Public versus Private Companies
Company Research / Public versus Private Companies
Finding information on private companies is often more difficult than people realize. Private companies, subsidiaries and divisions are not required to disclose financial information to the federal government or stock holders as is the case with large public companies.
Information available on private companies, subsidiaries or divisions tends to be more anecdotal than detailed financial reports. Some directories do give basic financial figures such as revenue, but most information will be gained from literature searches of local newspapers, magazines, newsletters, wire services, and trade journals. Telephone calls to securities analysts, government offices, and company suppliers and customers may provide valuable insights as well.
I. Resources Available in Langsdale Library
A. Basic Directory Information
- Directory Information. Business directories include information on company structure, top management, headquarters location, and basic financial information such as revenue for the largest public, private, and international companies. Check out the Company Affiliations & Top Management Page for specific directory titles.
- (2004 to present). Hoover's Handbook of American Business. Austin, Texas: Hoover's Business Press. Latest edition Ready Reference HF 3010.H6.
This source includes profiles of the 50 largest American companies.
B. Information through Press Releases and Articles
- (1984 to present). Baltimore Business Journal. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Business Publications . Latest 6 months in paper, older issues on microfilm in basement. Periodicals HF 5001.B40
Local business publications and newsletters from the town the company is located in are good ways of gaining insights into private companies. Note that many local newspapers are available through LexisNexis Academic or Regional Business News. - (1971 to present). Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: A.S. Abell Co.. Current month in paper, older issues on microfilm in the basement AN 21.B33. Searching local newspapers for the town or city in which the company is located is a great way to get additional information.
Also available through the Baltimore Sun database:
Baltimore Sun [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: Sept 16, 1990 - present. Full text of Baltimore Sun..
C. Information from Government Offices
1. Maryland Manual. Annapolis, MD: State Archives. [Latest hard copy in Langsdale is 2006 and is available on CD] Reference JK 3831.M36.
State zoning, development, and permit offices can assist you in obtaining insight into the activities of private companies. This source gives contact information for state and local government offices. Information on private companies available from government offices will vary from state to state.The Maryland Manual is also available online.
2. (2004). State of Maryland Telephone Directory. Baltimore, Md.? : Dept. of General Services. Reference JK3830. T4. Includes local offices. Telephone Directory is also avaialbe online.
II. Electronic Resources Available Through Langsdale
These resources are available to faculty, staff and students through our electronic databases menu. A current library registration may be used to access these resources from off-campus through Research Port.
A.
Coverage:
1970 - present. Indexes more than 1,300 journals on business, management, with
75% full-text.
B.Business
and Company Resource Center [on-campus]
[help]
Coverage: 1979 - present. Profiles 400,000 companies. Provides company histories,
business articles, industry rankings and analyses for selected public companies.
C. Business Source Premier [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: Varies– present. Business Source Premier provides full text for nearly 8,350 scholarly business journals and other sources, including full text for more than 1,100 scholarly business publications. Coverage includes virtually all subject areas related to business. This database provides full text (PDF) for more than 350 of the top scholarly journals dating as far back as 1922. Funded by the Maryland Digital Library (MDL). Includes company profiles, many of which contain SWOT analyses.
D. General BusinessFile ASAP [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: 1979 - present. Indexes more than 2600 business and trade publications with substantial full text. Includes SIC Descriptions with links to industry articles and Investext with full-text investment reports.
E.
Hoover's
Company Records[on-campus]
[help]
Coverage: 2002-current. Find in-depth company information on over 5,000 companies
with Hoover's Company Records. Each profile provides an overview and history,
as well as as information on key people, products, subsidiaries and competitors.
F.
Lexis-Nexis
Academic [on-campus]
[help]
Coverage: 1970 - present. Features full text of many newspapers and periodicals.
Also offers business news, legal materials such as federal & state codes,
case law and legal journals.
G. Mergent Online [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: Current. Mergent Online contains the electronic versions of the Mergent (formerly Moody's) Manuals (Industrial, OTC, Banking and Finance, and International), covering over 10,000 U.S. companies and thousands for foreign companies. The financial data for most companies covers 15 years. Industry reports are included.
H. ReferenceUSA [on-campus]
Coverage: Current. Provides directory, sales and employee size information for more than 12 million businesses in the U.S.
I. Regional Business News [on-campus]
Coverage: Varies. Regional Business News incorporates 75 business journals, newspapers and newswires covering all metropolitan and rural areas within the United States. Included in this database are Arizona Business, Business North Carolina, Crain's New York Business (and other Crain Communications editions), Des Moines Business Record, Enterprise Salt Lake City, Fort Worth Business Press, Orange County Business Journal, Westchester County Business Journal, etc.
III. Resources Available on the Internet
A. Company and general business information can be found at Langsdale's Business Research Links.
B. The Baltimore Business Journal
Local business journals often give insight into private companies. This site also has links to 35 other city business journals.
C. Baltimore City Government Home Page
City zoning, development, and permit offices can be helpful in gaining insight into the activities of private companies. This site includes information on the Empower Baltimore Management Corp., the Baltimore Development Group, Baltimore Office of Promotions, and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. Check Langsdale's Government Documents Online Resources Collection or your librarian for addresses of other city government sites.
D. Hoover's Online.
Hoover's web site includes profiles of some large private companies.
E. Maryland Electronic Capital
Maryland's Electronic Capital provides contact information for state agencies including independent boards and commissions. Depending on the state, zoning, development, and permit offices may provide some private company information to the public.
F. Periodical Literature
Business Journals on the Web
IV. Ask a Langsdale Librarian!
You can call 410-837-4274 when the Library is open, email langref@ubalt.edu or chat at http://langsdale.ubalt.edu/info_services/contact.htm
1/06 sw, updated 11/08 asd