Industry Research
Industry reports contain valuable analysis of an industry's operating conditions, driving forces, competitive landscapes, key statistics analysis on market characteristics, operating conditions, current and forecast performance, major industry participants, etc. Use IBISWorld, Mergent Intellect, Statista, and Thomson One to find these reports.
Industry codes have been developed over the years to provide a way to classify industries into categories and group firms of similar nature together. There are several major industry code systems: Identifying the appropriate code can significantly help you identify appropriate resources for that industry. Most industries are officially classified according to the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). These codes help you to identify competitors, and can help you find resources that will tell you more about your company's industry. Many companies will be part of multiple industries, and as a result will have several NAICS codes. Look at the main company profile page in Mergent to get an idea of what your company's primary Industry (and primary NAICS code) is. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system was originally developed in the 1930’s to classify establishments by the type of activity in which they are primarily engaged. SIC codes ceased being updated in 1987, however their use remains widespread.
The best strategy for findings industry statistics to identify the stakeholders (governments, companies, organizations) and do a thorough search of their publications and Internet pages. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes statistics via their Industry Series Portal.
Resources for Industry Research
- IBISWorldIBISWorld provides industry research reports and profiles for over 700 United States industries as well as a wide range of industries in China. Business reports for five categories: industry market research, industry risk ratings, company research, global industry research, and economic and demographic data. Each report provides key statistics, market characteristics and segmentation, industry conditions, leading competitors, industry performance analysis and future outlook.
- BizminerProvides detailed industry analysis and market research reports on more than 16,000 lines of business in national and local markets. Their many uses include valuation, business plans, due diligence and competitive benchmarking. Industry reports cover profit and loss, balance sheets, financial ratios, start-up trends, and more. Financial reports allow you to compare businesses in a specific sales class and geographic area to industry average benchmarks and competitors.
- PassportExcellent resource for international industries, countries, markets, and products. Market research reports, statistics, and analyst reports cover consumer market sizes, country market data, forecasts, consumer lifestyles, companies and brands, and many product & location specific reports.