MBA 530: Managerial Finance and Accounting

Company research helps you better understand a company's financials, product lines, and business strategy. The Library subscribes to several tools which publish company reports:

1. Search for the company using the search box at the top of the page

• You may see several different options appear when you search for the company's name
• Check the headquarters, revenue, and total employees to ensure you're heading to the correct company report

2. Note whether the company is public or private

• Finding information on public companies is easier than for privately-held companies
  • Public companies must disclose financial information to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which then becomes publicly available information
  • As a result, you will find far more information when researching a company that is publicly traded 
• Private companies don't need to report the same information to the SEC, so their financial information may be confidential, especially in competitive industries
  • You may find some useful information searching elsewhere online, but it's generally more difficult researching private companies

3. Use the tabs on the left side to find a SWOT analysis

• Information on public companies is more accessible, so you can often find SWOT analyses within company reports
• SWOTs are great for identifying a company's areas of strength and development, opportunities for growth, and threats from competition
• Scroll down from the initial chart to see additional analysis for each entry

4. Find a company's top competitors

• An important part of company research is identifying and analyzing the competition
• Hoover's identifies a company's top competitors with a ribbon icon, and you can link directly to each company's report to learn more about its financials and strategy

5. Find financial data (revenue, balance sheets, and ratios)

• Hoover's company reports include significant financial information based on the latest disclosures and reports
• This includes key indicators like revenue, operating income, and total assets; financial ratios; income statements; and balance sheets