Finding Information on Companies
A wide variety of sources and approaches exist to find information on a company. The amount and type of information available in the library will determine the starting point. If you already know basic information on the company, you can skip the first few steps listed below. If you follow the approach outlined below, you may be assured that you have done a thorough search and obtained all, or nearly all, of the available information on a particular company.
1. Identify the company to be researched. You may want to find a company which makes a particular product, a company located in Chicago, a number of companies engaged in a particular kind of business, a company in which you are interested in investing, or a franchise with which you want to become affiliated.
2. Check a standard directory. A directory provides name and address verification, an indication of the company's size, its products or services, it’s SIC (Standard Industrial Classification number) or NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)numbers, and other information. If the company is a public company, you may find a ticker symbol or a stock exchange designation indicating that a company is publicly-owned. The basic standard directories are Standard & Poor's Register, Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage, the Million Dollar Directory, Reference USA, or the Directory of Corporate Affiliations.
3. Check the Internet and print indexes for private companies. Detailed financial information usually is not available for privately-owned companies even though they may be listed in one of the standard or private company directories. Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage lists private companies, as does Business & Company Resource Center. Remember that home pages on the web are one-sided in favor of the company and information may be partial to the company. Some websites list products for sale and don’t say anything about the company’s philosophy/history.
4. Check special directories for subsidiaries or affiliates. If a company is owned by another, most information on the subsidiary will be subsumed within the information on the parent. The basic standard sources are Directory of Corporate Affiliations and International Directory of Corporate Affiliations.
5. For detailed text information on public companies, check sources published by Mergent, Standard & Poor's (both print and online), and Dun & Bradstreet (both print and online). The exact amount of information provided will vary from company to company and source to source, so if the information needed is not found in one source, check the others.
6. For detailed financial information on public companies, check the company's annual report to stockholders or 10-K statement. Remember that annual reports contain information from the company's perspective. The 10-K statement contains the most detailed financial information. Also available on the Internet through the SEC’s EDGAR Database at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.
7. To check advertising expenditures or corporate structure, use supplementary directories and sources, such as Standard Directory of Advertisers.
8. To round out the company profile, consult books and periodical articles on the company to fill any information gaps. Remember that periodical articles frequently provide the only information on private companies. For books, check the Horizon subject catalog under the company name. For periodical articles, check indexes, including Business & Company Resource Center.
9. If you still need more detailed information about a company, consult industry information sources (see the brochure on industries-in print format only as of 8/2006).
10. Do not consult government documents for research on companies. They do not usually have this kind of information except in special cases.
11. If you cannot locate company information anywhere in print, you can also find detailed data in online databases.
12. For further in-depth research, use the library catalog for well-known companies and their founders/presidents or ask a librarian at the reference desk.
13. To find information on foreign companies, use directories which list foreign companies, such as Mergent’s International Manual, Principal International Businesses, Gale's World Business Directory, or the online database, Business & Company Resource Center.
|
The following codes are used to designate the location of sources listed in this guide. |
|
|
Business Index Table located near the main level public reference desk. |
|
Periodicals Collection located in the old building. Pass through the glassed area linking the old buildings to the new and keep walking straight ahead. You will walk into the Periodicals Department. |
|
Restricted Reference Collection located on the main level directly behind the Reference Desk. To use this material you must ask the librarian at the reference desk to give you the material and present identification to be held while you are using the sources. |
|
Reference Collection located adjacent to the reference desk at the main level. |
REFERENCE SOURCES RESEARCH GUIDES
Business Organizations and Agencies Directory
R380.1025 BUSI
REF
This source, among other things, lists trade and business organizations, trade and convention centers, foreign consulates, and franchise companies.Directory of Business Information Resources
Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources
R658.0016 DIRE
RED
This source is a one stop source for finding information on trade and professional associations, as well as a list of the top business and industry directories.
R658.0016 ENCY
RED
This guide provides a detailed listing of sources dealing with different industries, trades, specific commodities, products, services, and other business-related activities. Subheadings under the alphabetically listed subjects include periodicals, directories, abstract services and indexes, online databases, and trade associations.
DIRECTORIES OF COMPANIES
Business & Company Resource Center Online
FOUND ON THE INFORMATION STATION PCs
Business & Company Resource Center brings together, in a single database, company profiles, company brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals. Search this database to find detailed company and industry news and information.Corporate Affiliations
Hoover’s Handbook of Private Companies
R338.8025 CORP
RED
First section of each directory has an index leading from divisions, subsidiaries, etc., to the parent company. Second section lists more than 4,000 companies in the first source and 1,600 in the second. Entries provide basic directory information on each company, with each parent company entry followed by entries for its subsidiaries, divisions, and affiliates.
