ENTR101 Entrepreurship & Ideation

Some things to keep in mind as you start research on your company:

• Many databases allow you to search using a public company’s stock ticker symbol.
  • (Example: Papa John’s ticker symbol is PZZA.)
• Public companies are required to file financial information with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). 10-K’s and 10-Q’s are examples.
• Public companies also have to provide investors with an Annual Report (sometimes the 10-K serves as the Annual Report; sometimes it is a separate document).
• Business Source Premier database can perform company searches in two ways.
• 

The arrow above shows the link that performs a search for company information in Marketline Company Profiles.  This information service provides background on the company, its place in the industry, a chronology, information on their board of directors and sometimes a SWOT analysis.

Searchers can also type in the company name to a search box and then select "CO Company Entity"  (see oval above) from the drop down menu.  This will provide BOTH Marketline Company Profile reports and articles from business journals, magazines, newsletters and newspapers.  This search will provide the most information from which a searcher may choose.  Use the filtering options in the left column (not shown here) to narrow down large searches by publication date, language, or additional subjects.

Free company websites:

• Lists products or services
• Contact information
• May have background/history
• If public, may have latest filings or news
• Not likely to have financials          

Library (subscription) databases:

• Revenues (privately-held companies may not disclose their financial information)
• Top Executives & brief bios
• Lines of business –
  •    aka Industries (either NAICS or SICs)
  •    What it does (makes, services or both)
• Designates if private or public (subsidiary, branch, parent)
• Competitors (either designated by company or within SIC)
• Option: financials and background/history
• Ability to compile lists comparing competitors