MGT 492: Management Analysis & Consulting -
Company Description & Situation Analysis
This assignment guide was created to assist students in locating sources to complete their industry situation analysis and company description and situation analysis reports.
The guide focuses on suggested strategies and best places to begin research efforts. For information & assistance in using any of the sources, please contact library staff:
Company Web Pages:
Most companies provide information via their virtual storefront or Web page including financial statements, product information, company history, and news releases.
Most company websites follow this URL format: http://www.companyname.com
Company Profiles & News:
Business & Company Resource Center
A comprehensive database for industry and company information including company profiles, company brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals. Search this database to find detailed company and industry news and information. Coverage is from 1980 to the present.
- Click on the 'Company' graphic from the database home page.
- Enter a company name, choose 'ultimate parent', then click on 'Search'.
- From the results list, click on the specific company.
- Review the tabs across the top of the screen and click on 'Rankings' for access to sources such as Business Rankings Annual and Market Share Reporter.
- Review the tabs across the top of the screen for further information including news, company history, investment reports, financials and products.
- Click on the 'Company Profile' tab at the top of the screen and look to the left of the screen for company news broken down by topic/functional area (products & services, sales & marketing, statistics, strategy and planning).
Business Source Premier (EBSCO)
For a Company Profile:
- Click on 'Company Profiles' at the top of the screen.
- Type in your company name or browse reports.
- Click on the name of your company on the results list.
- For a correct APA citation to the profile, click on the 'Cite' graphic.
- Cut and paste the APA citation into your Word document on your References page.
- Next, close out of the citation and click on the PDF link to access your company's profile.
- The report provides a number of content areas that may be printed separately such as 'SWOT Analysis' and 'Company View' (President's Letter excerpted from the company's annual report to stockholders).
For Company News:
- Click on the 'Advanced Search' tab at the top of the search page.
- In the first search box, use the pull-down menu and select 'CO company entity' and enter the name of your company.
- In the remaining search boxes, use 'default terms' and enter additional words such as marketing, personnel, strategy, etc.
- Click the 'search' button at the top of the screen.
Company Profiles via Lexis-Nexis Academic
- Click on ‘Business’at the top of the page and enter your 'Company Name' or 'Ticker'.
- Next, choose the name of your company from the results list.
- A company's dossier includes several categories which are displayed on the left 'Reports' menu. A brief description is included in the dossier as well as a link to each of the full-reports.
Mergent Online
USA Library subscribes to the U.S. Company and International Company Data modules that provide a wealth of data for over 15,000 NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ companies & over 20,000 non-US based corporations.
- Conduct a 'Basic Search' for your company's name or ticker symbol.
- Next, click on your company's name on the results list.
- Click on the various tabs across the top of the screen for detailed information (Company Details, Company Financials, EDGAR (SEC Documents), News, & Tear Sheets (Stock performance snapshot)).
See the Edgar tab at the top of the screen to access the company's latest 10-K report.
The 10-K report is filed annually with the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) and provides a comprehensive overview of the company's business. Sections 1. Business, 1A. Risk Factors, and 7. Management's Discussion within the report are especially useful for a description of the company and a situation analysis.
- Locate/click on the 'Edgar' tab.
- SEC Document Types are listed as filed by the company in the last 90 days. Scan the list for a 10-K filing. If you don't find a listing, click on 'Click here for Edgar Search' at the top of the screen.
- Fill in the search form with your company's name; click on last 12 months; and select 10K as the filing type.
- View the Word version of the 10-K Document. Click once and wait on the grey dialog box so you can 'Open' the file.
- Once the file is open/displayed, use CTRL-F to find section 1A. Risk Factors for example.
- Do not print the whole document. Either save the document or print out just the pages needed. On the print screen, click pages and enter the page range of section 1A.
Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage
- At the top right of the screen, see the Publication Search box .
- Select 'Company Profile' from the Select Publication drop-down menu.
- Select ticker or company name from the Search By drop-down menu.
- Enter your company's name or ticker symbol in the text box and click on the gold arrow.
- When the Company's Profile appears on the screen, review other company sources on the left menu bar.
Note: Refer to the NetAdvantage User Guide for information on how to search the database.
Local Business Sources
AlaWeb: the Official Alabama homepage
Business in Alabama
City of Mobile
County of Mobile
Visit the Mobile Chamber of Commerce in person or on the web. See the link to Economic Development for a wealth of resources and data such as an economic overview, demographic and statistical data, international trade leads, as well as business information.
Alabama Business
MCOB Business Library, Magazine Area (Current 2 Years Only)
Alabama Dept. of Industrial Relations
Alabama State Data Center
Business View (Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce)
MCOB Business Library, Magazine Area (Current 2 Years Only)
Mobile Bay: An Economic Overview
NewsBank (Mobile Register)
For Company News from the Mobile Register Newspaper:
- Click on Press-Register from the home page.
- In the first search box type the name of your company and use the pull-down menu to select Lead/First Paragraph.
- Click the red 'search' button next to the search box.
Statistical Abstract: Mobile Bay Area (Mobile Chamber of Commerce)
Back To Top
Last Updated: 6/19/09 DLH
