Subject Guide: Industry Info

Subject Guide: Industry Info


- FINDING INDUSTRY INFORMATION -

 

INDUSTRY PROFILES

definition:

Start your research by building an industry profile.  Look for background information on an industry to identify competitive forces, industry trends, and the top companies in the sector. Supplement this information with reports from trade associations and market research firms.

INDUSTRY BACKGROUND

definition:

Industry overviews examine current market forces, analyze performance, identify recent trends, list leading companies, and provide aggregate financial data and forecasts.

Business and Company Resource Center
This database brings together a wide variety of resources for building company or industry profiles. It includes selected periodical articles, investment research reports, and excerpts from reference titles, including the Business Rankings Annual, Datamonitor Industry Market Research, and the Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries. Choose the industry search option and enter the SIC code, the NAICS code, or an industry description.  Choose from the tabs (at the top of the page) for an industry overview, rankings, investment reports, associations, and news.

Encyclopedia of American Industries

Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries

Also part of Business and Company Resource Center
These encyclopedias provide detailed introductory essays on industries.  Each covers the history and development of the industry, looks briefly at current conditions, and identifies leading companies.  Each essay includes a list of further readings.

Hoovers Online
Hoover’s is a well-known resource for public and private company profiles. Searching by industry keyword brings up the Hoover’s Industry Factsheet with their list of industry SIC codes and NAICS codes.  Go to the “Browse Industry Record” (at the left, in blue) to access the industry overview, the company list, news, or Web resources including glossaries and links to industry associations. 

Mergent Online
Mergent covers 25 industry sectors in reports that focus on North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific regions. Each report examines the current environment for the industr and discusses major market trends.

Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
The S&P surveys cover about 50 industries of interest to U. S. investors. Open the “Industries” tab at the top of the page to select an industry. Each survey includes an overview of the industry based on research from Standard & Poor’s; describes current issues facing the industry; analyzes major industry segments; and lists major companies in the industry. There are sections on how to analyze a company in that industry, how to use ratios, and how to find industry specific performance metrics.  A glossary and a bibliography listing trade associations, major magazines and trade journals, and government agencies rounds out the survey.  This database is part of S&P NetAdvantage.

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

definition:

Associations monitor industry trends, collect industry data and promote the interests of their members.  Their publications and Web sites are excellent sources of industry data.

 To identify relevant industry associations:

Encyclopedia of Associations
This database contains profiles of over 160,000 national, international, state and local associations located in the United States and abroad. Choose “Extended Search (Organization)” to search for associations by name, location, SIC code, or keywords. Each association profile includes a list of key publications and the address of the association’s Web site.

National Trade and Professional Association's of the United States
Reference 2nd Floor - HD2425 .D53
This annual directory of over 7,500 associations located in the United States describes the history, programs, and publications of each association.  Use the subject index at the back of the book to identify associations in particular industries. 

Specific Association Publications

Use your favorite Web search engine or the directories listed above to find the association’s Web site. Also check to see if the Library receives their publications.

To find association publications at Newman Library, use CUNY+, the library catalog. At the CUNY+ search screen, select search type: "Keyword in author", and enter the name of the association:

National Association of Realtors
- or -
American Council of Life Insurance  

Some examples of titles published by industry associations:

 AHA Guide to the Health Care Field – Reference 2nd Floor RA977 .A1A46

Comparative Statistics of Industrial & Office Real Estate Markets – Reference 2nd Floor HD1393.55 .G85

Direct Marketing Association. Statistical Fact Book – Reference 2nd Floor  HF5410 .F32

Life Insurers Fact Book - Reference 2nd Floor HG8943 .L5

Real Estate Outlook -  Periodicals 3rd Floor

Security Industry Fact Book – Reference 2nd Floor HG4621 .S43

World Automotive Market Report – Reference 2nd Floor HD9710 .A1W6

If you identify journals or newsletters published by associations and want to find out if they are available in any of the databases at Newman Library, go to the "Information Resources" page of the Library Web site, click on "Full Text Journals", and enter the journal title in the search box.


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MARKET RESEARCH

definition:

Market research firms gather competitive intelligence especially tailored to the needs of particular clients.  Their reports often provide exclusive market share, market size, distribution channel, and brand or product information.

 

Simmons Choices 3
Available at Workstations behind the Reference Desk

Simmons Choices 3 provides psychographic and demographic data on consumers of various products and services including many common brand name items.  This database is ideal for determining who is the target market for a product or service. Use the database to create customized tabular reports on consumer characteristics such as age, gender, race, education and income; psychographics like political orientation; and media buying habits.

