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MGT3090: International Management: Company & Industry Research

What Kind of Company?

In general, it's easier to find information companies that trade on a stock exchange (public companies) or companies with large public profiles. The business databases will include articles about all types of companies.

Public companies and Subsidiaries

  • Consider the public company Nestle SA.. You may be more familiar with its subsidiaries, Purina, Gerber, Nespresso or Neslte Waters.. There should be plenty of articles about these subsidiaries with their large public profiles.
  • Public companies issue annual reports to shareholders. These reports are usually posted on company websites,  on the website for the Securities and Exchange Commission (look for company filings). Some multinational corporations, such as Toyota or Tata Steel,  are listed on a North American stock exchange; others such as Astra International trade on other stock exchanges. Nestle SA trades on a number of other stock exchanges.
  • Subdiaries don't usuallly offer separate reports
  • Check the Investor Relations section of the company webpage to locate reports such as the annual report to shareholders.   Many companies will provide several years of reports.

Private/Non-Public Companies

  • Private companies don't have to issue annual reports and often can be more difficult to research. An example of a large private enterprise is Perdue Farms, Inc. Some information about private companies can be found in directories such as RefUSA, Hoover's Academic and LexisNexis Academic.

Non-Profit Organizations

  • There are sources that track non-profit organizations such as GuideStar
  • It is easier to find information on non-profit organizations with large public profiles
  • Non-Profits are also included in some of the business directories

 

What are primary sources?

Primary sources of information on companies include documents such as Annual Reports, SEC filings, (10-K, 10-Q, 20-F, Prospectuses, Proxy Statements), News Releases, Company documents and corporate webpage. This information may include presentations, interviews, videos and promotional materials in addition to financial statements. Note that SEC filings will only be available for public companies. International companies trading on a North American stock exchange file a form 20-F instead of the 10-K. Look for Investor Relations, Employment, Press Kits as well as statements concerning ethics, sustainability, partnerships.

Examples of primary sources:

 

Company Databases

Use these sources for a quick overview of a company.

Industry Content in Databases

Information about a company's competitive environment can often be found in industry reports. These reports can sometimes be found using the industry codes for a company (SIC, NAICS). These codes are often listed in the company databases.