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Getting Started, Company Basics
Before delving into your research, you need to know some fundamental
information about the company you want to research.
Company Name
You should know the correct spelling and the complete name of the
company you are researching. It can be difficult to do detailed research
on a company that is a subsidiary of another company, so you will want
to find the name of the parent company and research the parent company.
Companies are bought and sold frequently so be sure your information
is accurate and current. Some resources that can help you determine
the name of the company include:
Hoovers directories: Available in the Reference section of the library
Hoovers Online: Capsule,
financials and news are free.
Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives
REF HG 4057 .A4 2000
v.1 has company information
v.3 has geographic index as well as parent company information.
Brands and Their Companies
REF T 223 .V3 .B72 1998
Look up a product and see what company produces the product.
Company Stock Symbols
If the company you are researching is a public company, you should
know the stock or ticker symbol. Many research tools let you search
by ticker symbol, so this helps with limiting to the company you are
interested. You can locate ticker symbols from some of the directories
where you located the company name, but you can also search websites
that track stock activity like Big
Charts.
Companies that are not public are referred to as private. It can be
very difficult to research private companies. You may need to research
a similar public company or get information on the industry.
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More Background Information on Your Company
LexisNexis Company Dossiers
LexisNexis Company Profiles
Datamonitor Company Profiles International
Directory of Company Histories
REF HD2721 .I63
Look in the last volume to determine if your company is covered.
Try searching for articles on your company in Business
Source Premier.
Some companies have books written about them. Check
PILOT for books on a company that the library has. Check ILL for
books that can be shipped to Mansfield.
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Financial and Stock Information
Annual reports
These publications provide a year in review for a company's investors
and potential investors. These contain some financial information but
are not as complete as the federally required 10-K. Annual reports can
be located from the most company's websites. Another place to get annual
reports is Annual Reports.com .
10-K's and other Federal Filings
These are required by the SEC for all public companies. There are a
number of different filings, but the 10-K, or annual filing, will contain
the most information. It includes general information about the company,
the people who run it, and lengthy financial information. Some include
information about their marketing plans and international markets. Filings
can be found in the following locations:
EDGAR
LexisNexis
Business - SEC Filings
Stock Information
Big Charts
Current and historical stock information, news, and insider information.
Value Line Investment Survey
REF HG 4501
- Use index in the front of the Green Binder to determine if and where
a company is located in the Valueline service.
- Stock information including splits, ratios, ratings and projections.
Other Financial Information
LexisNexis Company Dossiers
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Industry Information
Often you can get good information about the company you are researching
by looking at how it compares with the industry.
Business Ratios
RMA Annual Statement Studies
and
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios
REF HF 5681
These books provide financial ratios for industries by SIC/NAICS code.
This information will allow you to compare your company to the industry.
Other Industry Information
Industry Research using the Economic Census: How to Find It, How to
Use It
REF HC 101 .B594
U.S. Industry and Trade Outlook
REF HB 101 .U54
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
REF HC 106.6 .S75
US Industry Profiles: The Leading 100
REF HD 30.27 .U7
EH.Net Encyclopedia of Economic
and Business History
Look up specific industries for detailed information on the history
of that industry.
Try searching for industry profile in Business
Source Premier.
Also look for association
websites. They can provide a variety of information relating to the
industry they represent.
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Need more help?
Researching
Companies Online Tutorial & Links
If you want to limit your research to only things freely available online,
or need step-by-step instructions on using the web for company research,
try this tutorial.
Of course you can always contact the business
librarian.
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