Industry Designation Codes
Many of our library tools for industry research can be searched by industry designation codes. Industry designation codes are used to describe the industry (or industries) in which a business operates. They are typically part of a standardized classification system created and maintained by a government or international body. The important standards to be aware of for the tools below are:
- The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by governments and businesses in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It is a multi-tiered system of aggregation with which businesses define their own primary and secondary NAICS codes and report them to the government.
- The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) is a standard used by many investors. It is a 4-tiered system applied to companies globally based on their principle business activities.
- The Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB), is a standard used by global stock exchanges to categorize listed companies. Similar to the GICS, companies are allocated to a code using a 4-tiered system.
You can locate most companies' NAICS and ICB codes in company profiles on Mergent Online, and GICS codes for publicly traded companies in NetAdvantage. Private company designation codes may be accessible in Reference Solutions. Find these tools on the Companies tab.
Industry Profiles
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
Full-text articles from thousands of business publications. Search by industry code or keyword and filter by Industry Profile in publication types. - IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
In-depth reports and analysis for U.S. industries are searchable by NAICS Code and keyword. Global Industry Reports can be found in the Industries dropdown menu. - Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
Open the Industry Analysis tab and click on Reports to download ICB industry reports, or search by ICB for a list of all companies within a global sector. - NetAdvantage This link opens in a new window
Open the Industry Surveys tab and find your industry in the Select a GICS Industry list. Industry reports are comprehensive and include references and detailed analysis.
Market & Industry Analysis
- International Trade Association - Research by Industry
Industry reports and insights from the International Trade Administration. Includes featured trade events in domestic and international locales.
- Mintel Academic Access This link opens in a new window
Analyzes market drivers, sizes & trends, market segmentation, and consumer attitudes & purchasing habits for the US and European marketplaces. - Statista This link opens in a new window
Providing statistical data for over 170 industries in 50 countries.