Euromonitor's Global Market Information Database (GMID)
Euromonitor's GMID offers market research reports on major consumer, industrial and service markets in the United States and 52 other countries. The reports feature market size data for more than 300 consumer products and profiles of over 3,000 companies. GMID contains a wide range of historic and forecast consumer lifestyle statistics including disposable income, consumer expenditure trends, eating, drinking and leisure activities and home ownership statistics. To use GMID, select data or reports from both the geography and the category menus.

FAITS. Faulkner's Advisory for Information Technology Studies
FAITS is a collection of market research reports covering industry sectors in information technology, telecommunications, and the Internet.  “Marketplace Reports” analyze industry trends and name the market leaders. Details about pricing strategies and sales channels are found in the product profiles and the comparison & selection guides.  Profiles of leading companies are included.

RAB National Marketing
Online at the Reference Desk 2nd Floor

Over 160 product and service sectors are covered in the “Instant Background” reports from RAB, the Radio Advertising Bureau.  Service industries like dating services, museums, and overnight couriers, and small business sectors like chiropractors and drycleaners are featured in RAB.  The reports present data on who buys, where they buy (company rankings), and their buying habits. It concludes with a forecast of business trends.

Stat USA - National Trade Data Bank
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Stat USA database is one of the best sources for research on foreign markets. Its reports identify countries and industries with the best opportunities for U.S. exports. Begin at the GLOBUS & NTDB database and scroll down to the “Market & Country Research” section. The Industry Sector Analysis reports provide in-depth information about industries in various countries. They are kept current with post reports from American consulates, the brief International Market Insights(IMI), that announce new investment opportunities as well as new financial regulations. Background on the current investment climate is found in the Country Commercial Guides. 

TableBase
This database extracts tabular data from selected magazines and trade publications. Choose from the list of "Concept Terms" to search for market share, company and brand rankings, production and consumption statistics, industry trends and demographics. In many cases the full text of the article is included along with the table


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INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE MEASURES

definition:

Identify resources for measuring industry performance including government statistics from the Census; investment research that analyzes stock prices and financial performance; and ratio analysis for industry benchmarking. Many industries will also have performance metrics specific to their situation.

GOVERNMENT STATISTICS SOURCES

definition:

The U.S. government collects extensive data on U.S. industries in the Economic Census and its supplementary reports.

American Factfinder - Business and Government 
American Factfinder is a tool developed by the U.S. Bureau of the Census to link to industry reports and tables, primarily from the Economic Census.  Use the search box (at the top of the page) to find data for a state, county, city or zip code. Click on “Read About…” for thematic reports on e-commerce, minority business, and home-based business. The complete data sets from the Census are also available.

Economic Census
The Economic Census, taken every five years by the U.S. government, collects detailed output data on all economic sectors of the economy including manufacturing, transportation, retail and wholesale trade, construction, mining, and services.  Key data published in the Census reports includes number of establishments, sales, revenues, production, employment, and capital expenditures.

Many of the Economic Census reports are updated through the publication of an Annual Survey or other periodic reports. Census programs with links to their industry reports are listed on the “Economy Overview” page.

Some key census reports available at the Census Web site are:

Annual Survey of Manufacturers

Annual reports update the Census of Manufacturers with statistics for the U.S. and individual states.  Data is reported at the 3 and 4 digit NAICS level.

 

             Current Industrial Reports

Annual statistical profiles of about 55 industrial products.  Provides data on value of shipments and quantity of product manufactured and consumed. Covers manufactured commodities such as textiles, chemicals, machinery, and electronic components. Quarterly reports are available for some products.

 

Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services

Provides sales data for the current and previous year for various types of retail outlets

 

Merchandise Line Sales

Statistical report used to examine channels of distribution and compare sales of products by different types of retail outlets.

BEA. Industry Economic Accounts
In order to measure the importance of various industries to the U.S. economy, the Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes annual gross domestic product by industry data. Various tables provide historical GDP for about 60 industry groups and are linked to textual analysis of the data from the Survey of Current Business.

Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Statistics by Industry
Regular reports from the Department of Labor supply detailed data on employment, productivity and wages by industry. Industry at a Glance reports profile twelve industry supersectors based on NAICS codes. The supersectors are Construction, Education and Health Services, Financial Activities, Government, Information, Leisure and Hospitality, Manufacturing, Natural Resources and Mining, Other Services, Professional and Business Services, Transportation and Utilities, and Wholesale and Retail Trade. 

County Business Patterns

Zip Code Business Patterns

Reports Census statistics for industries including the number of establishments and their employee size ranges.  Choose a county, zip code area, state total, or the entire United States.  Define the industry by 2-digit SIC or 4-digit NAICS.


