Finding Company Information
Databases
The following databases are excellent sources of information for company information.
Company Histories
Answers.com Company Histories
http://www.answers.com/library/Company%20Histories
Annual Reports
The primary source of corporate financial information is from the annual report issued by the company itself. Many companies provide reports on their websites, usually located in the About or the Investors section of the website.
AnnualReports.com
Provides over 2,200 Annual Reports and related financial information covering the majority of the Fortune 500 companies.
http://www.annualreports.com/
EDGAR Database of Corporate Information - US
The Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Provides U.S. 10Ks and other filings.
http://www.sec.gov/edgarhp.htm
SEDAR - Canada
The System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval is the electronic filing system for disclosure documents of public companies and mutual funds across Canada.
http://www.sedar.com
Background Information
Company websites and annual reports provide compnay generated information, so you may want to use Business Source Complete [example] and/or Canadian Business and Current Afffairs [example] to start your search for a more unbiased approach to company information. Both databases provide options for searching for company names.
adviceforinvestors.com
Excellent site for information on Canadian public companies. Current information includes stock quotes and press releases.
http://www.adviceforinvestors.com
Business Information by Sector
Industry-specific links to directory-type information, statistical data and analysis on the Canadian market, trade journals, industry associations, trade shows, etc.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/eng/h_00066.html?OpenDocument&%3fcategories=e_bis
Canadian Company Histories
Profiles of Canada's largest and most influential companies.
REF: HD2809.C35 1995
FP Survey - Industrials
(former title: Financial Post Survey of Industrials)
Financial and operational information on more than 2,800 publicly traded Canadian manufacturing and service companies, plus their subsidiaries and affiliates.
REF: HG5151.F53 2008
FP Survey - Mines & Energy
(former title: Financial Post Survey of Mines and Energy Resources)
Financial and operational information on over 3,000 mining and energy companies in Canada, plus their subsidiaries and affiliates. Use the alphabetical General Index at the front.
REF: HD9506.C2F51 2001
FP Survey - Predecessor & Defunct
(former title: Financial Post Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies)
Records changes to Canadian public corporations covering 70 years with the details of name changes, amalgamations, takeovers, and acquisitions. Also includes companies being wound up, and/or dissolved, and companies for which charters have been cancelled or struck from the provincial registers.
REF: HG4009.F56 2001
Hoover's Handbook of American Business - US
Profiles of more than 500 organizations, including public and private companies, nonprofit and governmental, selected for importance to U.S. and global trade. Includes a brief history and summary financial data. Indexed by brands, products, company name, and personnel.
REF: HG4057.A28617 2003
Hoover's Online: The Business Information Authority - US and some others
Covers all American public companies, all American private companies with sales over $500 million, "emerging" American companies (defined by a formula based on sales growth and other factors), the largest non-American companies, and various large not-for-profit organizations.
http://www.hoovers.com/free/
Yahoo! Finance
Contains some of the best investment content on the Web.
http://finance.yahoo.com/?
Directories
A number of directories in the Reference Collection on the Main Level will provide information on product manufacturers and include their addresses, trade names, and the names of company officers. Financial information is provided in some, as well.
Canadian Company Capabilities
a centrally maintained current searchable database of 60,000 Canadian businesses.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ccc-rec.nsf/eng/Home
Chamber of Commerce - Greater Charlottetown Area Member Directory
Contains an alphabetical listing of businesses as well as a breakdown by type of business.
http://memberservices.membee.com/pichacoc/irmdirectory1.aspx
Chamber of Commerce - Greater Summerside Area Member Directory
Contains an alphabetical listing of businesses as well as a breakdown by type of business.
http://www.chamber.summerside.ca/index.htm
Europages: The European Business Directory
Provides information on over 500,000 companies in 35 European countries. Searchable by product or service, company name, or subject category. Search results can be limited by country or region within a country.
http://www.europages.com/
Financial Services Canada
Alphabetical, geographical, executive name, and website/email indices are provided.
REF: HG185.C2F47 2009/10
Forbes Lists
Provides a listing of the world's largest public companies and America's largest private companies.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/
Franchise Annual Complete Handbook and Directory
Separate American, Canadian, and overseas listings.
REF: HF5429.3.F73 -- Latest edition only in Reference.
Fraser's Canadian Trade Directory
Includes product classifications (volumes 1-3), trade names index, and a brief list of all foreign manufacturing firms with agents in Canada. Vol. 4 is the Corporate Profile Section containing a complete alphabetical list of manufacturers and suppliers (with postal codes, phone numbers, branch offices, and representatives).
REF: HF3228.F7 -- Latest edition only in Reference.
http://www.frasers.com
Inter-Corporate Ownership
A reliable index of who owns and/or controls public, private, and crown corporations in Canada. Divided into two sections-–a Corporate Ownership Section and an index. The Corporate Ownership Section shows the names of all holding and held companies, and the respective ownership percentages in a tiered format, with each succeeding level indented. Since 2000, Inter-Corporate Ownership is available on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM version is published quarterly and includes information up to the first month of that quarter. Contact Data and Research Services Department for most current edition.
REF: HG4090.I58 2003 Information Desk:CD-ROM
P.E.I. Busness Guide
Search this directy by business type, name, location, etc.
http://www.gov.pe.ca/business/directory/index.php3
P.E.I. Corporate Business Names Registry
The database contains information on all companies either formed in Prince Edward Island or licensed to do business in PEI. Includes information on incorporated companies, nonprofit associations, business names, limited partnerships, licensed extra-provincial companies, cooperatives, and licensed insurance companies. You can search according to registration number, business name, and registration type.
http://www.gov.pe.ca/corporations/index.php
P.E.I. Directory of Manufacturers and Processors
Special Collections: HD976.C3P7
Polk's Charlottetown & Stratford Prince Edward Island City Directory
Special Collections: F5351.M54
Scott's Directories, Atlantic Industrial Directory
Covers 6,500 manufacturing companies, wholesalers, and distributors in the Atlantic Provinces. Geographical arrangement, with company and product indexes.
REF: T12.5.C28S3 2008
Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives - US
Vol. 1 lists alphabetically about 55,000 public and private U.S. corporations, with executives, number of employees, subsidiary and parent companies, products or sources, and annual sales volume. Vol. 2 gives biographical profiles of approximately 70,000 executives and corporate directors. Vol. 3 indexes by geography and SIC codes.
REF: HG4057.A4 1998
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers
A comprehensive listing of American manufacturing firms in 33 volumes. Vol. 1-24 list products and services alphabetically; vol. 25-27 list company profiles alphabetically with addresses and phone numbers; vol. 28-33 are the Catalogues of companies appearing in the first 27 volumes. Also available on the Web at http://www.thomasnet.com/index.html
REF: T12.T6 2000
Created by: Betty Jeffery, B.A., M.L.S.
IInstructional Services Coordinator
Phone: 902-566-0741
Date Created: 16-June-2000
Date Revised: 6-May-2013 by Donald Moses, MLIS
