Private Companies
Private companies are corporations that have not offered securities or shares to the public; they can be small "mom and pops" or large multinationals. Unlike public companies, private companies are not regulated by the federal government. Therefore, it is at the discretion of a private company if, and what, they want to disclose about themselves. It can be more difficult and time consuming to locate information about private companies. However, there are many methods and resources. The resources below will help you get started.
Jump to:
- Top Databases
- Books, Reference & Print Resources
- Internet Resources & Websites
- Related Research Guides
- Additional Information
Top Databases
Business Source PremierBSP provides coverage to virtually all subject areas related to business, including management, marketing, economics, finance, accounting, and international business. In addition to covering the major scholarly business journals, BSP also covers company reports, SWOT analyses, working papers, country reports, industry reports and other searchable categories like case studies, book reviews, product reviews, speeches, and interviews. This database is the exclusive online provider of many major journals like the Harvard Business Review, but it does not contain the fulltext of the Wall Street Journal (see Factiva for WSJ). [more]
D&B Million Dollar Database
Dun & Bradstreet Million Dollar Database (D&B) provides directory information on over 14 million businesses. You can search by a number of variables to identify businesses by name, industry, geographic location, number of employees, ownership structure, sales, as well as the names of the top executives. The database is useful for company research for projects but also for job prospecting. For each company, you will find the headquarters location as well as some branch, subsidiary, or division locations. To be included in this database, companies must have sales in excess of one million dollars or employ more than twenty people. Our subscription covers Domestic U.S. companies only. [more]
Factiva
Factiva is a multi-functional database. It is primarily used to find the full-text of business publications, including magazines, trade publications, and newspapers. It has full-text coverage of the Wall Street Journal. It is a good source for international and local business news, which typically isn't covered in other databases. Also included in this database are company profiles and financial quotes. [more]
Hoover's
Hoover's has basic information on 12 million worldwide companies and in-depth profiles of more than 40,000 public and private companies. Basic company information comes from Dun & Bradstreet. Before purchasing D&B information from this database, please check to see if it is available for free in our D&B Million Dollar Database. Each Hoover's in-depth profile may include company description, historical profile, competitors, financials, products/operations, industry information, and biographies of executives. IPO Central provides information on initial public offerings. Our license provides access to the Hoover's Pro version only, not Pro Plus or Premium. [more]
OneSource
Use this database for in-depth details on companies and industries whose operations span the globe. It includes 80,000+ international companies and their executives as well as 350,000+ U.S. and Canadian public and private companies and their executives. Company data includes financials, subsidiaries, trade and business news, and research reports. With the Company Insights Add-On Module, export company data for further comparison and analyses. You may also search for and export contact data on more than 3M executives and managers across the globe. [more]
Socrates
SOCRATES is a comprehensive research database, measuring the social and environmental performance of corporations. The database contains social, environmental, and governance research on more than 4,000 companies in 50+ global markets. KLD evaluates over 3,000 U.S. corporations for social and environmental performance on more than 280 data points covering community relations, corporate governance, diversity, employee relations, human rights, products, and the environment. SOCRATES contains information about current and historical shareholder actions, including the exact text of proxy resolutions, compiled by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR). It is useful to monitor up-coming shareholder resolutions for companies in your portfolio; follow the responsiveness of companies over time to shareholder resolutions; and know the issues that active shareholders are pursuing You can generate lists of shareholder resolutions filed on a particular issue or with a company since 1998. [more]
Search for more Business Databases
Books, Reference & Print Resources
Directory of Corporate AffiliationsREF HG 4057.A217
Track corporate family trees and see who owns whom.
Track corporate family trees and see who owns whom.
Researching Private Companies: How to Uncover Hidden Company Information
REF HD 2785 .R474
Reference book with advanced search tips. If the resources listed in this guide are not enough, try the ideas in this book.
Reference book with advanced search tips. If the resources listed in this guide are not enough, try the ideas in this book.
Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private & Public Companies
REF HG 4057.A585
Key financial figures, key executives, parent company, number of employees.
Key financial figures, key executives, parent company, number of employees.
Business Journal Book of Lists
HF 5068 (in Career section)
Local Business Journals, e.g. Nashville Business Journal, publishes a yearly “Book of Lists” which includes ranking of larger private companies.
Local Business Journals, e.g. Nashville Business Journal, publishes a yearly “Book of Lists” which includes ranking of larger private companies.
Search for more books in the ACORN Catalog
Internet Resources & Websites
Thomas Register Database of industrial manufacturers and suppliers with their product catalogs.
Inc. - The Inc. 500
Each year, Inc. Magazine publishes a list of the 500 fastest growing privately held companies with their growth rate, revenue, number of employees and a short company description.
Business Journal
Local weekly publications featuring local business news. Most major cities have one.
Online newspapers from around the world
You can often find articles about local businesses in the local newspaper.
Company Websites
Corporate websites often include a wealth of information including press releases, office/retail locations, company histories and key executives.
National Association of Secretaries of State
U.S. companies must register with the secretary of state in which they are established. Often, you can often request articles of incorporation through the state office.
Regulatory Agencies
If the company or principals of the company are regulated, such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare providers, etc., state and/or federal agencies are collecting fillings or preparing their own company reports. These agencies may be able to provide you with these reports and/or other useful information.
Executive Branch
State and Local Governments
Executive Branch
State and Local Governments
Related Research Guides
- International & Multinational Companies
- Public Companies
- Food & Beverage Industry
- Careers & Occupations
- Industry Overviews
- View all Research Guides
Additional Information
- Use of the databases implies acceptance of our Copyright and Licensing Restrictions.
- Need help accessing a resource from off-campus? Take a look at the Troubleshooting Tips page.
- Don't know where to begin? Check out the How do I begin my research? page for information on how to get started researching various topics and use citation information.
- Do you know the name of a database that you'd like to use? Use Databases (A-Z) to locate a known resource and get more information.
- The Databases by Subject page can help direct you to similar resources by topic.
- Additional databases are also available through the Jean & Alexander Heard Library.
- Want to browse electronic journals? Check out the E-Journals (A-Z).
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