Jim
Vileta
Business Reference
UMD Library Room 272
University of Minnesota - Duluth
Duluth MN, 55812
(218) 726 - 6157
Email: jvileta@d.umn.edu
Finding
Information on
Privately-Owned
Companies
Finding information about privately-owned companies can be challenging. Privately owned companies do not make their stock available to the public through public securities exchanges, such as the NYSE. Because they are privately owned and operated, they are not required to make information about their financial condition public. Private companies usually do not produce annual reports which are available to the public. Information about them does not appear in any of the financial services that cover publicly traded corporations. Private companies enjoy the competitive advantage of not disclosing information about themselves or their market position.
It is easier to find any information about large private companies, than small private companies. The best search strategy is to look for articles in newspapers and journals, search business directories, consult trade associations, find local sources, and search the world-wide-web for information.
Information about private companies may be available in newspapers or trade magazines. Check the list of databases available on the UMD Library web site.
The most useful databases are:National Newspapers: LA Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and the Star Tribune (Twin Cities): http://www.d.umn.edu/~jvileta/news.html
Use a directory to verify a company's name and address, and industry code (SIC or NAICS), and verify if it is publicly held or private. Sales revenue, headquarters location, and other basic information is also listed. If you do not find a company listed, it may be a subsidiary of another company (and you can use the Directory of Corporate Affiliations to identify the parent company).
Reference USA.
This is a comprehensive directory of over 12 million US companies. It give a sales range size, an employee number range, and lines of business the companies is engaged in. Address and phone number are included for each entry. To access website and directory, you must log on from one of the workstations in the UMD Library or from an off campus computer.Brands and their Companies / Companies and their Brands.Location: REF T223 .V4 A25 and REF T223 .V4 A253
Use Brands and their Companies to find out which company owns a trade name. Keep in mind that the company shown could possibly also be a subsidiary of another company. Use Companies and their Brands to get a convenient list of trade name products owned by the company.CorpTech Directory of Technology Companies. Location: REF HG4057 .A16. Printed source. Access to descriptive information on about 40,000 high technology companies.
Directory of Corporate Affiliations. Location: REF HG4057 .A219 Printed source. This is a 5 volume set covering international and domestic public and private companies. Vol. 1: U.S. Public Companies -- Vol. 2: U.S. Public Companies. Indexes -- Vol. 3: U.S. Private Companies --Vol. 4: International Companies -- Vol. 5: Master Index.
Use the Directory of Corporate Affiliations to find out if the company you are researching is a subsidiary, division or affiliate of another company. The directory covers major US and foreign companies, and one volume in the set provides limited information on private companies.Hoover's Handbook of Private Companies. Location: REF HG4057.A28619X. Printed source. Profiles of large, U.S. private companies. *Limited online profiles of companies are available at Hoovers Online http://www.hoovers.com/
Thomas Register of Manufacturers. Location: REF T12. T6. Printed source. Listing of American manufacturers. *Available on the web at http://www.thomasregister.com/.
Wards Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies. Location: REF HG4057 .A1 W3X. Printed source.
This is a comprehensive printed directory with basic information about US public and private companies. Use it to find addresss, sales estimates, employee size estimates, and line of business information.
Trade associations can give you information about private companies, and here are some internet links.
Association Central, http://www.associationcentral.com/
This is an online gateway to thousands of trade and professional assoications, nonprofit organizations, advocacy and enthusiast groups. It also provides a Marketplace section, which provides a vendor directory for services needed by association professionals and consumers.Gateway to Associations, http://info.asaenet.org/gateway/OnlineAssocSlist.html
This is an online gateway that is frequently updated by the American Society of Association Executives.Expo Guide, http://www.expoguide.com/
This is an online source for trade shows, conferences, and expositions. Search by keyword, date, or location.
Local business news, and other community information can be good sources of information on private companies.
Book of Lists, LOCATION: REF HF3163 .T9 M56X. Printed source. This annual directory is published by CityBusiness, and includes a ranking of companies in the Minneapolis/St Paul area. It is useful for finding lists of the fastest growing private companies, private industrial companies, etc.
Corporate Report Fact Book. LOCATION: REF HG5127 .C66. Printed source. This directory profiles 2,700 companies in the 5-state midwest region, including 1,550 private companies. Large companies are covered in this book.
Index to Minnesota Business Periodicals. LOCATION: REF HC107 .M6 I5X. Printed source. This is a printed index, published by the James J. Hill Group, of articles in Corporate Report, CityBusiness, Minnesota Business, Minnesota Real Estate Journal, Minnesota Technology, New Venture Review: Minnesota, Profits Journal, Twin Cities Business Monthly, Ventures. *Online Database*:http://www.jjhill.org/Research/research_hilldbsearch.html
Minnesota Business Almanac.LOCATION: REF HG4057 .M6 M6X. Printed source. Note: 1998/99 edition is the last edition published. For a comparable directory, see the Corporate Report Fact Book.
Minnesota Chambers of Commerce. http://www.2chambers.com/minnesot2.htm
This directory provides links to Minnesota chambers of commerce.
Company Web Sites
Company web sites are a good place to look for information about private companies. You can use a search engine (list of search engines) like Google to find the link to a company web site.Mega Sites
Private Companies, http://www.corporateinformation.com/
This site compiles links of sites offering information about private, and public companies.
Updated: December 2002
This guide was originally produced by the Business Reference Library of The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, and has been adapted, with permission, for the use on the UMD Campus.