Introduction to Company Research

How to find company history, financials, comparative ratios, etc...

First step

Determine if you are researching a private or public company. If you choose a private company, the information is extremely limited and you have to rely on the company to give you the information. If you don't know, you can check the following websites to see if the company is listed. If you can't find the company in these resources, it is most likely a private company.

• Canadian: SEDAR
• US: EDGAR

Second step

Search for more information on the company in the following databases:

• US: Mergent Online

  Enter the company name or ticker symbol in the search box then click "Go". 

• Also useful: Nexis Uni (company profiles including company overviews, securities filings, financials, etc.), S&P NetAdvantage (company overviews, financials, etc.), and Marketline (company reports including SWOT analysis).

Third step

For a more detailed guide, consult the additional Company Research guide.