Company & Industry Information: Company Information

Company profiles can include a wide range of information, such as company overview, products and services, financial info, legal issues, sales and marketing, and news.

You can use company profiles and the information contained within them for a variety of purposes.  Some of the main purposes include marketing, competitive intelligence, social awareness, and entrepreneurship.

When compiling information on a company, keep in mind that you will likely find much more information on publicly-traded companies as opposed to private or closely-held companies. 

Public companies have many shareholders and managers.  They must maintain strict corporate formalities and adhere to periodic reporting requirements, especially those dealing with securities.

Private or closely-held companies generally have few owners who are very active in the operations of the company.  We generally think of small "mom and pop shops" as private companies, but they can also include large organizations, such as SC Johnson & Sons.