By Mashum Mollah
There could be a million reasons to find out more about a company.
Whether you’re considering a collaboration, preparing for a job interview, or doing your homework before purchasing stocks, a comprehensive background check can come in handy.
But sometimes, a simple Google search isn’t enough — especially if you’re running out of time.
Thankfully, there are several resources you can use to access targeted company information. Here are 5 useful online resources for learning more about a company:
1. Bloomberg:
Bloomberg is not just a media company; it’s a major global information provider of business news, financial data, market intelligence, and professional analysis tools.
One of the lesser-known services of Bloomberg is its private company snapshots database. Finding inside information about private companies can be difficult, but Bloomberg does a great job at consolidating all the publicly available information on a single page.
Here’s an example of a private company snapshot on Bloomberg. In most cases, it shows you a detailed look at the company overview, contact information, and a list of recent news headlines.
2. CrunchBase:
CrunchBase is a crowd-sourced database that gathers information on startups around the world. You can find information on funding, investments and other business activities for thousands of companies on their website.
Here’s an example of a company page on CrunchBase. You can find extensive information regarding finances, investors, and more.
CrunchBase is owned by TechCrunch, a popular technology news publisher. The website lets companies become their data partners, collectively building up a rich source of information for everyone.
3. S&P Global:
S&P Global Market Intelligence is one of the world’s leading market intelligence companies. They specialize in providing rich financial information and data analytics services.
If you’re looking for detailed business information and insights, but aren’t much concerned with the overall presentation of data, S&P is the way to go.
You also get multiple solutions tailored specifically for your industry.
If you’re a potential investor or a business professional looking for in-depth information, you won’t be disappointed.
4. D&B Hoovers:
Dun & Bradstreet is a leading publisher of detailed corporate and financial data of both private and public companies, and an excellent resource for digging up current business information and company history.
Instead of simply collecting and publishing public data about private companies, D&B Hoovers is known for actively seeking out information by directly calling up private firms.
The best part is, it’s super easy to use. Here’s what a typical company page on D&B Hoovers looks like.
5. LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is essentially a professional network, but it’s also one of the best resources to find out useful information about a company.
A typical company page on LinkedIn can give you a quick overview of multiple details — who owns the company, details of the VPs, employee strength, job openings etc.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of financial information listed on LinkedIn. This makes it an inadequate resource for some people, like investors.
Ready to Dig Up the Details?
These five resources will help you get started, but they aren’t the only ones out there.
Depending on the type of industry and the nature of the business, there are tons of other specialized resources available out there. You just need to know where to look.
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