This page guides you to resources providing information on industries. It includes sections on:
When performing basic industry research, begin with the Background Information, Trends, and Projections section. Then proceed to other sections as appropriate. Keep in mind the questions to consider mentioned on the introductory page while doing your industry research.
These are the resources with which to begin your industry research. They provide narrative background and/or statistical data on the current condition, history, and future projections of many industries. Although the amount of information will vary depending upon the industry and the resource used, these resources might provide all the information you need.
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys and U S Industry and Trade Outlook are the two key, must-use resources for beginning your research. The next nine titles are from Gale Research. They collectively form the third key resource for industry research. Because the type of information included in the different Gale titles varies, check each and every appropriate Gale title to compile a full industry report. Check the remainder of the titles on the list as appropriate.
Use as many of the appropriate resources as you can to obtain as complete an overview of your industry as possible. Be prepared to include alternate names for your industry as well as broader and/or more specific industry categories in your research.
In addition, business and management journals include the results of much academic research concerning industries. Some of this research is in the form of background information. Other research will take a microscopic look at specific aspects of an industry. Also, business magazines and trade journals will include industry overviews, reports, and statistics. Use the Business News Resources page to find these research and summary articles.
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys: Profiles
for 52 industries. Coverage is extensive with focus on current situation
and outlook. Although the focus is on the United States, an international
perspective is often included. Summary data on major companies and a section
on how to analyze a company is included for each industry. New volumes are
published quarterly with each industry being updated twice a year.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HC106.6 S74)
Earlier issues in Stacks.
S&P
Net Advantage (UAH Only)--Net
Advantage is a comprehensive database of financial information that provides
access to 11 S&P key financial publications.
U S Industry and Trade Outlook
AVAILABILITY:
Reference. (HC106.5 A18)
Encyclopedia of American Industries: Provides
comprehensive information on a wide range of industries. Individual essays
for each industry may include industry snapshot, organization and structure,
background and development, current conditions, industry leaders, work force
information, global marketplace, research and technology, and suggestions
for further reading. Volume 1 covers manufacturing, and Volume 2 covers
service and non-manufacturing industries.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HC102 E53)
Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries: Provides
essays on business sectors that have shown evidence of recent, or potential,
significant growth. Individual essays for each industry may include industry
snapshot, organization and structure, background and development, current
conditions, industry leaders, work force information, global marketplace,
research and technology, and suggestions for further reading.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HD2324 E527)
Manufacturing and Distribution USA: Detailed
information on 458 manufacturing industries. Includes statistical data series
and projections on number of establishments, employment, compensation, production,
and capital expenditures; precalculated ratios for 20 important industrial
measurements; occupational data; leading companies; and selected data by
state.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HD9721 M364)
Infrastructure Industries USA: Comprehensive
data on agricultural, transportationa and utility industries. Includes time
series data on number of establishments, employment, revenue, ownership
and occupations. Size, structure and cost patterns of each industry are
indicated by precalculated ratios. Data presented on national, state, and
city levels.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HF1040 .I648)
Information, Finance & Services USA: Comprehensive
data on 2,100 finance and services grouped into 151 industries. Includes
time series data on number of establishments, employment, revenue, ownership
and occupations. Size, structure and cost patterns of each industry are
indicated by precalculated ratios. Data presented on national, state, and
city levels.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HD9981.4 .I53)
Wholesale and Retail Trade USA: Comprehensive
information on 69 wholesale and 64 retail industries. Includes statistical
data on number of establishments, employment, payroll, sales, expenses,
and inventory; leading companies; selected ratios; occupational data; national,
state, and city data.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HF5421 .U5
W56)
Industrial
Forecast, 1998-2000: This resource includes tables
and short essays that provide an overview of industrial trends in the U.S.
AVAILABILITY: netLibrary (UAH Only)
WEFA Industrial Monitor: Brief analyses of
over 130 industries. Provides reviews and forecasts covering sales, output,
prices, and other key indicators.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HC101 .W434)
Valueline: Comments
on the performance and economic outlook of industries and the major public
companies within them.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HG4051 .V26)
also Networked Database.