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REGULATORY AGENCIES

definition:

Government executive departments and regulatory agencies collect financial reports and industry data from companies in regulated industries.  Examples of regulated industries include banking, airlines, trucking, media and telecommunication, insurance, and public utilities.

 

Congressional Quarterly's Federal Regulatory Directory
Reference Desk 2nd Floor  KF5406 .A15 2001

This handbook provides descriptions of the jurisdiction of U.S. executive departments and independent regulatory agencies.

Some examples of government regulatory agencies:

Federal Communications Commission
The FCC through its Cable Services Bureau oversees the cable industry and through its Mass Media Bureau regulates broadcast radio and television. It regulates pricing, licensing, and competition in the industry.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FERC, an independent agency within the Department of Energy, regulates the transmission and sale of natural gas, electricity, hydroelectric power, and oil. Companies in these industries must file an annual report with FERC.

Federal Deposit Insurance Commission
The FDIC is the primary regulator of state-chartered banks that are not members of the Federal Reserve System (non-national banks).  It publishes FDIC Statistics on Banking, a quarterly report on the commercial banking and savings institutions industries.

Federal Reserve Board
The Federal Reserve Board supervises state Federal Reserve System member banks, bank holding companies and their non-bank subsidiaries, and branches of foreign banks operating in the United States.  Financial data and statistical reports can be found in the Board’s National Information Center.


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INVESTMENT RESEARCH

definition:

Financial analysts examine the financial performance of industries and key public companies for the investor community.  They identify strategic issues and major players in an industry as well as provide financial forecasts in their investment research.

Investext Plus
Investext is a collection of company and industry reports (in PDF format) from over 450 Wall Street investment banks and international brokerage firms. Search by company name or choose an industry from the pull down menu.

Thomson ONE Analytics
Available in the Subotnick Financial Services Center
This database includes analysts’ research reports and morning call notes. It also provides real-time consensus earning estimates and historical EPS data for companies in the United States and trading globally. To view analysts' reports choose a company and select "Research" from the drop down menu. To choose reports by industry or subject, select "Screening" and "Research."

Value Line
Reserve Desk 2nd Floor  HG4501 .V26

Value Line’s main section, Ratings & Reports, features company reports grouped by industry sectors.  The industry commentary highlights trends over the latest quarter and offers investment advice. The reports include composite industry statistics and short-term forecasts.  Use “Lookup Industry” for a list of the industry sectors covered. (In the print version use the weekly index found in Part I to identify the pages of the industry reports.)

 

Wall Street Transcript
Online through Factiva

A monthly magazine with regular features that include interviews with CEO’s, industry roundtables, interviews with asset managers and analysts, and “Off the Record” comments. The industry roundtables provide analysts’ opinion and recommendations for about 60 industries in the course of a year.


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RATIO ANALYSIS

definition:

Ratios are composite financial measures that provide industry benchmarks and are used as a tool to measure company performance and compare companies to their peers.

 

Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios
Reference 2nd Floor HF5681 .R25T68

The Almanac, complied by Professor Leo Troy of Rutgers University, provides selected ratios for 192 industries based on their NAICS classification codes. Ratios are given for the industry as a whole and broken out for companies in 13 different asset size ranges.  Ratios are calculated from tax returns filed with the IRS

Factiva
Factiva includes common ratios for publicly traded companies and reports comparing a company to its industry.  Select the “Companies/Markets” tab at the top of the page and enter the company name or ticker in the search box.  Choose the “Comparison Report” for the company to industry comparison.

Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios
Reference 2nd Floor  HF5681 .R25I53

Dun & Bradstreet publishes financial ratios for over 800 lines of business as defined by SIC industry classes. It includes comparison data for the industry measured at the median, and upper and lower quartiles. 

 

RMA Annual Statement Studies
Reference 2nd Floor  HF5681 .B2R6

RMA provides common ratios along with balance sheet and income statements for about 350 industries and over 600 lines of business.  Industries are listed by SIC code.

Standard & Poor's Analysts' Handbook
Reference 2nd Floor  HG4905 .A66

Provides ratios for the S&P 500 index and its sub-indices whose industries are classified using GICS, the Global Industry Classification Standard.  Ratio data covers the current year and a ten- year history.


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INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SCHEMES

definition:

The government uses SIC codes and NAICS (pronounced "nakes") codes to standardize the collection of industry data.  Publishers and database producers use these codes as an indexing tool and to facilitate searching.

