Financial Data
- Mergent Online
Detailed company information including 15 years of financial statements. Note: This database will be retired June 30, 2025 and replaced by Mergent Market Atlas. We will offer links to both resources until that date.
- Nexis Uni
Replaces LexisNexis Academic.
More than 15,000 news, business, and legal sources from LexisNexis—including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790.
Ratios
- Mergent OnlineOnce you are on the main information screen for a particular company, the ratios will be under Company Financials > Analysis > Ratio Analysis
- Nexis UniTo get to ratios, use the pull down menu at the top of the start page to select Company Dossiers. Type in your company name, and click on it in the search results. Once you are on the main information page for a company, the ratios will be under Financial Overview > Ratio Analysis
- IBISWorld
Once you are on the information overview screen for an industry, the ratios will be under Key Statistics > Industry Financial Ratios. Find Key Statistics on the left side of the screen.
- MSN MoneyIn the middle of the screen, use the Quote Search to search for your company's name or ticker symbol. Then, click Analysis to view a number of ratios on financial health, growth, and other criteria. Also view your company's ratios with its industry ratios to compare your company to industry benchmarks.
- RMA Annual Statement Studies: Financial Ratio BenchmarksISBN: 1570703507Includes financial statistics and ratios, as well as comparative historical data and current data ranked by sales. Latest copy kept at the Reference Desk.
- Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios byLatest copy kept at the Reference Desk.
Business Ratios and Formulas by ISBN: 9781118169964This book lists and describes common business ratios and how to calculate them.
SWOT Analyses
- Business Source Complete
On the main search screen, use the Browse menu on the right. Select SWOT Analyses, then type in your company's name or use the alphabetical list.
- An Essential Guide to SWOT AnalysisWritten by Justin Gomer and Jackson Hille, this excellent guide explains what a SWOT analysis is, what SWOT actually stands for, why SWOT analyses are important, and how to do one yourself!
- SWOT Analysis Template from businessballs.comThis is just one example of the criteria you can list in a SWOT analysis. This template can help you create your own SWOT analysis of a company.
Analyst Reports and Commentary
Because these reports are written for investors, you'll only find them for public companies.
- ProQuest One Business
Finding analyst reports: 1. If you know the company you need, type in the name or ticker symbol, scroll down the screen to Report Containing, and select Analyst Reports. Click Search. 2. If you want to see all analyst reports available, leave the search box blank, then scroll down to Report Containing, and select Analyst Reports. Click Search. - Nexis UniOnce you are on the main information page for a company, analyst reports will be on the left under Investment Research > Analyst Reports, and also Zacks Investment Research.
- Mergent OnlineOnce you are on the home screen for your company, click the Company Reports tab, and then click the link underneath that for Company Reports. The reports listed are analyst reports, some brief, others longer. Download to view.
- Analyzing Analyst RecommendationsThis article will explain some of the basics of what you can find in an analyst report, and why this information is important for company research.
Annual Reports and SEC Filings
- EDGAR Company FilingsThis is the web site of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In the US, public companies must file information with the SEC. A 10-K is the annual filing a company must make. Search by company name (or part of a name), ticker symbol, or search by industry to create a list of companies. If you find reports in EDGAR, that means the company is public.
- Mergent Online
Detailed company information including 15 years of financial statements. Note: This database will be retired June 30, 2025 and replaced by Mergent Market Atlas. We will offer links to both resources until that date.
Citing Your Sources
Whenever you do research, you will need to cite the information sources that you use. Most business scholars use APA style. Here are some tools that can help you with this task:
Gleeson Library's guide to citations: How? Why? When?
- APA 7th Edition Citations for Business SourcesAn excellent guide to using APA 7th edition style for popular business sources. Scroll through the guide to find an example for the business source you are using in your research. Compiled by librarians Naomi Schemm, Marcia Dellenbach, Zachary Grisham, Marianne Hageman, Natalia Tingle, Matt Trowbridge, and Amanda Wheatley
- Citing Business Databases in APA: Michigan State University GuideThis guide was created to help with citing some common business databases
- Citing Business Databases from the University of North Carolina at GreensboroThis guide has some additional business database examples in APA style.
- MLA Business Citations: Youngstown State UniversityScroll down the page to see citations for specific business web sites, reports, and databases cited in MLA style.
- Purdue OWLOur favorite style guide web site is the OWL from Purdue University.
- RefWorks
RefWorks allows users to create personal databases to manage, store, and share the information citations/references. Users can automatically insert references from their database into their papers and generate formatted bibliographies and manuscripts in seconds. See our RefWorks Guide for information about creating accounts, adding references, and using add-ons.
How to Get Help!
There are several ways to obtain assistance with your research. Read on!
The School of Management has a library liaison named Penny Scott, and you can contact her for help.
Her contact information is: email: plscott@usfca.edu : phone: 415-422-5389
It is best to call or email ahead, or make an appointment, to make sure she is available!
If Penny is not available, or any time you need help, you can always get help, just Ask a Librarian!