America's largest private companies: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://www.forbes.com/largest-private-companies/list/; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: Forbes' list of 225 U.S. private companies provides brief overview of businesses, revenue, number of employees, and links to news stories.

American Association of Franchisees and Dealers web site: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://www.aafd.org/; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: Provides information and advice about selecting and buying a franchise.

American Franchisee Association web site: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://www.franchisee.org/; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: Provides information and advice designed to protect people's investment in their franchises.

Big charts: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: Provides information on stocks, mutual funds, and financial indexes.; Search Tips: Enter a ticker symbol and click "Basic Chart" or "Advanced Chart" to see prices over various time periods (days, months, years). Click "Historical Quotes" to look up opening, closing, high, and low prices as well as volume traded on any particular day. Click "Markets" > "Major Market Indexes" to see various market indexes (e.g., Dow Jones Industrial Average) with current values.

Brands and their companies: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HG4057 .A1 B73; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Alphabetical listing of more than 200,000 current and defunct consumer brand names, including product description and manufacturer or distributor.

Business market research collection (formerly Hoover's company profiles): Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/businessmarketresearchcollection; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: A database containing Hoover's Company Profiles, with information on 40,000 public and non-public companies (including non-U.S. companies), providing company overview and history, current and historical financial data and stock prices, number of employees, competitors, and officer names (with biographies and data about compensation).; Search Tips: After searching a company name in the top search box, to see a company profile, look for results labeled "Hoover's Company Records."

Business rankings annual: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HG4050 .B87; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Provides tables and statistical information that rank companies, markets, brands, etc.; Search Tips: Use the three-volume cumulative index to locate entries by industry, company name or brand.

Columbia historical corporate reports: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://library.columbia.edu/indiv/business/corpreports.html; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: A collection of digitized historical corporate reports, covering approximately 36 corporations that operated in and around New York City. Collection includes about 770 reports ranging from the 1850s through the early 1960s.

Companies and their brands: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HG4057 .A1 C66; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Alphabetical listing of manufacturers and distributors, with contact information and a listing of their brands and products. Includes 200,000 current and defunct brands.

Consumer's guide to buying a franchise: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/consumers-guide-buying-franchise; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: Prepared by The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, this booklet explains how to shop for a franchise opportunity, the obligations of a franchise owner, and questions to ask before investing.

D & B hoovers (formerly D & B business browser, formerly OneSource): Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/dandbhoovers; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: Provides information on more than 103 million companies (public and private ; U.S. and non-U.S.). Includes company financials (back 10 years), executives, brands, annual reports, and more. Allows sorting of companies by many criteria (use "Build a Company List" link). Also includes in-depth global industry and market research reports.; Search Tips: To search for a specific company, use the small search box at the very top of the screen. To create a list of companies, use “Build a Company List” link. To search for an industry, click "Research Industries," enter a NAICS code in the "Industries" search box, and use the blue "change" link above to specify "NAICS 2022."

EDGAR database of corporate information: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: An electronic archive of reports that large, publicly traded companies file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Includes reports for domestic companies from May 1996 forward and from foreign companies from November 2002 forward, with earlier reports for some companies.; Search Tips: Click "Search for Company Filings" > "Company or fund name. . ." The annual report is called a "10-K" and includes company history, products, competitors, mission, employees, and financials. (For foreign companies, look for the 20-F instead.)

Encyclopedia of advertising: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HF5803 .A38; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Lengthy essays about advertising agencies, brands, campaigns, and advertising concepts and terminology.

Encyclopedia of associations: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Desk (1st Floor); Call Number: AS8 .E5; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: A directory of more than 25,000 national and international organizations.; Search Tips: Use the keyword index to identify associations related to your business; then try to find the association's Web site for industry information and statistics.

Encyclopedia of consumer brands: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HF5415.3 .E527; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Includes essays highlighting 600 of the most popular brands in America, discussing how a product originated and was first marketed, how it evolved, and how it fares compared with its competitors. Includes brand logos and photos.