R338.74025 HOOV
BIT
Hoover’s profiles the 500 largest privately owned businesses in the United States, ranked by sales. It indexes by location, industry; people and products and includes information on key competitors, sales and employment, overview of company operations.Hoover’s Masterlist of Major U. S. Companies
R338.74025 HOOV
BIT
The Masterlist covers over 6,200 companies including the Forbes 400 list of private companies and Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies and includes basic information, key officers, and sales figures.Mergent Manuals (formerly Moody’s Manuals)
BIT
All are located on the Business Index Table:
Mergent’s Bank and Finance Manual R332.105 MERG Mergent’s International Manual R338.8805 MERG Mergent’s Public Utility Manual R363.6 MERG Mergent’s Transportation Manual R380.5 MERG Mergent’s Industrial Manual R658 MERG Mergent’s OTC Unlisted Manual R338.74 MERG These manuals contain descriptive and detailed information on public companies and organizations. The Mergent’s Complete Corporate Index identifies the manual in which your company may be found. Each manual is updated once or twice a week.
D & B Million Dollar Database
FOUND ON THE INFORMATION STATION PCs
D & B's Million Dollar Database provides the information professional, marketer and sales executive with information on approximately 1,600,000 U.S. leading public and private businesses. Company information includes industry information with up to 24 individual 8-digit SICs, size criteria (employees and annual sales), type of ownership, principal executives and biographies.Million Dollar Directory
Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage Online
R658.91 MILL
BIT
The print directory provides basic directory information on over 160,000 public and private firms (most of which are private). First three volumes list the companies alphabetically and the fourth volume contains geographic and SIC Indexes. In some cases, this source gives company logos.
FOUND ON THE INFORMATION STATION PCs
Net Advantage is a quick online search source for financial and business information. It provides access to the following S&P products: Corporation Records, Industry Surveys, The Outlook, Register of Corporations, Directors & Executives, and Standard & Poor’s Stock Reports.
Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors & Executives, 2 volumes
R658.42 STAN
RED and BIT
This two-volume set lists more than 45,000 public and private companies. Company information is alphabetically arranged and each entry includes address, telephone, corporate officers, description of business, SICs, stock symbols, sales, etc.
Standard Corporation Descriptions
R332.63 STAN
BIT
This print source provides the same basic types of information as Mergent’s but is arranged alphabetically rather than by industry. It includes an index leading from divisions, subsidiaries, etc., to parent company as well as updates in the "Daily News" section.Standard & Poor's Stock Reports
R332.67 STAN
BIT
Brief quarterly reports on companies listed on the NYSE, ASE or traded over the counter or listed on regional exchanges. Provides key income statement and balance sheet data and discusses company's basic position, its marketing organization, R & D efforts, etc. Also lists quarterly dividends.Thomas Register of American Manufacturers and Thomas Register Catalog
R670 THOM
REF
Also available on the Web at http://www.thomas register.com
This listing of public and private manufacturers, for both countrywide and Indiana, can be searched by product or service, by trade name, by manufacturer, focus by city, or focus by state. Data on each company includes name, address, phone, fax, and products.Value Line Investment Survey
R332.678 VALU
RED
This popular source covers approximately 1,700 companies in over 90 industries. It is divided into three sections: Summary and Index, Ratings and Reports, and Selection and Opinion. Index leads user to correct pages in all sections. Ratings and Reports includes specific stock analyses and brief industry analyses.Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies, 8 volumes
R338.74025 WARD
BIT
Volume 1-3: Companies listed alphabetically with directory information including executives
Volume 4: Companies arranged in zip code order
Volume 5: Company rankings by sales within 4-digit SIC codes
Volume 6-7: State rankings by sales within 4-digit SIC codes
Volume 8: Companies ranked by sales with 6-digit NAICS codes
Supplement: Companies arranged alphabetically and by SIC
Included are rankings of 1,000 largest privately held and 1,000 largest publicly held companies ranked by sales within SIC industries. For each it gives address, CEO, SIC(s), sales, number of employees, year founded, and whether company is a subsidiary or private. At the front of each volume are special features, such as lists of the top 1,000 public and 1,000 private companies and a ranked list of companies with 200-500 employees. Company listings include Web address.Annual reports of companies listed in the Fortune 500 are located in the pamphlet file drawers near the main reference desk. Annual reports of companies are held for two years.
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORIES
Hoover’s Handbook of World Business
R338.74025 HOOV
BIT
Like other Hoover handbooks, this directory lists only large public companies outside the United States. There is good information on each company, including P/E Ratios, dividends, people, address, plus much more in a compact format on one page.International Directory of Importers, 7 vols.
