Company Research: Get Started

Databases are important​ for company research

• Much information is not free and available on Google (especially for private companies).
• Therefore, CU pays for students to have access to databases with this restricted (and expensive!) information.
• Databases package information from different sources in one place, which saves you time.
• Many databases allow you to create custom reports and export data as spreadsheets, which also saves you time.

Private company research is different than public company research

Public companies...

• are required to file certain information with the federal government, such as 10Ks,
• publish annual reports for investors, which you may be able to find on their website,
• have a unique ticker symbol that make them easier to locate.

Private companies...

• aren't required to file yearly reports with the government or shareholders,
• are harder to find information on, and the information you do find is probably self-reported,
• may not have a ticker symbol..

If you're looking for any sort of information about companies, this is the place to start.  If you're new to company research, take a look at the information in the box below to learn some key terms and concepts.  Otherwise, click on one of the following tabs:

• Profiles & Histories.  You will most likely find everything you need in the top databases listed in this tab.  Company profiles generally include a business description, company name and variations, ticker symbol (for publicly-traded companies), headquarters address and contact information, executives' names and titles, and associated industries. Many include a list of key competitors.
• Articles & Anaylsis. Check out this tab if you're looking for investment & equity reports, trade publications, SWOT analyses, or scholarly articles.  
• Financials & Filings. If you're looking for information like revenues, sales, and valuation, check out the resources in this tab.
• Products & Operations. If you're looking for information on brands, strategic plans, or business models, this tab may be helpful.
• Competitors & Market Share. This tab has information about market segmentation, rankings, risk factors, and the competitive landscape.