 

North American Industry Classification System: United States, 2002
Reference 2nd Floor HF1042 .N6 2002  (and copy at the Reference Desk 2nd Floor)

NAICS, the North American Industry Classification System, is a common system used by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to classify establishments based on similar processes or means of production. Codes are assigned using a two to six digit level of detail, from broad sectors like manufacturing and retail (2-digit codes) to individual industries (6-digit codes). Search the NAICS directory on the Web by keyword for industry codes.  The directory provides lengthy industry definitions and a correspondence table for converting SIC codes to NAICS.

 

Standard Industrial Classification Manual
Reference 2nd Floor  HF1042 .A55 (and copy at the Reference Desk 2nd Floor)

SIC codes are four digit numbers representing a particular industry or line of business. The SIC Manual, last revised in 1987, outlines the industry hierarchy and offers definitions of each industry.  With the adoption of NAFTA, the SIC system was replaced with the more detailed NAICS system.


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CURRENT INDUSTRY NEWS

definition:

Examine the current environment including political, legal and technological issues that affect industry operations. Use news databases for up-to-date analysis. Companies examine the competitive environment in their annual reports.

NEWS DATABASES

definition:

News databases help monitor current industry developments, identify industry trends, analyze the competition, and locate statistical data and industry forecasts.

ABI Inform/Global
The ABI Inform database provides a combination of citations, abstracts and full text articles from over 1800 business periodicals, including many scholarly research journals. International journals are well represented and there is excellent coverage of management topics, economic issues and financial products. Click on the “Topic Guide” tab at the top of the page to use a searchable thesaurus that offers broader terms, narrower terms and related terms for any industry you select.

Business Source Premier
This database offers full text access to nearly 2,280 business journals covering management, economics, finance, accounting, and international business.  It features the entire series of many journals including the Harvard Business Review. The database has a “Thesaurus” to help you choose industry names. In the “Advanced Search” view, search for industry information using NAICS codes by changing the default field to "NAICS code or description".

Factiva
Factiva, one of the most comprehensive business news databases, features news from the Dow Jones and Reuters wire services, the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and more than 9,000 other sources in English and 21 other languages. To search for industry news, use the “Industry Lookup” to select Factiva’s industry code.  Combine this code with index terms like market share or industry trends/analysis from the “Subject Lookup”.

LexisNexis
Nearly 5,000 publications in LexisNexis provide coverage of news, financial, medical, and legal information. The database includes newspapers, magazines, wire services, federal and state court opinions, federal and state statutes, federal regulations, and SEC filings such as 10-K’s, 10-Q’s, and their exhibits.  From the left hand side of the screen, choose “Business” and then “Industry/Market” to search sources from a drop down menu of 25 industry sectors or choose “Business” and "Business News" for a search on any company, industry or business topic.


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INDUSTRY TRADE PUBLICATIONS

definition:

Trade journals, written for practitioners in an industry, cover news and offer analysis from industry insiders.  They often include special issues with industry reviews, forecasts and statistical data.

Specific Industry Trade Publications

To find trade journals at Newman Library, use CUNY+, the library catalog. At the CUNY+ search screen, select the search type: "Subject begins with ...", and enter the name of the industry:

Petroleum industry and trade - Periodicals

- or -
Wine industry – United States – Periodicals

- or -
Automobile industry and trade – United States – Statistics - Periodicals

 If you identify journals or newsletters with industry coverage and want to find out if they are available in any of the databases at Newman Library, go to the "Information Resources" page of the Library Web site, click on "Full Text Journals", and enter the journal title in the search box.

Some examples of special issues of trade publications:

Adams Wine Handbook Reference 2nd Floor HD9372 .W5

Automotive News. Market Data Book Issue Reference 2nd Floor TL1 .A932

Beverage World Databank  Stacks, Non-circulating HD9348 .U5B48

International Petroleum Encyclopedia Reference 2nd Floor HD9560.1 .I565

Metal Statistics Reference 2nd Floor HD9506 .U6A5

Ward’s Automotive Yearbook Reference 2nd Floor  HD9710 .U5W3


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SEC FILINGS

definition:

All U.S. public companies must file an annual report, the Form 10-K, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  In the “Business Overview” section of the 10K companies discuss their competitive environment.

EDGAR
The SEC Web site is the official home of EDGAR, the corporate filings database. Search by company name or SIC code.  Real time filings are in “Latest Filings” or choose the “Historical EDGAR Archives” for reports filed since 1993.  Reports include all exhibits and are downloadable.

Thomson Research
This database of SEC filings and annual reports covers both U.S. and international companies.  Reports are available dating back to 1968.  There are various options for printing and downloading include selecting parts of the reports or downloading financials to a spreadsheet.

Annual Reports - Fortune 500 Companies
Display Shelves 3rd Floor


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Louise Klusek
created 10/12/05



Newman Library : Information Resources : Subjects : Industry Info
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