Company and Industry Research

It is important to know if your company is public, private, or a subsidiary of a larger company. Use a directory to determine this.

Public companies are the easiest to research because they are required to provide detailed information in an annual report and CSA filings. For further research also check analysts' reports , news stories, books and case studies.

Private Companies are not required to release any information and are therefore more challenging to research. Brief information can be found in directories, news stories, and sometimes books.

Information on International  Companies varies. If a company trades on the U.S. exchanges it must file annual reports (20-F) with the SEC. Try directories, databases, newspapers and magazines.

Public companies are required to file documents (regulatory filings) with the appropriate securities regulator. This allows investors to make informed decisions with accurate information.

In Canada, SEDAR (System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval) is used for electronically filing securities-related information with the provincial securities commissions. The database provides access to public company and mutual fund information in the public domain.

• news releases
• financial statements
• management discussions and analysis (MD&A)
• annual reports

For more information on the types of documents public companies must file in Canada, visit the TSX's Filing Guide.

In the United States, EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering and Retrieval system) performs the same service as SEDAR.

• 8-K: Unscheduled document addressing specific events
• 10-Q: Document released quarterly with financial and management information
• 10-K: Document released annually with audited financial statements, information on company operations and MD&A

*It is important to be aware that in the United States an annual report to shareholders and a 10-K are two separate documents.

Search for information about a company:

Search for references to legal cases regarding a company:

Find information about a company in the news:

Here are some tips for accessing Library online resources from off campus:

Use Omni Search, the search box on the Library home page.

You can choose "Available online" as a filter on the results page. When you select any online resources, you will be prompted to log in using your Network ID.

Access databases and publisher collections through the Databases A-Z tool.

Found an article and can't access it? Here are some things you can try:

1. Copy the article title into Omni Search

2. Search for the journal in Journals A-Z, then navigate to the year, volume and issue you need.

3. Email reference@ontariotechu.ca or use the Ask a Librarian chat button on the Library website.

Found an e-book in Omni and can't access it?

• Email the library for help with access

This guide was created by Ontario Tech Libraries and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License, except where otherwise noted.