Business Librarian
Investigating a large public company? Try these tools
The amount of information you can find about a company will depend on its ownership status. This video explains the difference between publicly traded and privately held companies.
Public companies -- like Coca-Cola or Microsoft -- issue shares of stock that represent an ownership interest and are traded openly on one or more stock exchange like NYSE. These companies must disclose financial information to the government annually, making it easy to find information about them.
Suggested resources for investigating public companies:
- 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 profiles and SWOT analyses for major public companies, along with company and industry news
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
- Doing Business Research: Using Business Source Complete
Tips for using the Business Source Complete database to find information about a company, industry or topic.
Partnering with a local business or organization? Try these tools
A private company is not traded on any stock exchange. They don't have to file documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Finding information on private companies can be quite challenging, and often we must resort to using Industry Financial Benchmarks to approximate.
Suggested resources for investigating private companies:
- Data Axle Reference Solutions This link opens in a new windowContent types: Directory of U.S. businesses with data about key executives, addresses, sales volumes, estimated expenditures, etc.
Dates covered: Current - 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
Working with a not-for-profit organization? Use these resources
- 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. - BBB Wise Giving AllianceContent type(s): Evaluative reports and guidelines to help donors make informed giving decisions and promotes accountability standards among organizations that solicit public contributions.
Dates covered: Varies by charity - Charity NavigatorContent type(s):Helps people "support the causes they care about by connecting them to the best charities that align with their passions and values."
Dates covered: Varies by charity - 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