BA 346U Essentials of Entrepreneurship (Business Minor): Competitors/Suppliers
Table of Contents
- Create/Find Lists of Businesses: by various criteria (e.g., industry, size, location).
- Find Suppliers: by product
- Company Profiles: where you can find detailed information on mostly public companies
- Private Companies: tips and recommended resources for researching private companies
Create/Find Lists of Businesses
- Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA)Click on US Businesses, then the Advanced Search tab.
- Mergent OnlineClick on the Advanced Search tab. US and international public companies only.
- Nexis UniClick on Business, then Company Dossier. Click on the Create a Company List link.
- Business Insights: GlobalClick on the Company tab, then Company Finder.
- Portland Business JournalFind company rankings in Book of Lists. PSU faculty/staff/students please log in with your PSU (ODIN) ID to view username/password. Visitors please contact the Reference Desk.
Other Methods:
- Industry reports such as those from IBISWorld usually list top players.
- Industry associations sometimes make their membership directory public.
- Chamber of Commerce may have a local business directory.
- Trade Shows may have an exhibitors list by product category, such as MJBizCon.
- News, esp. trade journals that may have buyer's guides.
- Think like a consumer and do a google search for products and services.
Company Profiles
Recommended
- Business Insights: GlobalProvides company and industry profiles, including SWOT reports, market share reports, investment reports, articles, financials, and case studies.
- Mergent Market AtlasMergent Online (the platform) will sunset on June 30, 2025 and be partially replaced by Mergent Market Atlas, which provides the same search capabilities and detailed company profiles on both US and international public companies. In addition, company profiles now include ESG ratings.
- Business Source PremierProvides full text and citations to articles in various business publications; also includes company profiles, industry profiles, and country information.
Others
- PrivCoBusiness and financial information on US-based private companies. Searchable by companies, investors, funding, and M&A deals.
PSU faculty/staff/students please create a personal account using your PDX email - Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA)Provides profiles of U.S. companies, health care providers, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
- Investext (via Mergent Online)Provides reports written by analysts at investment banks, brokerage houses, and consulting firms. Reports cover financials and analysis on companies and select industries.
- StatistaProvides statistics from over 18,000 free and proprietary sources on a wide range of topics such as business, media, and demographics.
Find Suppliers
- THOMAS.NETDirectory of suppliers and products.
- IQS DirectoryA directory of manufacturers and suppliers serving major segments of the OEM industrial manufacturing marketplace across the United States and Canada.
- Alibaba.comFind manufacturers, suppliers, and importers/exporters.
- Kompass.com"Global B2B directory."
- McRAE's BLUE BOOKIndustrial directory for North America.
Key Resources for Private Company Research
Company Profiles:
- PrivCoBusiness and financial information on US-based private companies. Searchable by companies, investors, funding, and M&A deals.
PSU faculty/staff/students please create a personal account using your PDX email - Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA)For BIG to SMALL private companies. Sales and business expenditures data are estimates.
- Hoover's In-Depth Company ReportsFor BIG private companies. Search by company name. Accessed via Nexis Uni.
- Portland Business JournalProvides access to Portland Business Journal (and other city business journals) and Book of Lists. You must create an individual account to access.
PSU faculty/staff/students please create an account using your PDX email - Investext (via Mergent Online)Covers select private firms. Use the Keyword search field (instead of the default Company search field) in the dropdown menu.
Industry Benchmarks:
- RMA Statement StudiesProvides financial ratio benchmarks data (norms and ratios) and industry default probablity data. This is the online version of the RMA annual statement studies.
Non-PSU Resources:
- Crunchbase (limited free data)Company directory that covers startups and other private companies. Also offers free or discounted access to their full data through their Academic Research Access Program (faculty and graduate students only).
- Mergent IntellectAvailable from the Multnomah County Library with a free library card. Basic information on public and private companies with "as reported" financials (if available).
- OwlerCrowdsourced company data and news alerts.