Moody's Industry Review: A good source for
comparing the key companies in an industry. It contains comparative financial
statistics on 3,000 public companies arranged in 137 industry groups.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HG4051 M6)
Business Rankings Annual: Top ten lists of
domestic companies, products, services, and activities compiled from a variety
of published sources. Includes many subject headings related to industries.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HG4050 .B88)
Several of the resources in the Background section above include information on industries globally and should be consulted. These are some additional resources to check when looking at an industry in a foreign country or worldwide as well as when trying to put a U.S. industry in a global perspective.
Encyclopedia of Global Industries: Provides
essays similar to the Encyclopedia of American
Industries on a global scale for 125 selected industries.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HD2324 E53)
Manufacturing Worldwide: Basic manufacturing
statistics for 190 countries.
AVAILABILITY: Stacks N2. (HD9720.4 M26)
National
Trade Databank (NTDB): A valuable resource supporting
the United States' international trade efforts. Of particular interest for
industry research are comprehensive import/export statistics and market
research/industry analysis reports for selected products and countries.
AVAILABILITY: Stat USA website.(Salmon
Library only. Ask for Librarian to log you in)
Market Share is the percentage of sales that a brand or company has for a specific product or product category. Start with these resources when looking for market share data. Some market share information may also appear in the background resources listed above. The final step is to search for articles which mention market share.
Market share is a specific type of company ranking. Companies can be ranked in other ways as well. These resources are ones that focus on company rankings. Background resources and articles may provide additional rankings. When using a list of rankings, be sure you know exactly what is being ranked. Categories range from specific products to extremely broad industries. Some resources provide rankings by SIC/NAICS codes; be sure of exactly what is included in the code you are using. Also, be alert that since companies are only listed under their primary code, some rankings lists may be missing key performers that are more involved in another industry. Additionally, sales and employee figures provided may be for the overall corporation and not just for the segment represented by the given code.
Market Share Reporter: A compilation of reported
market share data on companies, products, and services.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HF5410 M35)
World Market Share Reporter: A compilation
of reported world market share data on companies, products, and services.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HF5410 W67)
Business Rankings Annual: The top ten companies
in various industries are included in the many lists. Includes some rankings
at the city or state level.
Ward's Business Directory of US Private & Public Companies:Special
volumes rank the 120,000 companies profiled in the main volumes. Volumes 6 and
7 provide rankings by state within SIC code.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HG4057 .A575)
Moody's Industry Review: 3000 PUBLIC companies
are ranked within 137 industry groups by eight standard size, profitability,
and stock characteristics. Additional rankings relevant to specific industries
are provided.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HG4051 .M6)
Refer to the Business News Resources page to locate information regarding the current activities taking place in an industry. News articles can update the information obtained from the background resources. Articles, both current and historical, may also fill in any gaps in your industry profile.
If you were unable to find an industry profile, which may be especially true when researching a narrowly focused industry or a specific product, use the indexes listed to find articles which may provide a profile. If a profile is still not found, use news articles to develop your own profile.
In some industries, a small number of companies may dominate the industry. Therefore, information on one or two of those companies may provide an indication of the state of the overall industry. Take a look at Steps in Company Research for help in locating information regarding these major companies.
If you need to find a list of companies in a particular industry, most of the resources on the Company Profiles page include indexes by industry. A specialized directory covering your industry may also be available. If you want a list of top companies in rank order, check the Market Share and Company Rankings section above.
Financial ratios such as earnings per share are figured by comparing two different elements of a company's financial statement. They are a common means of determining a company's performance and strength by comparing that company's ratios with those of the industry overall. The following resources provide financial ratios for industries. Each of these titles will cover different industries, include different companies in those industries, provide different data and ratios, and present the results differently. So use all three resources to determine which ones best meet your needs. For more information on financial ratios, get the Salmon Library guide "Financial & Operating Ratios" available on the Library's website.
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios:
Ask Librarian for access to CD-ROM.
RMA Annual Statement Studies: Published by Robert
Morris Associates.
AVAILABILITY: Reference. (HF5681 .R25 R63)
Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios: Published
by Dun & Bradstreet.Proceed to SIC & NAICS Codes
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