Company Research

Financial ratios for an individual company can be found in numerous places. Listed below are a selection of the most popular.

Ratio sourcebooks contain historic financial and operating ratios, and composite balance sheet and income statements for specific industries, usually arranged by SIC or NAICS numbers. They are used when comparing a company's ratios to the industry standard. These are all available in print at 2 North Reference.

• Dun and Bradstreet Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios Ref HF 5681 .R25 I525
• RMA Annual Statement Studies Ref HF 5681 .R25 R6
• Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios Ref HF 5681 .R25 T68
• IRS Corporate Financial Ratios Ref HG 5681 B2 I7

SIC and NAICS Codes

There are many systems used to classify business establishments however, two of the most popular are SIC and NAICS.  

• Four-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes were first created in 1937.
• As the United States economy changed the seven-digit North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS; pronounced "nakes" which rhymes with "snakes") was established in 1987.

Both systems are still in use today.