Is the company public or private...and why does it matter?
A public company has sold partial ownership to the public, usually through stock transactions. It is required to file details regarding its financial performance on a regular basis with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).
The ownership of a private company is closely held. It has not sold partial ownership to the public and is not required to reveal the details of its financial performance through reports filed with the government.
It is usually much more difficult to obtain financial details about a private company. Look for news articles and evaluate the competitor information for public companies in the same industry.
Sources to identify the public/private status of a company
Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies
- Reference HG 4057 .A3 W375
- Business Insights (Gale) (1980+)A collection of company & industry information, including articles, financials, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, and chronologies
(formerly Business & Company Resource Center) - Nexis Uni - Company Dossier
This link opens in a new window
Links to Nexis Business pages. Scroll down for Company Dossier options.
Search for information about specific companies, executives, or industries. Create a company list based on criteria such as NAICS industry classification or geographic location.
Quick sources for information about public companies
- Mergent Online by FTSE RussellMergent products were integrated with FTSE Russell's on August 31, 2019. Some platforms have changed.
Current business and industry financial information, including SEC filings, Executive Biographies, Ratios, and a rich report builder. - Business Insights (Gale) (1980+)A collection of company & industry information, including articles, financials, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, and chronologies
(formerly Business & Company Resource Center) - Nexis Uni - Company Dossier
- This link opens in a new window
Links to Nexis Business pages. Scroll down for Company Dossier options.
Search for information about specific companies, executives, or industries. Create a company list based on criteria such as NAICS industry classification or geographic location.
Quick sources for information about private companies
Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies
- Reference HG 4057 .A3 W375
The ownership of a private company is closely held. It has not sold partial ownership to the public and is not required to reveal the details of its financial performance through reports filed with the government.
It is usually much more difficult to obtain financial details about a private company. Look for news articles and evaluate the competitor information for public companies in the same industry. A limited amount of information about private companies may be found in the UCF library's subscription databases about businesses.
Be aware that information from non-official sources may be speculative or intentionally inaccurate.
Some other subscription services exist with a focus on private companies, but there are no funds currently available at the UCF library to purchase those subscriptions.