Research Guides: Finance: Companies

Companies

Is the company private or public? This will impact the information you are able to find as well as where you look.

Private Companies

Private companies aren’t required to disclose their financials to the public, but it might be possible to find some estimates or information through sources such as:

Company website

The company’s website can provide useful information about current executives, events, products, and services. It is important to remember that its primary purpose of the website is to be a marketing tool and the company is presenting itself as it wants to be seen by the public.

Capital IQ
Profiles a wide range of private companies. For larger companies, you might find financial estimates, details on financing and M&A activity, peer comparisons, and more.
To access, you will need to register for a CapIQ account using your TMU credentials - it’s fast and easy to do.
Current Toronto Metropolitan students and faculty must register with a valid Toronto Metropolitan email address in order to access Capital IQ and Capital IQ Pro

For Capital IQ, follow these instructions to complete the self-registration process.

For Capital IQ Pro:
- Go directly to the S&P Capital IQ Pro sign-in page and select “New User Sign Up”
- You must use your TMU email when setting up your account. A security token will be sent to your TMU email which you will need to enter to complete your account registration.
- You will receive a new security token each time you use the platform.

News databases

Such as Factiva, Business Source Complete, NexisUni. While there may not be many articles dedicated to the company itself, information about the company could appear in news or trade journal pieces related to its industry, or in articles covering its competitors. Have a look at the Company Research - Current News Databases for further information and links to specific resources.

Public Companies

Public companies issue securities traded on the open market, such as a stock exchange. These companies must disclose financial information, with reporting frequency varying based on the market where their securities are listed.

Company website

You’ll usually find a section of the site labeled something like “Investor Relations” where you could find available financial reports, information about executives and Board of Directors, investor presentations, and press releases.

Financials

Company financials, including historical financial information, can be found in:

Capital IQ
Search for your company of interest, and see the links under the Financials/Valuation and the News, Events and Filings sections. To access, you will need to register for a CapIQ account using your TMU credentials - it’s fast and easy to do.
Current Toronto Metropolitan students and faculty must register with a valid Toronto Metropolitan email address in order to access Capital IQ and Capital IQ Pro

For Capital IQ, follow these instructions to complete the self-registration process.

For Capital IQ Pro:
- Go directly to the S&P Capital IQ Pro sign-in page and select “New User Sign Up”
- You must use your TMU email when setting up your account. A security token will be sent to your TMU email which you will need to enter to complete your account registration.
- You will receive a new security token each time you use the platform.
SEDAR+
Canada's online filing system for disclosure documents from public companies and investment funds. It makes it easy to access and review essential financial information.
EDGAR
Automated system for collecting, validating, and processing filings required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You’ll find links to the full list of EDGAR filings and search instructions.
Nexis Uni
Access company profiles including financial information. To find, click the menu option beside the Nexis Uni logo, and select Nexis Dossier. From there, input the company name or ticker to search.

Ownership information

Major shareholders of public companies can be found in the DEF14A for U.S.-listed companies and the Management Information Circular for Canadian-listed companies. In the U.S., a major holder owns at least 5%, while in Canada, a major holder needs to own at least 10%.

Capital IQ
To find public and private ownership information, input your company name in the search bar, go to the company profile page, and look for the Investors heading in the left-hand menu.To access, you will need to register for an account using your TMU credentials - it’s fast and easy to do.
Current Toronto Metropolitan students and faculty must register with a valid Toronto Metropolitan email address in order to access Capital IQ and Capital IQ Pro

For Capital IQ, follow these instructions to complete the self-registration process.

For Capital IQ Pro:
- Go directly to the S&P Capital IQ Pro sign-in page and select “New User Sign Up”
- You must use your TMU email when setting up your account. A security token will be sent to your TMU email which you will need to enter to complete your account registration.
- You will receive a new security token each time you use the platform.

SEDI

Canada's online service for filing and viewing insider trading reports.
To view insider holders by company, click “Access public filings” under the Reports section; select “View Summary Report” in the left menu; and choose the “Insider information by issuer” report.

Equity Research

JP Morgan Equity Research, available via Proquest One Business Search Publications for "J.P. Morgan Equities Research". Reports from 2011 to current, subject to a 7-day embargo.