Business

Business Source Complete is an EBSCOhost database providing access to thousands of business journals. It also contains a wealth of information on public companies, including:

• Company Profiles
• Company Histories
• Key Facts
• Corporate Family
• Products & Services
• Financials
• Annual Reports
• SWOT Analysis
• Competitors
• Executives

Click on Company Information in the blue bar across the top of the page. Type the name of a public company in the search box, or you can choose to search by ultimate parent, ticker symbol, or keyword using the drop down menu next to the search box. When the results list comes up, click on the company name to view a snapshot of the company which includes a brief description as well as company data, such as financials, subsidiaries, executives, industry codes, and other basic information.

The Company Information search screen also includes search options that allow you to find a list of companies that meet criteria you choose, such as location, number of employees, revenue, industry codes, etc.

Click on More in the blue bar at the top of the page, then click Company Profiles.  Enter a company name into the box to search for a company by name, or use the A-Z browse. A detailed profile from Marketline or Medtrack will be listed. Click on the report under PDF Complete Report to access the full report.

The Marketline Reports generally include a company overview, key facts, business description, history, key employees and biographies, major products and services, competitors, locations, and often a SWOT analysis. The Medtrack reports are similar and are focused on the pharmaceutical industry.

Relevant information can also be found in articles written about a company. From the main database search screen, you can choose to search for all articles about a company by selecting Company Entity from the drop-down menu and searching with the name of the company, or use additional Keyword terms to search for articles on a specific topic related to a company. Narrow your search by date, publication type, and full-text availability using the options to the left of the search results.

Company websites are another place to find good information, particularly for public companies. Just use Google to search the company by name. The ABOUT page is usually a good place to start. Press releases, investor information,and reports can also provide good information. Use company websites carefully as the information and data can be biased.