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Industry Analysis

1. Introduction
2. General Sources
3. Statistical Sources
4. Financial Ratios
5. Trade Magazines
6. Trade Associations

About NAICS codes

1. Introduction

Industry analysis is focuses on the status of an industry or an industrial sector (a broad concept like "manufacturing"). A complete industrial analysis usually covers the industry's recent performance, its current status, and its outlook. Many analyses include a combination of text and statistical data.

There are many sources of industry analysis: reference books, investment firms, business and trade magazines, trade associations, and government agencies. If you need to conduct a thorough industry analysis, use a variety of sources.

2. General Sources

IBIS Industry Market Research

• Provides 25 to 45-page industry reports for all 5-digit NAICS codes -- over 720 industries.
• Each report includes statistics, industry structure, product & customer segmentation, performance analysis, major players & market share, external drivers, 5-year forecasts with forecast analysis, and more.

S&P NetAdvantage: Industry Surveys

• Provides 30-40 page reports on 52 industry surveys.
• Updated twice a year.
• Topics include current environment, industry profile, glossary, industry references (sources of more information), composite industry data, and comparative company analysis.
• Also provides over 20 Global Industry Surveys.

OneSource Global (select "International Businesses" in ReferenceUSA)

• Provides industry & market reports from Datamonitor, Freedonia, Business Monitor International, and STAT-USA/NTDB Industry Sector Analysis (use the "Industries" section).
• Also provides full text articles from trade magazines and newswires on international companies, markets, and industries (use the "News & Reports" section).

MarketLine

• Covers 2,000 international industries.
• Each industry profile includes 5-year historical and 5-year forecast market values, volume, and shares, segmentations, and analyses of trends, major players, and the competitive landscape.
• Also called Datamonitor.

Business & Company Resource Center (2 concurrent users)

• A "one-stop shopping" database for company and business research.
• Provides profiles of over 1,000 U.S. and global industries.
• Includes the following Gale industry encyclopedias:
  • Encyclopedia of American Industries , 5th ed., 2008
  • Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries , 5th ed., 2007
  • Encyclopedia of Global Industries , 4th ed., 2007

Encyclopedia of Products & Industries

• Covers manufacturers, suppliers, supply chain logistics, distribution channels, history, markets, trends, and more
• Covers 120 major product categories, like beer, boats, luggage, magazines, toys, etc.
• Published in 2008; part of the Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Mintel Market Research Reports

• Provides fulltext market & consumer research reports, with a focus on consumer sectors/industries.
• Covers Europe and the U.S.

Business Insight

• Provides full-text market research, analysis, and forecasts.
• Covers five industries: e-commerce and technology, consumer goods, energy, finance, and healthcare.

Euromonitor Global Market Information Database

• Focuses on the food, drinks, clothing, electronics, appliances, and personal care products industries.
• Provides full text market research reports as well as company overviews and analysis, market share, brands, brand share, and financial breakdowns by product categories.
• Video on getting started with GMID

Value Line Investment Survey
Reference HG4501 .V26

• While Value Line is best known for stock information, it also provides concise and current analyses of over 90 industries.

3. Statistical Sources

• Most of the General Sources include statistics. But the below sources focus on statistical data.

Manufacturing & Distribution USA 2009

• Provides statistics on 460 industries, listed by NAICS codes.
• The statistics include the number of establishments, employment, wages, production, selected ratios, leading companies, materials consumed, product share, and industry data by state.
• The various indexes are in the third volume.

Current Industrial Reports (CIR)

• From the Census.
• Provides detailed statistics on many products and materials in the manufacturing, mining, and construction industries.
• Other industries are covered on the Economic Statistical Programs page.

County Business Patterns

• From the Census.
• Provides the number of companies by NAICS code in a state, zip  code, or MSA.
• Also provides the size of those companies by number of employees and size of payroll.

Economic Census

• Conducted every five years (years ending in -2 and -7), the Economic Census provides detailed industry data for the US, states, and more detail geographic levels.
• The data provided varies by industry, but usually includes at least the number of establishments, number of employees, payroll, total sales, and sales by type of product in each NAICS code.
• Also provides product-line data by NAICS.

Statistical Abstract of the United States

• A basic source for statistics on industry (particularly trade and employment figures).
• Use the keyword index to find what you need.
• The source for each table is listed at the bottom.

FedStats

• Provides an easy-to-use directory of government statistics.

4. Financial Ratios

Researchers use these souces to compare a company's performance against the performance of its industry and competitors.

Dun & Bradstreet Key Business Ratios

• Provides 14 financial ratios for 800 products and services, arranged by SIC code.
• Includes three years of data.
• Data can be exported into spreadsheet format.

Duns Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios
Reference Desk

• Provides 32 performance indicators for over 800 products and services, arranged by SIC code.
• Covers the most industries of any ratio source.

RMA Annual Statement Studies: Financial Ratios Benchmarks
Reference Desk

• Provides 40 performance indicators for 340 products and services, organized by NAICS code.
• Provides five years of data.
• Available online via OneSource Global
  1. Select "International Businesses" in ReferenceUSA.
  2. Then search or browse for an industry.
  3. From the industry profile, look for the "RMA Industry Norms" link on the left.

Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios
Reference HF5681.R25 T68

• The Almanac provides 50 performance indicators for 192 industries, organized by NAICS code. 
• Provides the most ratios per industry of any ratio source.

Standard & Poor's Analyst's Handbook
Reference HG4519 .A530

• The best source for older  financial ratios (covers 1992 to present).
• Covers 59 industries and 122 sub-industries.

5. Trade Magazines

Industry analysis data is also published as articles in trade magazines and newspapers.

Business article databases
Search for articles about your industry..

Need to identify the most important trade magazines for your industry? Use one of these sources:

S&P NetAdvantage: Industry Surveys
Reference HC106.6 .S74

• Each "industry references" section lists the most important trade journals for that industry.

Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources

• Published annually.
• Covers over 1,100 topics, including hundreds of industries.
• Covers periodicals and newsletters for each industry.

Directory of Business Information Resources
Reference HF54.52 U5 D567 2009

• Covers 98 industries, from accounting to wholesale services.
• Lists associations, newsletters, directories, trade shows, journals, web sites, and more.

6. Trade Associations

Trade associations can be an excellent source of industry information. An association might collect data not available from any other source. Try to identify the associations for your industry. Then try to find the association's homepage and publications.

S&P NetAdvantage: Industry Surveys
Reference HC106.6 .S74

• Each "industry references" section lists professional and trade associations.

National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States
Reference HD2425 .D53

• An annual publication that lists associations alphabetically.
• Homepage URL, publications, and other info are provided for most associations.
• There's a subject index in the back.

Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources

• Published annually.
• Covers over 1,100 topics, including hundreds of industries.
• Covers periodicals and newsletters for each industry.

Directory of Business Information Resources
Reference HF54.52 U5 D567 2009

• Covers 98 industries, from accounting to wholesale services.
• Lists associations for each industry.