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BUS 537: Survey of U.S. Healthcare System

An overview of library resources for BUS 537.

Company Profiles and Histories

Company information, in the form of profiles, histories, government filings, financial data, analyst reports, and more, can be a great way to learn about specific companies in the country you are studying.

Certain companies will have a lot of information freely available, while you may struggle with finding information on other companies. Only certain companies are covered in our library databases so you may have to search multiple sources to find what you need.

Use the resources below to find some of these sources.

Public Company Information

These are the best library resources for retrieving a company profile and comprehensive company information, and may include information on company description, history, executives, key financials, major products and services, top competitors, and subsidiaries.

  • Search Tip: Select Company Profiles at the top of the webpage. Then search for your company and select the MarketLine Report.
  • Search Tip: In the Company Search bar, type in your company. To find the company history, start in the Company Details tab and select the History subtab.
  • Search Tip: Under Guided Search, select Company Info. Type in your company, and make sure Company Profile is selected.

Company profile cover pageThere are many places you can find information about a company and its history. Try the following approaches:

  • Company's website
    • Websites often include an "about us" section that sometimes detail their history. Remember, the company will explain its history the way it wants to be seen.
  • Annual report
    • Public companies are required to file an annual report to the U.S. government, known as a 10-K. These reports will often include a section on the company's history. Again, remember this is a self-reported history.
  • Search for articles
    • Newspaper, trade/magazine, and scholarly articles that mention or are about specific companies might provide some historical information.

Accompanying image is from a company report in the Mergent Online database.

SWOT analysisThe following databases are great places to find SWOT reports, which provide additional insight into a company.

SWOT : Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

"...A framework for identifying the internal strengths (S) and weaknesses (W) of a firm, and the external opportunities (O) open to it and the threats (T) it faces, which can be used by corporate planners in formulating the firm's competitive strategy and marketing strategy in individual product markets and its overall business strategy." - Collins Dictionary of Business

Use the information found in SWOT reports to search for additional articles that might go into more depth.

Image by Xhienne, CC-BY.

  • Search Tip: Search for your company. On the results page, refine the search on the left. Under Publication Type, select SWOT Analysis.
  • Search Tip: Under Guided Search, select Company Info. Type in your company, and make sure Company Profile is selected. The SWOT analysis will be included inside the Company Profile.