45×
1.48×

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%

XYL
XYL

Revenue from products$1.8B83%
Revenue from services$368.0M17%

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