Library Guides: MGT 490: Industry Analysis

Getting Started With Industry Research

Identify the company's primary NAICS code. NAICS codes are used in the United States to classify businesses based on their primary economic activity. They are used to retrieve information from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and other major federal government entities, as well as many professional and academic research databases.

NAICS Search: Search for an industry using a keyword or 2-6 digit code
Company Profiles: NAICS codes are listed on company profiles in Mergent Online

Industry Profiles & Market Data

Industry profiles contain overviews and analysis of of activities within and external to an industry that impact companies' finances and operations.

IBISWorld
IBISWorld is the best starting point for industry research. Industry profiles are broken into chapters with current information about product, market, economic, and financial trends.
This industry research database contains reports on industries in the China, Global, and U.S. markets. The U.S. content is further subdivided into: Industry Reports classified by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), Specialized Industry Reports for industries not adequately covered by NAICS, US Industry State Reports, US State Economic Profiles, US Industry iExpert Summaries, US Specialized Industry iExpert Summaries, US Business Environment Profiles, and US Business Environment State Profiles. Global industry reports are strong in the manufacturing sector. Each report contains an “at a glance” overview (including SWOT analysis), performance data, outlook data, products & markets analysis, competitive landscape analysis, lists of major companies, operating conditions, and key statistics. Statistics include financial ratios and industry averages from the Risk Management Association.
NetAdvantage
Open the Industry Surveys tab and find your industry in the Select a GICS Industry list. Industry reports are comprehensive and include important information for analyzing companies.
Updated daily. Provides a comprehensive, professional source of investment information and analysis on industries and companies. Full text coverage includes stock, bond, and mutual fund guides and reports; earnings and dividends reports; comprehensive company information; industry surveys for 52 major U.S. industries; and directories of companies, executives and security dealers
Statista
Providing statistical data for over 170 industries in 50 countries. Search by keyword or select an industry from the Statistics dropdown menu.
At statista.com, access statistical data for more than 170 industries from over 80,000 topics in areas such as business, education, finance, media, politics, society, and technology. Statista gathers data from over 20,000 sources, including market reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases, and the reports, charts, infographics, and statistics can be viewed online or downloaded.
Mintel Academic Access
Mintel is the best starting point for market research in consumer-facing industries. Find market research reports for many sectors and demographics using keywords and category filters.
Search reports, industry trends, expert insights, and national & international news to analyze market drivers, sizes & trends, market segmentation, and consumer attitudes & purchasing habits for the United States and European marketplaces. Filter searches by global regions, trend drivers (experiences, identity, rights, etc.), demographics (ex. age range / generation, marital status), or category (health & nutrition, retail & apparel, travel, leisure & entertainment, and more). Each report combines data and analysis of the competitive landscape, supply chain, market-share size and trends, and consumer profiles.

Industry Benchmarking & Financial Analysis

Compare a company's financial ratios with the industry ratios and/or company ratios available in these databases.

Bizminer
Use Industry Market Reports to generate reports with data on companies, financial, and market activity for specified industries and geographic areas.
Quickly search startup and small business statistics, such as annual sales and market share, failure rates, and entrepreneurial activity rates. Reports are available for states and local areas as well as the national level. Data includes access to 9000+ markets and more than 10 million companies.
IBISWorld
Find benchmarks in Key Statistics sections of industry reports.
This industry research database contains reports on industries in the China, Global, and U.S. markets. The U.S. content is further subdivided into: Industry Reports classified by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), Specialized Industry Reports for industries not adequately covered by NAICS, US Industry State Reports, US State Economic Profiles, US Industry iExpert Summaries, US Specialized Industry iExpert Summaries, US Business Environment Profiles, and US Business Environment State Profiles. Global industry reports are strong in the manufacturing sector. Each report contains an “at a glance” overview (including SWOT analysis), performance data, outlook data, products & markets analysis, competitive landscape analysis, lists of major companies, operating conditions, and key statistics. Statistics include financial ratios and industry averages from the Risk Management Association.

Trade & Industry Association Websites

Trade and industry associations are organizations made up of businesses from specific industries or sectors. Many trade and industry associations conduct research, publish educational materials, and engage in a variety of public relations and political activities. Their websites can be sources of data and information useful for industry research.

A simple Google search for an industry term + "trade association" can help you find trade associations relevant to an industry.

Examples: