LibGuides: Finance: Industry &amp; Company Information

SIC/NAICS Codes

How to find SIC or NAICS codes:

In Business Insights: Global -- Search a known company in the industry. The NAICS codes for the associated industries are listed in the top right column of the company record.
In Mergent Intellect -- Search a known company in the industry. The associated NAICS and SIC codes are listed on the Industry Details tab of the company record.
Don't have a company in mind? Use the NAICS & SIC Identification Tools on the NAICS website

Research specific companies & industries

Business: Insights (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Compare global economies, countries, and industries with in-depth analysis on over 400,000 companies.
ABI/INFORM Collection This link opens in a new window
The database features thousands of full-text journals, dissertations, working papers, key business and economics periodicals such as the Economist, country-and industry-focused reports, and downloadable data. Its international coverage gives researchers a complete picture of companies and business trends around the world.
Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Mergent Intellect is a highly flexible web-based application that features a deep collection of worldwide business information that enables companies to generate insightful business intelligence. Coupling Mergent's expertise in developing products for the reference marketplace with D&B®'s private company database, Mergent Intellect offers new and existing clients a unique opportunity to access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, facts and figures, executive contact information, the ability to access industry profiles and much more.

Research Private Companies

Research on private companies (particularly small private companies) can be challenging, since private companies are not required to make available the same information required of public companies. It is often necessary to search in a number of different sources for any available information, including the company's website and local/regional news sources.

If, after searching in the databases listed in the box above, you are unable to locate any information about your private company, try the following databases.

Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Mergent Intellect is a highly flexible web-based application that features a deep collection of worldwide business information that enables companies to generate insightful business intelligence. Coupling Mergent's expertise in developing products for the reference marketplace with D&B®'s private company database, Mergent Intellect offers new and existing clients a unique opportunity to access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, facts and figures, executive contact information, the ability to access industry profiles and much more.
Wall Street Journal This link opens in a new window
Find full text articles from the issues of the Wall Street Journal, 1984 to current.
New York Times This link opens in a new window
Doane community members have full-text access to the New York Times' internationally acclaimed multimedia journalism. Account creation required. Instructions available at: http://libguides.doane.edu/NYTimes

Company Research Tips

The kinds of information you may find about a company depends upon several factors. Here are some tips for doing a more thorough search:

1. Think about variations of the company name.
Resources may use alternative spellings or abbreviations of a company name. In addition, some databases require a ticker symbol to find company information. Do a quick search in Google Finance or a similar search engine to find the ticker symbol.

2. Figure out if the company is public or private.
Publicly traded companies are usually much easier to find information about. Try these tips for finding and using information on private companies:

Search directory listings, company profiles, and news articles via the databases listed in the "Research specific companies & industries" box above.
See if there is local news coverage where the company's headquarters is located. Private companies usually report their financials as "estimates" and the numbers may be outdated by a year or more, so use with discretion!
Make sure to cite your source.
Look for private company websites on the Internet. These can hold a lot of useful information about the company.

3. Find out if the company is a subsidiary, family or foreign owned, or a nonprofit.

This information may be on the company's website.
Search for the company on Mergent Intellect then click on "Family Tree" on the company overview page.
If the company is international and trades on the U.S. Exchanges then it will have to file annual reports with the SEC (20-F).
Many nonprofit company annual reports can be found at Guidestar.org.

4. Is the company newsworthy?
Search national news sources to find articles on companies that are doing well or having problems. You might find small private company news in their local media outlets.

(Content adapted from Butler University Libraries 'Company Research' guide.)

Company & Industry Financial Information

COMPANY FINANCE RESOURCES

And don't forget the company's website! Many public companies link their annual reports and SEC filings under the "Investor Relations" section of their website.

COMPANY AND INDUSTRY RATIOS

BizStats
Offers free business financial ratios for 250 industries, along with other well-organized business and industry statistics.

RMA Annual Statement Studies by Risk Management Association
Call Number: REF HF5681.B2 R6 2019-2020
ISBN: 9781570703522
Publication Date: 2019
Contains composite financial data on manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, service, and contracting lines of business. Arranged by SIC code, this work makes it possible to compare one company's performance relative to other companies in the same line of business.
Financial Ratios by Sandeep Goel
ISBN: 9781631573590
Publication Date: 2015
This book aims to not only develop an understanding of the concepts of financial ratios but also to provide the students a practical insight into the application of financial ratios for decision making and control. It analyzes the financial statements of corporate enterprises in India in diverse sectors with the help of financial ratios in order to facilitate the learning process.

Websites for Investment Research

INVESTING PUBLICATIONS

STOCK INFORMATION

Check out individual stock exchanges and indexes for information as well: