Introduction
Company Information
The availability of company information varies greatly depending on the type of company and the sources you use.
- Public companies are traded on the open market and are regulated by the SEC. Those who purchase the securities issued by a public company become investors and owners. Company information can be found in SEC filings, analysts' reports, news reports, books, library business databases, and free online. Company proprietary information is not always available.
- Private companies are owned by an individual, family, or a group of partners, and are not traded in the open market. Information is very limited and most of it is confidential. Try company databases that cover private companies, news, and State filings.
- International (non U.S.) company coverage varies. Foreign public companies generally have extensive information available. If the company is traded on a U.S. stock exchange, it is required to file with the SEC.
- Nonprofit companies are not coverged in this guide. You can find Form 990 (filed with the IRS) on the Foundation Center or GuideStar (free registration) websites. Statistics are available at the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS).
Databases with Company Information
- ABI/INFORM Global This link opens in a new window
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Scholarly journals, professional publications, and newspapers on business, advertising, marketing, economics, HR, sustainability, project management, finance, computers, and more. - Gale Business: Insights This link opens in a new window
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Easily find information on companies, industries and more in the context of timely news, statistical data, and in-depth reports.
- Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
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Scholarly journals, professional publications, and magazines on all aspects of business. Includes Datamonitor Company and Industry Profiles. - Nexis Company Dossier This link opens in a new window
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Snapshots of companies. Includes stock quotes and charts updated daily, executive info, news, competitors, and more. - MarketLine Company Profiles Authority This link opens in a new window
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Profiles for 10,000 companies including a business description, company history, products and services, key employee biographies, revenue, SWOT analysis and top competitors (formerly Datamonitor, available through Business Source Premier). - Statista This link opens in a new window
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Statistics, reports, market outlooks, infographics, and more from 18,000 different data sources covering 600 industries and 50+ countries.
