Business and Company Research

Company data, news reports, downloadable charts and financial data! Start searching now!

Private or Public

The research process for searching for a public company differs from searching for a private company. Public companies are required to report many kinds of information about themselves to the federal government - this makes them easier to research. Private companies have less reporting requirements and may not freely share information about its finances or structure- this (typically) makes them harder to research. Many instructors prefer that you do a company report on a public company. If the company is international, it may not be traded on a U.S. stock exchange - consult your instructor about your choice.

Ticker symbols

Finding company information is much easier if you know the ticker symbol for the company. Here are some ways to identify the symbol.

• Investigate the website of the company. Many times this information is available from the website under links like "company information" or "investor information."
• Investigate the websites for the major U.S. stock exchanges (NASDAQ, NYSE).
• If the company is privately held, it won't be traded on an exchange. You won't find a ticker symbol.

Company websites

The company website provides lots of information about its products and services. Remember that the company website is a public relations tool. It is meant to convince you that the company is great. You will need to look elsewhere for a less biased view of the company.