Researching Companies
Identify Company Type
Company research requires you to determine if a company is a public company, private company, or a subsidiary. Make use of the databases below to make your determination. Small and local businesses will require the use of a ReferenceUSA for making determinations. Remember off campus access requires CSUSM ID and password.
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Hoovers Online (via Proquest)
Database providing histories, financial information, and profiles of worldwide public & private companies
- ReferenceUSA
United States business directory of over 14 million private and public companies. Contains name, executives, type, sales, employee size etc. Users can search by SIC, yellow page heading, state, city, and down to the zip code level. mployee size etc.
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Mergent Online
A financial analysis database of over 25,000 publicly traded US and international companies over 30 years. Major industry reports. Search and compare companies by long term debt, profitability ratios, and many more. Create custom financial comparison charts. A century of annual reports.
Public Company
Company Research
Public Company Profiles, Annual Reports and Analysis
Business Source Premier (CSUSM Premium) Search the Company Profiles. Marketline reports include SWOTS!
Factiva (CSUSM Premium) Good for public corporations.
***** ACCESS precaution Please contact a business librarian if you are having trouble accessing FACTIVA from off campus.
Search Companies/Markets Tab along the top.
Company snapshot, News, Web News, Multimedia, Key Developments, Peer Comparison, Financial Results--to see financial results by segment and reports. Look at the Performance/Segment Information section.
Earnings Calls: Limit company search to Sources: CQ FD Disclosure.
ALTERNATIVE:
Earnings Calls: ABI Inform. Choose publications: Disclosure Wire Limit to Company Name. Be sure to sort to most recent date.
Mergent Online (CSUSM Premium) Good for public corporations in depth financials. Also has limited private co. info.
Detailed company profiles, history and in depth financial analysis, including SEC filings
Marketwatch.com
Commerical investing and new source, publicly available.
SeekingAlpha.com Freely available insight snippets
Hoovers Company Profiles (via ProQuest) (CSUSM Premium)
Company snapshot, employee size, sales, basic financials, stock, NAIC and SEC filings including news (newspapers, legal,and patent)
ReferenceUSA (CSUSM Premium) Excellent for private companies also public company hierarchies. Includes local branches of foreign companies operating in the United States. Also good for quick summary statistics by industry especially local competitors.
REFUSA: Step By Step Guide to RefUSA Company & Competitor search
Market and Consumer analysis of Companies
Passport Euromonitor (CSUSM Premium) Company profiles and market and brand share around the world
Financial Information & Annual Reports
How to read an annual report (Short outline from IBM)
AnnualReports.com (available on the free web)
Annual reports for U.S. public companies.
SEC.gov EDGAR search (available on the free web)
Access to corporate electronic filings submitted by U.S. public companies directly to the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission.
Competition and Industry
Company analyst reports include strengths, weaknesses of the company and opportunities and threats.
IBISWorld Industry Research (CSUSM Premium)
Industry Research in over 700 reports by NAIC. In-depth Industry analysis, external, internal and economic, supply chain management. Contains some international reports for UK, Australia, China, and Global.
First Research (Mergent Intellect) (CSUSM Premium)
Industry research with limited competitor. Excellent Interview prep questions.
ReferenceUSA (US Only)
See the section for competitors. This represents a geographic look at businesses close to your location by NAIC code.
Starting a Company
BUS 444/442 Antoniou New Venture Development
This page provides recommended sources to complete your Case Analysis and New Venture Development Plan. This guide is organized according to your assignment requirements for those areas requiring outside research.
Preparation for BUS 444/442 Library Research Session
- Bizminer and Bizminer Tutorials -- Look under Resources to find short video tutorials prior to class.
- Census Business Builder For small businesses. Use for business plan data and potential market
The Firms Environment--Industry
- Use the Industries tab of this guide. Use a database to locate a report and read: for market, product/services, opportunities and threats in the industry.
- Use the Google Search for Business on this guide to find more.
- Visit Bureau of Labor Statistic (BLS) page for Economy at a glance San Diego and Metro Statistical Area (MSA) for San Diego-Carlsbad
- Take a look at San Diego Workforce Partnership. Issue reports and provides a space for labor market resources.
Market Share
- Census Business Builder For small businesses. Use for business plan data and potential market
- Passport Euromonitor For consumer products, company and brand share in US and global market.
Market Trends
- Association websites (National Restaurant Association for example), references to associations in news articles. See the Industry Reports for specific industries.
- Visit Business news premium sources tab on this guide. Trade magazine websites AND library article databases-the only place to find special reports you find these in the news databases, see the tab
Demographics and Market Potential
- For this class market demand is assumed. Please look at Marketing Research Guide, tab for database for more.
Business Plans
Writing:
Entrepreneur Media, Inc (2015). Write your business plan: get your plan in place and your business off the ground (access until July 1, 2020 - COVID)
Butler, D. (2014). Business Planning for New Ventures: A Guide for Start-ups and New Innovations.
Samples (don't pay for anything):
- SBDC Net is the official National information clearning house for the US Small Business Administration.
How to Write a Business Plan, Where to find a business plan, Business Plan templates.
- Business Plans Index (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh) External
This is an index of business plans that are available online and in print format. Organized by industry categories.
- Write Your Business Plan (U.S. Small Business Administration)
Learn how to write a business plan quickly and efficiently with a business plan template. -
PRINT: Business Plan Handbooks from GALE (Library 3rd REFERENCE Print HD 62.7 B865 (Latest vol. 38 for index to b-plans) Contact Jopdahl@csusm.edu for how to request a specific business plan from print to digital, during COVD-19 physical library closure)
Operating Expenses
U.S. Economic Census Detailed Retail Trade and Operating Expenses
Related business and industry, manufacturing, and wholesale available as well.
The Firm
- *** California Business Portal (Featured) ***Small Business Assistance, State Incentives, Registration & Permits (CalGold), Workforce. Extensive business assistance and guides for starting and growing a business with all state requirements
- *** CalGOLD *** California Permit Assistance by city, county, and industry
- California Franchise Tax Board page for business.
- SBA Search for Business Licenses and Permits Enter zip code and regulated business if applicable.
COMPETITION
- ReferenceUSA (library database)
Occupational / Employees
- San Diego Workforce Partnership Job seekers, employers, training and education, economic indicators, industry statistics
- O*NET Occupational Outlook (Dept of Labor)
- Occupational outlook handbook HF5381 .U62 REFERENCE
- Salary.com
Product or Service
- Passport Euromonitor (Consumer purchase behavior).
- Visit Business news premium sources tab on this guide. Craft search strategy to return information relevant to your needs.
Suppliers
- GlobalSpec (Free registration). Global product and service suppliers.
- Kompass (Business 2 Business)
- Thomas Global Registry (Solusource) Global supplier registry
- ThomasNet Manufacturing suppliers, limit by radius
Tax forms
Business Expenses
- *** Bizminer *** Library financial start up and business plan database. Update 6/18 now has Z-scores for credit scores and financial viability.
- Industry Statistics Portal Lands you on all census data sources for an industry
- Monthly and Annual Retail Trade See the Historical Detailed tables at the bottom of the screen for Business Expenses.
- Business and Industry Data by Geography Great landing page for details below
Location, Location, Location
- LoopNet Commercial Real Estate Listings by category
Commercial Real Estate Brokerages
See San Diego Business Journal Book of Lists (Reference Shelves) for list of the 19 Commercial Real Estate Brokerages in San Diego County (other metro areas available)
- Commercial Real Estate figures--San Diego Regional Economic Development Council
Judy Opdahl
760-750-4307
KEL 3424