Business Librarian
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Company research
Public companies - information sources
A public company has shares of stock that represent an ownership interest and are traded openly on one or more stock exchange like NASDAQ or NYSE. Government reporting requirements make it easy to find information about them.
- Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
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Content type(s): U.S. & international publicly-held company data & reports. Data can be downloaded as Excel files.
Dates covered: 1993 to present - Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
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Content types: Company reports, SWOTs for major public companies, Industry reports
Dates covered: 1922-present
- EDGAR: Company searchContent type(s): Company information compiled from data submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 10-K reports.
Dates covered: 1994 to present
International Directory of Company HistoriesContent type(s): E-book provides histories of companies that are a leading influence in a particular industry or geographic location.
NOTE: Also covers private companies and non-profits.
Encyclopedia of Global BrandsPublication Date: 2013Content type(s): E-book contains 270 case studies that highlight how a product originated and was first marketed.
NOTE: Also covers private companies.
Private companies - information sources
A private company is not traded on any stock exchange. Don't have to file documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Finding information on private companies can be quite challenging. See Financial Benchmarks below for one way to approximate financials.
- PrivCo This link opens in a new windowSource for business and financial research on non-publicly traded corporations, including family-owned, private equity-owned, venture-backed, and international unlisted companies.
Note: Users will need to register for an academic account using their JMU email address - Data Axle Reference Solutions This link opens in a new windowContent types: Directory of U.S. businesses (key personnel, addresses, credit rating, sales, subsidiaries, etc) and households (name, address, and phone number, census data for the household's area).
Dates covered: Current
- OwlerProvides news alerts, company profiles, and polls on companies. Good for private companies and startups.
Non-profit organizations - Information sources
Nonprofits are formal organizations in the United States that qualify for tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code. In the U.S., non-profits usually are required to disclose information about their financials.
- GuideStarContent type(s):Data and 1099 tax forms on non-profits.
Dates covered: Last 3-5 years
NOTE: Must create a free account to download - Chronicle of PhilanthropyContent type(s:) Provides news & information for fund raisers, professional employees of foundation, corporate grant makers, & people who work for non-profit, tax exempt organizations.
Dates covered: 2000 to present - National Center for Charitable StatisticsContent type(s:) Statistical data on non-profit, tax exempt organizations.
Dates covered: To 1950s in some areas. No longer being updated. - ProPublica Nonprofit ExplorerContent type(s): Tax returns and financial details from tax-exempt organizations
Dates covered:IRS data released since 2013; tax filing documents as far back as 2001.
Financial benchmarks
Industry ratios and financial benchmarks can be used to gauge the market performance of companies and forecast growth.
Often, financial benchmarks are used as a a proxy or surrogate when data is not available for a particular firm (such as a privately-held one).
- IBISWorld This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Analyst reports on more than 700 U.S. industries.
Dates covered: Current - BizMiner This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Industry research and data reports on more than 16,000 lines of business in national and local markets.
Dates covered: Most recent 5 years