HINTS
Note that only publicly-traded U.S. companies file SEC EDGAR reports called 10-Ks.
Foreign companies which trade on the U.S. market (such as the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq) file SEC EDGAR reports called 20-Fs.
Foreign companies which trade on foreign markets do not file 20-F reports. But they do have to file annual reports in their home country. You may find these foreign annual reports in Mergent Online.
Private U.S. companies are NOT legally required to file 10-Ks or any annual report. And so they don't... for competitive reasons.
To find information on private companies, go to Company FAQs.
Databases
- Mergent Intellect
Mergent Intellect includes information on both public and private U.S. companies, Canadian companies, and international companies. It also contains a residential database, company executive biographies, industry information, and a job search database of U.S. and Canadian employers.
- Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
Get business and financial information on over 10,000 domestic and foreign public companies. Profiles for each company include business descriptions, EDGAR documents, fundamental data, key financial ratios, earnings estimates, stock information and current headline news. Create custom reports for a company, as well as comparison reports of multiple companies.
On the Web
Citing Your Sources
Aside from citing articles and books, have you ever wondered how to cite a company annual report or an industry report? The reality is, there is no "official" style for citing business sources. However, it is common practice to use adaptations of one of the following citation styles: the American Psychological Association (APA) Style or the Chicago Style. Whichever style you choose, use it consistently for the entire project/paper.
- APA Style - for Business StudentsThis customized APA citation guide for Wright State business students is loosely based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition). The manual is available at the Information Desk on the 2nd floor of the Dunbar Library. See Chapter 10 for more examples.
- Chicago StyleThe Harvard Business School (HBS) Citation Guide uses an adaptation of The Chicago Manual of Style.
