Getting Started
When starting company research, it is worthwhile to ask yourself some questions.
- Is the company Public, Private, a Subsidiary or a larger company, or a Non-Profit?
- Is it in the company's interest to reveal the information you are seeking?
- What does the company legally have to disclosure?
- Would the company want this information known to its competitors?
Type of Company
| Public Company |
A company is considered public if its shares of equity is traded on a stock exchange. Public companies are required to submit filings to the SEC, making information much easier to locate.
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| Private Company |
A company is considered private if it is not traded on a stock exchange and is not owned by a larger parent company. They are not required to submit SEC filings, which can make finding financial information a bit trickier, if it is available.
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| Subsidiary |
A company that operates under the control of a larger parent company is a subsidiary. The parent company may be a private or public company. The parent company may not disclose financial performance of individual subsidiaries. You may need to read the management discussion in SEC filings such as 10-K, study the information provided on the subsidiary’s and parent company’s websites, or find news articles in order to find information about financial performance and strategy.
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| Non-Profit |
A nonprofit organization is a business granted tax-exempt status by the IRS. Finances and other general information can be found in Form 990 which nonprofits must file with the IRS annually.
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