JOUR 330: Principles of PR: Company Research
Company Research: The Basics
Company Research Tips:
- Publicly-traded companies will be easier to research than private companies.
- You will use a mix of library resources (Mergent, Business Source Complete) and Web resources.
- Company research invovles using both company and industry resources.
- Some companies are easier to research than others. Companies and brands are merged and absorbed regularly, and this can make finding even recent information difficult.
- Just because you want a certain piece of information doesn't mean it is available.
- Industry information goes hand-in-hand with company information. See the Industry Research page for more details.
- Sometimes you will have to make an educated guess.
Company Research: The First Step
Corporate Affilitations is a directory of companies, both public and private.
- Click on the link below.
- In the menu bar at the top of the page, select Features.
- From Features, select advance search
- In advance search, seelct Product/Brand Name and/or Company from the drop-down menu titled Criterion
- In the text box next to it, type in your brand.
This will show you where the brand falls in a corporate tree.
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Dossier [LexisNexis]A guide to corporate families in the U.S. and worldwide. Covers public and private firms, manufacturers of specific products, services, executives, net worth, sales data, and recent mergers.
Tip:Search for specific brands or companies to see who owns them. Click Subscriber Tools > Company Search > Advanced Search, then select "Product Name" from the dropdown.
Company Information, History, and Analysis
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Business Source Complete [EBSCO]Overviews of companies--both public and private--are available in the Business Source Complete. Use both articles and Datamonitor Company reports for this information.
In addition to the sources listed below, check company website. Most public companies post their annual reports and a company history on their pages. However, some will make it difficult to find. Look for a link titled "Investment information" or "Information for Investors.
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IBISWorldIBISWorld is an industry database, but it has analysis of prominent companies in an industry. Search the database by company name for the reports related to your company.
Financials: Publicly-traded Companies
Financial information can include: annual revenue, net income, ratios, dividends per share and more.
Publicly-traded companies are required to file financial reports with the Securities & Exchange Commission several times a year. Use the source below to find current and historical financials and to help interpret the numbers.
Helpful Resources:
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Mergent OnlineMergent provides current and historical (15 years) financial information on public and privately-held US and international companies. Includes links to recent news and SEC filings.
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Business Source Complete [EBSCO]Company Reports in Business Source Complete contain current financial information.
Financials: Private Companies
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Mergent OnlineTo search for private company data, select the "D&B Private Company Database " box.
Private companies are not required to file financial information and do not have to make this information available to the public, making it difficult to find in-depth and historical financial information and analysis. Mergent Online now has information on private companies.
Mouse over the name of the database for more information.
Helpful Resources:
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Business Source Complete [EBSCO]Company Reports have current financials, including private companies.
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Dossier [LexisNexis]Current sales figures for select US and international companies.
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Global Newsstream [ProQuest]Includes full-text access to Wall Street Journal (Eastern, Europe, and Asia editions). Does not include stock quotes.
Company Web Sites & Annual Reports
Annual Reports
- If a company is publicly-traded they have to file an annual report with the SEC. 2009 annual reports are filed with the SEC March 31.
- An annual report often includes: company background, current issues they are facing, what went well, what went wrong, and financial information.
- Read the president's letter--this is where he explains the company's current situation to the shareholders. Remember to read these with a skeptical eye--the president/CEO will put the most positive spin on everything.
Where are annual reports located?
- Many companies will put their most recent annual report on their Web site.
- Some will also put past annual reports, historical financial information, mission, values, etc. on their site.
- Sometimes it is obvious where this information is, sometimes it isn't. Look for a link on the company's home page labeled, "Company information," "Investor Information," etc. However, how much is made available depends on the company. Some will put up more than others.
What else is on the company's Web site?
- Mission, values, and vision
- Possibly a recent strategic plan
- Articles or press releases
Public Companies vs. Private Companies
- If your company has a ticker symbol, it is publicly traded. Find the ticker in a simple Google or Wikipedia search--but don't rely on this information for your entire assignment
- Public companies often have more available because they have to file an annual report with the SEC
- Some private companies will put a lot of information on their Web site. Some won't.
Can you trust information from the company?
- Yes. But read it with a skeptical eye and back up any of their own information with other sources.
Librarian Subject Team

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Social Science & Professional Programs Team Librarians:
Sylvia Tag
Elizabeth Stephan
Emily Spracklin
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