Finance  Tags: finance business stocks bonds insurance banking industry_research company_research market_research  

Q: Where do I start my company research?

A: The BEST place to start is Hoover's Online. It's user-friendly and provides a high degree of detail for public companies (and some detail for private companies). It lets you quickly identify the company's main competitors, acquire three year financial performance and benchmarking to the industry and competitors under the "Financials" section.

Watch these Hoover's Tutorials

• A Quick Start To Using Hoover's
• Get the Most Out of Hoover's
• How to Search for Information with Hoover's
• How to Build a List with Hoover's

Q: Where can I find current and historical SEC filings, including annual reports, quarterly reports, and audited financial statements?

A: Try LexisNexis SEC Filings. It includes annual and quarterly reports and proxy statements of more than 4,000 US companies, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission since 1987. Annual reports are available from 1995-present.

Another great source is EDGAR - Securities and Exchange Commission Electronic Filings

Q: Where can I find historical company financial results & ratios?

A:  Research Insight is a great resource for obtaining financial ratios and conducting in-depth financial analysis. Research Insight is available at Ward Edwards lab and in the JCKL Computer Commons. If you'd like a consultation to learn how to use Research Insight, contact business librarian Carol Smith.

Current comparative ratios may be available via Hoovers Online, under Financial Data-->Comparison Data. Ratios include company financials, market median and industry median ratios.

Q: Where can I find Industry Analyst reports?

A: LexisNexis provides a wealth of third-party industry analyst reports.Look up a company by name or ticker symbol, then select "References".

Q: Where can I find sample SWOT reports?
Answer: Datamonitor SWOT analyses are available via EBSCO Business Source Complete. Search on company name or ticker symbol, then look for SWOT Analysis under "Source Types". Please note that these reports are not a substitute for your own research. These are just good models to follow as professors usually want you to conduct an original SWOT analysis. Please consult with your professor.