Industry Profiles & News
This guide lists sources which provide an overview of specific industries and are recommended for getting started in industry research.
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:
Suggested Resources:
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.
If you already know the SIC/NAICs Industry Code:
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Click on the 'Industry' graphic from the database home page
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Enter the SIC Code or NAICs Code or Industry Description and click on 'Search'
- From the results list, click on specific industry overview sources.
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Review the tabs across the top of the screen for further information including news, investment reports, rankings, etc.
If you don't know the SIC/NAICs Industry Code:
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Click on the 'Company' graphic from the database home page
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Enter a company name, that is part of the industry you want to research, choose 'ultimate parent', then click on 'Search'
- From the results list, click on the specific company.
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Review the tabs across the top of the screen and click on 'Industry Overview'.
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Choose the specific SIC/NAICs Code from the list as needed.
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From the results list, click on specific industry overview sources.
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Review the tabs across the top of the screen for further information including news, investment reports, rankings, etc.
Enhanced Business Source Premier (EBSCO)
Browse industry profiles through 'Basic Search' :
- Under 'Browse', click on the 'Industry Profiles' link to get started.
- Next, choose 'alphabetically' or by 'title, subject, & description'.
- If browsing by 'title, subject, & description', enter keywords or a phrase .
- Click the 'browse' button to the right of the text box.
- If an industry profile cannot be located, try another search term.
For industry profiles through 'Advanced Search' :
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Click on the 'Advanced Search' tab at the top of the search page.
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Scroll down and find the dialogue box for NAICS/Industry Code. Enter the NAICS Code for your company.
Note: The NAICS Code for your industry can be located from the Census Bureau
- Look at the ways to limit searches at the bottom of the search page and find 'publication type'. Choose 'industry profile'.
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Click the 'search' button at the top of the screen.
- If an industry profile cannot be located, try another NAICS number.
For industry articles:
- Click the ‘Advanced Search ’ tab at the top of the search page.
- Use the pull-down menu and select NAICS/Industry Code for your industry.
- Enter additional search terms as needed (demographics, trends, forecast, etc.)
Economic Census
The Economic Census profiles American business every 5 years, from the national to the local level. The value of the market in a specific geographic location can be determined using the following strategy:
Step I: Find the NAICS code for your specific industry from the NAICS website by entering a keyword search to the left of the screen.
Step II: Find local, state, data for your industry:
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Economic Census
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Use the pull-down menu to select a 'Report by State'
- Begin selecting data by clicking on the report indicated by the first two numbers of your NAICs code.
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Click on the 'More' links to fully open the parts of the report you need.
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Once on the industry report you need, look to the top right of the page.
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You can search by county, city, or metro area.
For an overview of a specific industry for the U.S. market, refer to the Economic Census' Industry Series and locate the NAICS code.
Other Census Sources of Industry Information:
U.S. Census Bureau Economic Programs
I3: Industry Specific Information (Fuld & Company)
The Fuld & Company Internet Intelligence Index (I3) provides information for competitive intelligence research. Scroll down the page to Industry-Specific Resources for links per industry category.
Inside U.S. Business
MCOB Reference HC 106.8 .M337
For twenty-five major industries, describes the industry, gives a history of its development, identifies leading companies and lists other sources of information. Coverage of the industry histories makes this source particularly useful.
Proquest Newspapers (Includes Barron's and the Wall Street Journal)
For Industry 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 'NAICs Code' and enter the numerical code for the industry the company operates within.
- In the remaining search boxes, use 'Citation and Abstract' and enter any additional keywords that will help narrow your results.
- If you want the articles to come from a specific publication such as the Wall Street Journal, enter the publication title in the form under 'More Search Options'.
- Click the gold 'search' button.
Special Issues: Lists of Lists
"The List of Lists is a database of ranked listings of companies, people and resources freely available on the Internet. Content comes from a number of sources including: Specialissues.com, Gary Price's "ResourceShelf" and individual users of the LOL." Provides ranking information and sometimes market share information arranged by industry description.
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys via S&P NetAdvantage
Hundreds of industries are profiled and analyzed. Current trends are discussed and leading companies identified. Discussions are illustrated with graphs and tables. Other sources of information are listed for each industry.
- At the top right of the screen, see the Publication Search box .
- Select 'Industry Survey' 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 Industry Survey section appears on the screen, choose PDF format from the left menu bar.
- Also review other industry sources listed at the bottom of the left menu bar.
Note: If you do not find your industry using the company or ticker symbol search, go to the S&P NetAdvantage home page and look to the right side of the page for 'Quick Links'. Use the drop-down menu to select an industry description.
Yahoo! Finance
Provides an industry market summary as well as major industry news, a list of the top performers, industry statistics, and a company index.
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Last Updated: 8/27/08 DLH
