Identifying Weaknesses
Ask the following questions:
- Where is the company struggling? Where is it losing money?
- Where does the company lack resources?
- What are the company's competitors doing better? How can the company improve?
- How is the company perceived by its customers and/or the public?
Rank a Company Against Its Peers
- Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new windowPerform a Company Search and click on the "Rankings" link.
- Hoover's This link opens in a new windowHoover's provides industry and sector analysis, including leading companies, trends, news, business challenges, and financial data.
- Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowPerform a company search and click on the "Competitors" tab at the top of the page for rankings by revenues, net income, market cap and other financial variables.
Understand Company Operations
Read articles about the company in a variety of sources, such as business magazines and trade journals, including:
- ABI/INFORM Collection This link opens in a new windowProvides full-text articles that cover a broad range of subjects. Use the Advanced Search feature to locate articles by specific company and/ or subject.
- Barron's This link opens in a new windowBarron's is a major news source on financial markets and investments.
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new windowProvides full-text articles for the most important scholarly business journals. Coverage includes virtually all subject areas related to business.
- Financial TimesGlobal business coverage.
- New York Times This link opens in a new windowThe New York Times is considered a national and international newspaper of record. Covers, local national and world news on politics, business, art, performing arts, environmental issues, biography, science, and more. Full text content from 1980 to present.
- Wall Street Journal This link opens in a new windowThe Wall Street Journal is a major source of business news and information on financial markets worldwide.
Company Performance
Financial analysts examine the financial performance of public companies for the investor community. Their reports identify strategic issues & evaluate companies in relation to competitors.
Bloomberg Professional
Provides analysts reports from selected banks and financial firms. Bloomberg terminals are available on the lower-level of the Library on the LIU Trading Floor, LB 132.
- Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new windowPerform a Company Search to locate the link for downloading "Investment Reports."
Alternatively, use the drop-down "Companies" menu in the top navigation bar to select "Investment Reports." Browse the list or "Search company name or ticker" to identify a company and view available investment reports. - Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowPerform a company search and select the "Reports" tab. Click the "Equity Reports" subheading to access reports on both a company, as well as competitors.
- Wall Street TranscriptWeekly magazine that features interviews with CEOs, investment analysts & money managers.