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Researching Corporations And Other Companies

The following comprises those resources located in the Business & Economics Library which should lead to an abundance of information for public corporations and some printed material on private companies. Since private companies are not required to make public their financial positions or other company interests it can prove to be more of a research task. Sections III and IV may be particularly helpful in finding related publications that provide general information regarding company issues and activities.

Note: Acknowledgment must go to the author(s) of Berkeley Business Guide #4: Sources of Information About U.S. Companies available in the Business & Economics Library; With which, portions of the following information was easily gathered.

I. CORPORATE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

International Directory of Company Histories:

St. James Press. Bi-Annual. Provides detailed information on the historical development of the world's largest and most influential public, private and state-controlled companies. (Reference: HD 2721 D36)

II. FINANCIAL INFORMATION ON PUBLIC CORPORATIONS

A. 10K reports (SEC filings) and Corporate Annual Reports:

There are many file cabinets full with reports on microfiche. Dated information includes 1976 to the present. There are Miscellaneous Corporate reports that cover 1969-75. It is important to remember that only parent corporation reports are found here. Subsidiaries are only listed under their respective parent corporations.

B. Compact Disclosures (CD-ROM):

This computer database gives a listing of more than 12,000 public companies. Type of information included: Annual/Qtrly accounting reports over past 5 yrs; annual uses and sources of funds (past 5 yrs); names of officers and directors; names of subsidiaries; abstracts of extraordinary events; ownership information; and other filings. Be sure to look through this database.

III. CURRENT NEWS AND INFORMATION

A. Predicasts F&S Index:

Located in the Reference area, this printed index includes business information on companies, industries, and applied technologies of over 750 financial publications, business oriented newspapers, trade journals, and special reports. Annual publications list journal articles under subject headings. This can be very useful for finding information tied to a specific company, both public and private.

B. Business Periodicals Index:

Similar to the Predicasts F&S Index. Located in the Reference area, this printed index of about 400 business journals lists articles in about companies, some non-profit organizations and other subject headings. Can be helpful in locating economic perspectives and analyses in specific countries.

C. Standard and Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives:

Volume 1 lists over 55,000 U.S. and Canadian corporations; volume 2 provides brief biographical information on 70,000 executives; and volume 3 provides geographical and product indexing for the listed companies. (Reference: HG 4057 P6)

IV. CORPORATION DIVISIONS, SUBSIDIARIES AND FOREIGN OPERATIONS

A. America's Corporate Families and International Affiliates:

Dun's Marketing Services. Annual reportings. Covers over 11,000 ultimate parent companies and over 70,000 subsidiaries, divisions, and major branches. (Reference: HG 4057 A146)

B. Directory of American Firms Operating In Foreign Countries:

Lists the foreign operations of U.S. companies by country and by company. (Reference: HG4538 A1 D5)

C. International Directory of Corporate Affiliations:

National Register Publishing Company. Annual reportings. A comprehensive directory which lists foreign parents of U.S. firms, U.S. owned foreign affiliates and subsidiaries, and contains a tradename list by product name back to firm. (Reference: HG4009 I5)

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