Private Companies: Finding Info
While company information can be found in a host of resources, published information about private companies can be sparse. Company websites, along with the following research databases and Internet sources, are probably your best options for private company information.
- MarketLine Advantage: Contains reports on select private companies.
- Nexis Uni database: Search for news articles and company overviews.
- Regional Business News database: Search for news articles about your company.
- Wall Street Journal (through ProQuest): Search for news articles about your company.
Company Dossier with Nexis Uni is probably the best place to find a general profile of a private company. Explore the options on the left navigation bar, including Brands, Competitors, Financial Overview, and News.
Visit and Gather Information from the Company Website
The company website can be a great place for certain types of information needed when doing company research. Just keep in mind the inherent bias of the information on a company's own website.
Look for this type of Information for your project:
- Business Description
- Company brands and products offered
- Better understanding of the image the store is trying to portray & the consumers they are targeting
- Basic financial information.
- Social responsibility efforts
- Customer services offered
1. Look for links titled something like About Us or About the Company. (These are typically at the bottom of the page.)
Here's where you can often find information about company brands, corporate history, community services programs, sustainability efforts.
2. The company website is also a great place to learn about a retail store's customer services and loyalty programs.