R382.5065 INTE
BIT
The volumes are by continent – Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, South/Central America, Africa, and the Middle East. Each volume begins with a section by product with the number of listings in each country. Each country section (blue) is alphabetical by company, and has a white section by product for that country. Each company listing (in the blue section) contains address, manager, phone, fax, business activity and imports.
DIRECTORIES OF A PARTICULAR BUSINESS TYPE/SERVICE OR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
D & B Directory of Service Companies
Directory of United States Importers R382.5065 DIRE
R338.47025 DAND
BIT
This directory lists service companies alphabetically, geographically, and by service.
Directory of United States Exporters R382.6065 DIRE
RED
Importers’ lists over 25,000 U.S., Canadian, and Puerto Rican companies. Each entry includes date firm was established, type of business handled, contact persons, port of entrance, etc. Also listed are foreign trade zones, associations, banks and consulates, all with addresses.Exporters’ lists over 37,000 U. S. and Puerto Rican exporting firms. Each entry includes date firm was established, type of business handled, contact persons, port of exit, custom house broker and cable address. Also listed are associations, banks, brand names, consulates, and TSUSA product section.
Harris Illinois Industrial Directory
Harris Indiana Industrial Directory
R338.767025 ILLI
R338.767025 INDI
RED
Nearly 20,000 Illinois and 15,000 Indiana manufacturers are listed in a classified, alphabetical arrangement. Chicago is listed by zip code, state-wide alphabetical and SIC code listing. Each entry gives name, address, chief personnel, SIC, amount of sales, and number of employees. Additional sections list communities with population, geographical location, railroads, tuck lines, banks, newspapers, utilities, and more.
Illinois Business Directory
Indiana Business Directory
R338.767025 ILLI
I338.767025 INDI
RED
These directories, taken from telephone book yellow pages, list all types of business (including non-manufacturing) by product/business and geographically.Directories similar to the above directories (Harris and Business) are held for all of Indiana's surrounding states. The national version, called Reference USA, is located on Electronic Database PC’s and the library web page.
Indiana Manufacturers Directory
R338.767025 INDI
RED
Manufacturers’ News directory lists manufacturers by city. Indexes include SIC, product, and alphabetical listing of companies. Each listing includes company name, address, SIC, executive names, number of employees, annual sales, and product(s).Indiana Manufacturers Directory - Manufacturers’ News Annual
Sorkins’ Online
R338.7670225 INDI
RED
This print directory covers manufacturers only. Access can be alphabetically by company name, city, product, SIC code. It is practical to consult both directories, this and Harris because each has companies not found in the other.
This database provides regional business information for three major metropolitan areas in the United States – St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago. Lake and Porter counties are included in the Chicago Metropolitan District as part of Chicago. Each listing includes company name, address, telephone/fax, year organized, what type of business/what produced, and more.Bank Directory
R332.1025 BANK
BIT
Previously published as Thomson Bank Directory, this directory lists banks geographically with addresses, key officers, and financial data. Also listed are banking associations, state banking officials, ranked lists of top U.S. commercial banks and bank holding companies, and largest world banks.
INDEXES TO SPECIAL ISSUES OF PERIODICALS
A number of business periodicals publish special issues giving valuable information and statistical rankings, lists, company directories, and other information important to the corporate or industrial researcher.
Directory of Business Periodical Special Issues
R338.016 DIRE
RED and PER
Guide to 1,362 U. S. and Canadian periodicals which publish "special issues."
NEWSPAPER INDEXES
Chicago Tribune Index
This index is excellent for information on Chicago companies.The Post Tribune ONLINE
The Times ONLINE
The index to this newspaper is on the library catalog and be used for local companies. The newspaper is on the Web at www.post-trib.com and has the full text of the day’s news.
This local newspaper is available on the Web at http://nwi.com and has a searchable online archive.
Indianapolis Star/News Online
The online full-text version is available on the library’s website. Information is accessible by keyword, date or subject. It is a good place to find information on Indiana companies.New York Times Index
Wall Street Journal Index
PER
Index is a complete, although not very timely; guide to the New York Times newspaper. It is a subject guide to all sections. Information is full-text. It is issued biweekly with quarterly cumulations. Archival issues of the newspaper are kept until replaced with microfilm.
PER
This index is accessible by key word, date, company name, or by subject. It is an excellent source of company information. It covers from 1993.Archival issues of the newspaper listed above are kept until replaced with microfilm.
The Internet is available at the Central Library and all branches.
Note: No effort has been made to include all of the company directories. If you need to find information about a company not in these directories, please ask a reference librarian for assistance.
