Library Guides: Company Information: Private Company Research

Disclaimer

Private companies are not required to disclose much information, making private company research challenging at best and impossible at worst. The strategies and resources below will help you find whatever information is available.

Company Profiles

Mergent Intellect This link opens in a new window
Search for private companies by company name, executive personal name, industry or location.
Provides data on over 100 million privately held companies.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Select the Companies section on the left-hand toolbar to search for companies or create a company list.
Provides access to a wide range of news, business, legal, and reference information. Covers many news sources for 20 years. Court cases and statutes from all federal and state jurisdictions are included. Most resources can be searched in full text.

The Company directly

Sometimes private companies will share information on their websites or through one-to-one communication.

Company website
If the company has a website, check for press releases, annual reports, financials, contact information, and other details.

Phone or e-mail contact
Reach out to the company by phone or e-mail. The company may be willing to share selected information since you are doing research for educational purposes.

The Industry

Research the industry in which the private firm operates to gain insight into challenges the company and its competitors may be encountering.

IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
Full-text industry reports and U.S. industry risk ranking reports.
IBISWorld provides over 700 full-text industry reports, 700 US industry risk rating reports, and information on over 8000 Publicly Traded US Companies as well as hundreds of economic and demographic profiles. Subscription includes access to the US Industry State Reports module.
Passport GMID (Euromonitor) This link opens in a new window
Business intelligence on industries, countries and consumers.
Passport GMID provides business intelligence on industries, countries, and consumers. Content includes: international demographic, macro-economic, and marketing data; industry statistics; statistics on brand and company rankings; comment on emerging industry, country, and consumer trends; consumer lifestyle statistics, future demographic reports.