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Business: Company Research  

Last Updated: Feb 29, 2012 URL: http://mansfield.libguides.com/companyresearch Print Guide RSS UpdatesShareThis
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Stocks & Financials @ Wolfram Alpha

Coca-Cola v PepsiCo: A 5 year stock comparison - One of the many financial comparisons Wolfram Alpha can dynamically generate:

Wolfram Alpha LLC. 2010. Wolfram|Alpha. http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=coca-cola+pepsico (access December 2, 2010).

 

Getting Started, Company Basics

Before delving into your research, you need to know some fundamental information about the company you want to research.

Company Name

You should know the correct spelling and the complete name of the company you are researching. It can be difficult to do detailed research on a company that is a subsidiary of another company, so you will want to find the name of the parent company and research the parent company. Companies are bought and sold frequently so be sure your information is accurate and current. Some resources that can help you determine the name of the company include:

Hoovers directories: Available in the Reference section of the library

Hoovers Online: Capsule, financials and news are free.

Company Stock Symbols

If the company you are researching is a public company, you should know the stock or ticker symbol. Many research tools let you search by ticker symbol, so this helps with limiting to the company you are interested. You can locate ticker symbols from some of the directories where you located the company name, but you can also search websites that track stock activity like Big Charts.

Companies that are not public are referred to as private. It can be very difficult to research private companies. You may need to research a similar public company or get information on the industry.

 

More Background Information on Your Company

 

Financial and Stock Information

  • Annual Reports Online
    These publications provide a year in review for a company's investors and potential investors. These contain some financial information but are not as complete as the federally required 10-K. Annual reports not available here can be located from the most company's websites.
  • 10-K's and other Federal Filings from Edgar
    These are required by the SEC for all public companies. There are a number of different filings, but the 10-K, or annual filing, will contain the most information. It includes general information about the company, the people who run it, and lengthy financial information. Some include information about their marketing plans and international markets.
  • Company Dossier / LexisNexis  
      
    Detailed financial information from a variety of sources. Downloadable datasets are included for your manipulation. You can also compare companies.
  • Stock Information from Bigcharts
    Current and historical stock information, news, and insider information.
  • ValueLine Investment Survey
    * REF HG 4501
    * Use index in the front of the Green Binder to determine if and where a company is located in the Valueline service.
    * Stock information including splits, ratios, ratings and projections.
    * Sample Report
  • Business Ratios
    RMA Annual Statement Studies and Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios
    REF HF 5681
    These books provide financial ratios for industries by SIC/NAICS code. This information will allow you to compare your company to the industry.
 

Citing Your Resources

Any time you use another person's words, pictures, or ideas, you have to give them credit. Use the link below to get help citing your sources.

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