As you are researching companies (both competitors and comparable organizations), please keep these things in mind when using these databases:
- Public companies have a great deal of available information (SEC filings, annual reports, analyst reports, detailed financials).
- Private companies will have very little that is available (especially financial).
- For private companies, use news resources and M&A deal information via Zephyr (if applicable).
- For private companies, if the data does not look right, do not trust it.
- Researchers will often try to frame a search for internal company documents - this is virtually never successful.
- International company information varies a great deal - use a critical eye here.
