This Guide
will show you ways to research industries for coursework, competitive intelligence, investing, job searches, etc.
Industry Ratios
Financial ratios for each
industry, used to compare a company's performance to the industry as a
whole, or for cross-industry comparisons
- eStatement StudiesFinancial Ratios Benchmarks providing industry norms, and Industry Default Probabilities and Cash Flow Measures, from Risk Management Associates
- RMA Annual Statement Studiesin print in the Hunt Library reference collection
- Bizstatsfree internet source for industry ratios, where you can find the overall costs of expenses like labor, rent, taxes, advertising as a percentage of your estimated revenue.
Industry Overviews
Find market size, industry leaders, statistics, current status, future trends, histories and profiles of the industries here. If you look up the NAICS/SIC codes (see below left) for your industry first, this will be a bit easier.
- IBISWorldin-depth industry market research reports with analysis, data, conditions, segmentation, market share, primary companies, and outlook for over 700 industries in the US.
- Standard & Poor's Netadvantage databaseFor major industries, but with details on sub-industries within the reports.
- Datamonitor (formerly MarketLine)in-depth profiles of thousands of specific industries in many countries; for consumer products, click on "Databases" to get "Market Data Analytics"
- Passport GMIDhas industry reports and statistics on consumer products and services in over 200 countries. Look for the "category briefing" for the most succinct report, and "industry overview" for voluminous analysis and data.
- First Research (in ProQuest database)background intelligence reports for all kinds of industries, from Hoover's but provided here (go figure.) Enter term describing your industry (i.e. solar) in search box.
- Frost & SullivanDetailed market reports on specific technology aspects of many industries. (Many reports are read-only, but you can request a .pdf from rwerner@andrew.cmu.edu. For academic use only. Not every feature is available.)
- Encyclopedia of Emerging Industriesextensive profiles of hundreds of new specialty industries, some examples: artificial intelligence, boutique wineries, stem cell research, tissue engineering, radio frequency identification, venture capital firms, etc.
- Gartnerspecializes in technology products and services. (Note: Dataquest reports are not in our subscription.)
- Mergent Onlinemajor industries covered, i.e. biotechnology, pharmaceuticals; regional breakdown.
- Business Monitor International industry reportsCountry-focused industry reports with SWOT analysis, market trends, forecasts, and competitive data.
- Thomson ONEanalyst reports from banks and brokerage firms on industry trends and conditions. NOTE: Click on "Screening & Analysis on the left, and then "Research." Must use Internet Explorer browser.
- Just-series reports on auto, food, drink, style industries
- ProQuesthas several kinds of market research reports - search for "[your industry] and industrywide conditions" to locate them.
- Association website for your industrytry googling key words (i.e. "robotics organization" will turn up the Robotics Industry Association.) When you've found your association's website, look for links to research, data, publications, statistics, conference proceedings, etc.
- Ernst & Young Industry Reportshundreds of extensive current reports on industries like Biotechnology, Telecommunications, Power & Utilities - free from top consulting firm Ernst & Young.
News Sources
Often the best reports on industries, such as an annual review, come out in their trade journals - found in these databases. Use search terms such as “market,” “forecast,” “trends,” “industry overview,” etc. along with your own market identifier, i.e. “organic food."
- ProQuestwide-ranging news database containing many smaller databases within it - only source for full text Wall Street Journal and New York Times.
- Business Source Premieracademic and trade journals and magazines in all business disciplines; also industry reports, company profiles, and country economic reports.
- LexisNexis Academichas the most wide-ranging international, national and local news and trade publications.
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