Step 1: Figure out what information you need.
Information Examples
- Revenues (either estimated for private companies or from filings)
- Top executives & brief bios
- Designates if private or public (subsidiary, branch, parent)
- Ability to compile lists within an industry, geography, sales range, or stock index
- Lines of business
- aka industries (either NAICS or SICS)
- What it does – makes, services, or both
- Competitors – either designated by the company or within SIC
- Financials and background/history
- Some may have investment analysis
Step 2: Determine if the company is public, private, or subsidiary.
If you’re having trouble accessing a database or getting an error code, try opening the link in an incognito or private window.
Step 3: Select a database for pertinent company information.
Public Companies
| Company History & Directories | Financial Information | Company Reports | Article Databases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Axle (US companies only) International Directory of Company Histories ProQuest Historical Annual Reports | Nexis Uni EDGAR | Emerging Markets Information Service | Business Easy Search ProQuest One Business Business Source Ultimate |
Private Companies
| Information on Private Companies | Article Databases |
|---|---|
| Data Axle (US companies only) Hoovers Academic Pro PrivCo Emerging Markets Information Service | ProQuest One Business Business Source Ultimate Nexis Uni |
STEM-E-Business has created video tutorials at Illinois Media Space.
- How to use Emerging Markets Information Service (EMIS)
- How to Create Company Lists Using Data Axle
- How to Search Harvard Business Review
