BRASS Business Guide - COMPANY AND INDUSTRY RESEARCH

Seeking company information is the most common form of business research. It may involve:

• Obtaining contact information and description of a company. 
• Researching company news, competitors, and history.
• Retrieving financial data to decide whether or not to invest in or do business with a company.
• Preparing for a job interview.

A wealth of information is available on public companies. Conversely, it will be more difficult to find much data on private companies, especially very small private companies. Once you find the company information you need, you may want to put the information into a larger perspective by obtaining information on the industry in which your company is involved. 

NAICS Code - The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) uses six-digit codes to identify an industry. The NAICS system is gradually replacing the SIC system. Many resources use these codes to identify a company’s activities, index companies by activity, and to define industry data and information. For more information on the history and structure of the NAICS, as well as to search for codes, visit the NAICS Association website at http://www.naics.com/ and the U.S. Census Bureau at https://www.census.gov/naics.

Private Company – A private company is one that is owned by an individual, family, or group of partners. The amount of information that private companies must report is limited, and much of that is confidential. Thus, it is often difficult to find much information on a private company.

Public Company – A public company is a company that issues securities or shares of stock for the public. Those who purchase these securities or shares become investors in and owners of the company. This process is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and public companies must file numerous financial and other reports with the SEC. Because these reports are public information, much data and information can be found when researching public companies. For more information, visit the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/index.htm.

SIC Code - Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes are four-digit codes used to identify an industry. Many resources use these codes to identify a company’s activities, index companies by activity, and to define industry data and information. For information on the history of the SIC codes and information about its replacement, the NAICS, visit the NAICS Association website at http://www.naics.com/info.htm. An excellent website for a list of SIC codes and to search for a code is the OSHA site from the U.S. Department of Labor at https://www.osha.gov/data/sic-search.

Subsidiary – A company which is owned in whole or in part by another company. When researching a subsidiary, it is often advantageous to also research the owning company or the parent company.