Company Information
Guide to finding U.S. and international company information.
Company Type
Before starting to research a company, you should find out what type of company it is. There are three types:
- Public company: ownership of your company is publicly traded through a stock exchange
- Private: a small group of individuals privately owns your company
- Subsidiary: another company owns more than half of your company
If your company has a Wikipedia article, it will usually include which type of company you are researching. A quick Google search or a look at the "About Us" section of a company's website are also quick, easy ways to find this information.
Company Research
Once you know your company's type, use these databases to find more in depth information. The descriptions below each link will tell you which company types they include.
- Mergent IntellectCreate lists of companies, public, private, and subsidiaries by geographic region and by industry. Especially helpful for local research and very small companies.
- Mergent OnlineContains information on public companies only. Especially good for finding company financial statements because you can download many years worth of data into Excel to do analyses.
- PrivCoPrivate company database (U.S. and abroad) with financials, M&A deals, etc. Especially good if you are interested in private equity deals and funding structures. Click on "Direct Access" to enter the database.
- Direct link to MarketLine Company ReportsContains detailed profiles of public, private, and subsidiary companies. If you are off campus, the direct link may not work. These profiles can be found in Business Source Complete. Click "More" at the top of the screen, and choose "Company Profiles" to browse the full list.
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