FAQ:
Company
Information
 
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started ...
Public / private?
US / foreign?
Parent /
subsidiary?
Why care about
this stuff?
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Public
or Private? / US or Foreign? | Parent or Subsidiary? | Why
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From Question to Resource
Most often you can use
the same resources to answer both of these questions ...
Question: Public or Private
Ownership?
Question: US or foreign company?
So, WHY do you need to know this?
And
how do you find out?
Websites:
Here a couple of free, or partly free, web sites that you can use to
determine the ownership of a company, and its location.
Databases: 
In addition, the Marquette Libraries subscribe to several databases which may help:
- Business & Company
Resource Center: this database includes a directory of ~200,000
companies. It also includes an article database, and financial analysts' reports.
- ReferenceUSA:
this is a directory database, with records for ~12 million private and public US
companies, non-profits, and governmental bodies. It will provide minimal information
only.
- Thomson
One Banker Analytics: this database provides access to SEC documents of almost all
US public companies, and to the disclosure documents of ~12,000 foreign companies.
If a company is included here, it is most likely publicly owned. (That is not a
guarantee, however, since there will also be documents from companies which intend to go
public, but haven't yet done so.)
Print Directories: 
If the sources above all fail you, check the form of the company's name. (For
example, the official name of the chemical company DuPont is actually E.I. Du Pont de
Nemours; and the A&P grocery store company is actually the Great Atlantic &
Pacific Tea Company!) Sometimes, browsing in print sources can be an easier way to
verify the company's name. Try some of the following print directories in the
reference collection:
National directories:
- Ward's Business Directory of US Private and Public Companies
(MEM REF HG 4057 .A575)
- D&B Million Dollar Directory (MEM REF HC 102 .D8)
Local state directories:
- Wisconsin Business Service Directory (MEM REF HD 9981.7 .W6 W57)
- Wisconsin Manufacturers Directory (MEM REF HD 2328 .C57)
- Illinois Manufacturers Directory (MEM REF HD 2328 .I47)
- Illinois Services Directory (MEM REF HD 9980.3 .I47)
International directories:
- D&B Principal International Businesses (MEM REF HF 54 .U5
P74)
- Directory of Multinationals (MEM REF HD 2755.5 .S783)
- Hoover's Handbook of World Business (MEM REF HG 4009 .H66)
- International Directory of Company Histories (MEM REF HD 2721
.I63 1988)
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Public or Private? / US or Foreign? |
Parent or Subsidiary? | Why care? |