Researching a Company

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Now that the Research Network has a membership with Hill Library, I decided to take some of the free classes they've offered. One dealt with finding information about companies. Here are a few tips, some of which you know about, I'm sure.

PUBLIC COMPANIES
Reference USA database (available from Hill on a trial basis, but also found at many public libraries)
Dun & Bradstreet
Hoovers
SEC/EDGAR; if you don't know the stock market ticker symbol, check the CIK, for there may be several companies with similar names
Big Charts - US and Canadian stock market
wsjie.com - articles
Annual reports (lots of sources on the Internet, many of them free); I found the Financial Times site easy to use
Company websites
Periodicals

PRIVATE COMPANIES
D&B, Hoovers
Secretary of State of the state in which the company is incorporated
Secretary of State association site www.nass.org. (Incidentally, the NASS has 2008 Presidental primary information, as well as a regional Presidential primary plan for 2012. But the site has the polls open for the NYS Presidential primary on February at one fixed time that is only partially true: In New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Erie, POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM - CLOSE AT 9 PM. In all other counties, POLLS OPEN AT 12 NOON and CLOSE AT 9 PM.
Company websites
Periodicals, e.g., www.bizpubs.org -association of area business publications

INTERNATIONAL
Kompass
D&B, Hoover's
Company websites
Periodicals

NOT FOR PROFITS
IRS 990s on guidestar.org
Sources of grant money at fdncenter.org
Company websites
Periodicals

I should mention that premium versions of many of these databases are available with membership at Hill Libraries. Also, you don't need to be a member to take classes; they are open to potential members as well.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hi Roger,
Thanks for taking the company research class - that was fun (about as fun as business research can be, anyway.)
Here are a couple additional free company research tools for your readers:

Manta (http://www.manta.com/coms2/page_search_form) – very basic info on millions of companies, both public and private. Free registration required for some access.

ThomasNet (http://www.thomasnet.com/) – manufacturer’s directory, search by company name or product.

Happy researching! Matt (Hill Library)
1/30/2008 12:45 PM
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