Research Guides: Company Research: Company Directories/Rankings

Introduction

In addition to searching by the desired company name, company directories may allow you to search by geography, industry codes--e.g., SIC, NAICS codes and industry or product categories. Keep in mind that many directories are not comprehensive, i.e., including every company in a given category or region.

Pro tip: Many industry-specific trade magazines will publish company directories and or rankings for the industries they cover. Forbes and Fortune magazines publish lists. Forbes, for example lists "America's Largest Private Companies" on their website. Best's Review has special lists of insurance companies/brokers in various issues. Fortune's website will provide a variety of rankings.

Many of these magazines and journals are available via the Business Library's SEARCH E-JOURNALS.

For rankings of companies by different categories:

In article databases, try keyword searching using terms like "top," "most," "best," "worst" or "rank.* combined with the industry or product name or category.

Statista This link opens in a new window
Pull-down from "Reports" to "Toplists."

Business Rankings Annual

Databases or websites for company directories

Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Nexis Uni has several "sub" databases, which can be used to search for a variety of information on public and private companies.These include: D&B Dun's Market Identifiers
Note that individual company executives and directors can be searched in the "Business Leader Directories." and "D&B Executive Affiliations."
D&B Hoovers This link opens in a new window
Annual company reports, ratio data, executive information, analyst reports, SWOT analyses, credit ratings and recent developments. Also includes, industry reports. Help Guide
ThomasNet This link opens in a new window
Search for U.S. and Canadian suppliers/distributors of manufactured products. Help Center
Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
Use the advanced search to create a list of U.S. and international public companies, using various criteria.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL). Digital access to reference and handbooks on company information, economics, industry information, and consumer behavior. Help videos
Gale Directory Library This link opens in a new window
Several company/organization databases are included in GDL: Consultants and Consulting Organizations Directory, Gale Directory of Early Stage Investment , Information Industry Directory, Telecommunications Directory, National Directory of Nonprofit Organizations, Research Centers Directory.

Manufacturing and Distribution USA by Gale (Editor)
Call Number: ebook
Publication Date: 2016

Kompass business directory
Search across 5 million selected companies in more than 50 countries.
Alibaba
Alibaba can be used to identify international sources of products.
The Real Yellow Pages