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Companies have nothing to gain by making themselves an open book. As a result, you will typically need to compile a company profile based on information from a variety of resources. This guide points to some common commonly consulted sources, both library subsidized databases and public web sites.
The More You Know
When doing company research, the most important distinction is whether a company is public or private. Publicly held companies (those whose shares are traded freely on a stock exchange) are obliged to make certain information available. The annual reports prepared for their stockholders often contain useful information. One caveat is that the annual report will attempt to put a positive spin on everything. To balance this, large, public companies also file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports (like the annual 10-K) follow a standardized format and will be roughly the same for each company.
Privately held companies usually are not obliged to make information about themselves available. Assembling information about them often requires research.
Industrial Classification Systems
Two systems of codes for classification of business are widely used. The older classification system is the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. This has been replaced by a more up-to-date classification system, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. NAICS is often pronounced as "nakes."
You may encounter the same problem using either. Both contain broad classifications. You may not be able to identify a narrow enough set of business to be useful. For example, you may want to identify hog slaughtering facilities but only be able to narrow your search down to businesses which are engaged in "Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering. "