1. "Where can I find a current overview of an industry?"
2. "How can I create a list of companies in a specific industry?
3. "How do I find trade associations for a specific industry?"
4. "Where can I find financial ratios for an industry?"
5. "How can I compare the performance of companies within an industry?"
6. "What are industry codes and where do I find them?"
7. "Where can I find market share for an industry?"
8. "Where can I find information about international industries?"
9. "Where can I obtain analyst reports for a specific industry?"
10. "How do I find out which companies are ranked at the top of their industry?"
11. "Where can I find information about the real estate industry?"

1.  "Where can I find a current overview of an industry?"

Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys, available electronically through Market Insight, provide extensive reports on major U.S. industries. These reports are written by S&P analysts and are updated quarterly. Industry information can also be found with Hoover 's Online, including lists of companies, news, industry codes, and trade associations. Business & Company Resource Center provides electronic access to many industry publications, including Encyclopedia of American Industries, Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries, and Encyclopedia of Global Industries.

Investext Plus supplies full-text analyst reports for many U.S. industries. Searches can be limited to specific analysts or investment firms. Bloomberg's Industry Analysis (IBQ) provides a snapshot of selected industries, including news and events.

The U.S. Census Bureau publishes Industry Series, a collection of statistical reports on selected industries, as part of their Economic Census.

Trade associations are often excellent sources of industry information. See question #3 below for more information about trade associations.

Information about international industries can be found in question #8 below.

2.  "How can I create a list of companies in a specific industry?"

Mergent Online will allow you to create a list of public companies within an industry, based on either SIC or NAICS industry codes. Once the list has been compiled, you can use Mergent's Company Analysis List to screen and rank the companies based on a series of financial criteria.

The Build A List function available with Hoover's Online will create lists of companies within industries. One advantage of Hoover's is that it also includes private companies. In addition, you can screen the list of companies by geographic location, company size, and financial data.

Market Insight provides Compustat constituent lists for companies within selected industries, including links to Standard & Poor's Stock Reports for each company.

3.  "How do I find trade associations for a specific industry?"

Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys, available electronically through Market Insight, contain a section titled Industry References. The Industry References section lists relevant trade associations for that industry. Business & Company Resource Center also provides lists of trade associations for industries.

The Cornell Library subscribes to a searchable database of associations titled Associations Unlimited. Associations Unlimited provides an easily searchable interface to more than 460,000 international, national, regional, state, and local organizations, including non-profits.

The Encyclopedia of Associations (HS61 G15 in Ready Reference) lists more than 22,000 national and international organizations, including trade, business, and commercial associations.

4.  "Where can I find financial ratios for an industry?"

Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys, available electronically through Market Insight, contain a section titled Key Industry Ratios and Statistics. Bloomberg also provides an extensive list of ratios using the Relative Value (RV) function. Ratio data is provided for the industry average as well as for companies within the industry.

Cost of Capital (HC110 C3 C83 in Ready Reference), published annually by Ibbotson Associates, provides detailed ratios and statistics for more than 300 industries. Additional print publications that provide industry financial ratios include:

• Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios (HF5681 R25 T861 in Ready Reference)
• Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios (HF5681 R25 D89 in Ready Reference)
• Annual Statement Studies (HF5681 B2 R63 in Ready Reference)

5.  "How can I compare the performance of companies within an industry?"

With Mergent Online, you can create a list of companies within an industry and then build a comparison report based on selected criteria, including financials, corporate information, and ratios. Bloomberg's Relative Value (RV) shortcut performs the same function, but with more variables to choose from. Factiva's Ratio Comparison Report will compare a company to its industry, sector, and the S&P 500 index.

6.  "What are industry codes and where do I find them?"

Industry codes have been developed to provide a way to classify industries into categories. There are two main types of industry codes: Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The U.S. Department of Labor has a web site that allows you to search for SIC codes by keyword. The Census Bureau has a web site that allows you to search for NAICS codes by keyword.

Using the Classification Search feature of Mergent Online, you can look up SIC codes or NAICS codes, based on a hierarchical system of industry descriptions.

7.  "Where can I find market share for an industry?"

The Market Share Reporter (HF 5410 M34 in Ready Reference) and the World Market Share Reporter (HF 5410 W92 in Ready Reference) provide market share data for many industries. You can also often find this data as part of charts in trade journal articles.

Global Market Information Database (GMID) provides international market research data, including reports on specific products and industries. GMID is an electonic source for Euromonitor reports.

8.  "Where can I find information about international industries?"

Mergent Online provides industry reports for two international regions, Europe and Asia Pacific, in several industries.

Euromonitor reports for industries, which include current and forecasted data on market size and market share and profile the leading competitors in an industry, can be obtained through Global Market Information Database (GMID).

Stat-USA provides Industry Sector Analysis reports in its Globus & NTDB section. These reports, created by the Department of Congress, are detailed analyses of those industries in which U.S. business have strong interests. They discuss current trends in industries, provide appropriate market/demographic data, outline potential opportunities, discuss local regulations affecting industries, and give key contacts.

Consult our International Business Research resource list for additional international resources.

9.  "Where can I obtain analyst reports for a specific industry?"

Investext Plus provides full-text analyst reports for industries. The list of reports can be limited by specific analyst, if desired.

10.  "How do I find out which companies are ranked at the top of their industry?"

More than 5,000 company rankings can be found in Business Rankings Annual. This resource is available through Business and Company Resource Center , or in print (Z7164 T87 B97 in Ready Reference).

11.  "Where can I find information about the real estate industry?"

Cornell's Hotel Library has put together a research guide for resources in the real estate industry. In addition, Cornell has a real estate program that focuses on all aspects of the industry.

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