Encyclopedia of major marketing campaigns/strategies: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HF5837 .E53; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Profiles more than 1,000 notable marketing and advertising campaigns of the 20th and 21st centuries, such as Nike's "Just do it" and General Electric's "We bring good things to life." Includes visuals for a few entries.; Search Tips: Consult all three volumes, which were published at different times. Volume 3 expands international coverage.

Franchise bible: How to buy a franchise or franchise your own business: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HF5429.235 .U5 G766; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Part I provides information about buying a franchise or small business, and Part II provides information for business owners who want to expand by franchising the business. Includes a glossary of franchise terminology.

Franchise opportunities: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: https://www.franchise.org/franchise-opportunities; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: A website of the International Franchise Association that allows you to identify opportunities by type of business (e.g., restaurants, cleaning and maintenance), location, and amount of investment.

Gale business insights (formerly Business insights: Essentials): Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/galebusinessinsights; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: A large database of information about countries, industries (domestic and foreign), and more than 430,000 companies (public, private, domestic, and international).; Search Tips: For company information: click "Companies" and search or browse by name. For industry information: click "Industries" and search or browse by NAICS code. For country information: click "Countries/Territories." To create a company list by type, industry, revenue, and/or location: click "Companies" and use the filters at the top of the screen.

GuideStar: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://www.guidestar.org; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: This database of 1.8 million U.S. nonprofit organizations provides directory information, gross receipts, and assets.; Search Tips: Log in using the email address "hrefdb@uvm.edu" and the password "guidestarREF2!"

Hoover's handbook of private companies: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HG4057 .A28616; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Provides facts on 900 large, influential, privately held U.S. enterprises (including not-for-profits, universities, and government-owned corporations). Provides company overview, history, executives, competitors, and recent historical financial data. Also ranks companies in various categories.

International directory of company histories: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HD2721 .I63; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: This multi-volume set offers lengthy articles tracing the histories of major companies. Also available in Business Insights: Essentials database; click "company histories" link on home page.; Search Tips: Use the "Index to Companies" in the back of the last volume to identify the volumes in which companies of interest are covered.

IQS directory: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: https://www.iqsdirectory.com/; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: A free listing of manufacturers and suppliers serving the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) marketplace. Includes companies providing products (e.g., sheet metal, gears, cardboard tubes, mixers) AND services (e.g., sewing contractors, calibration services). Provides company description, contact information, and a "request for quote" link.; Search Tips: Search by product/service, company name, or industry.

Legal guide for starting & running a small business: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: KF1659.S745; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Provides 21 chapters of legal information about organizing and naming a business, licenses, taxes, franchises, raising money, insurance, leases, employees, and more.

LexisNexis corporate affiliations: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HG4057 .A219; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: A directory of major public and private businesses in the United States and the world. Also shows corporate affiliations and includes a list of mergers and acquisitions.; Search Tips: Various indexes allow access by company name, geography, and NAICS code.

Market share reporter: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HF5415.2 .M336; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: An annual compilation of market share data on companies, products, and services. Data are gleaned from reports, journals, and newspapers, and are organized by SIC code.; Search Tips: Has several indexes to allow look-up by product, service, company name, brand name, and place name.

Mergent archives: Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/mergentarchives; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: Provides 1) current and historical industry reports, 2) digitized, searchable corporate annual reports and/or SEC filings back to the mid 1800s, 3) corporate histories and financial statements as far back as the early 1900s from the digitized archives of corporate Mergent (formerly Moody's) Manuals, 4) information about municipal securities issued by each U.S. state, Puerto Rico, and Guam (from the digitized archives of Mergent Municipal Manual), and 5) historical volumes of D&B Industry Norms and key Business Ratios.; Search Tips: To browse or search for industry reports, click "D&B Manuals" (on left) and select "First Research." To see historical financial norms and ratios, click "D&B Manuals" and select "Key Business Ratios."

Mergent bondviewer: Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/mergentbondviewer; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: Provides information about over 320,000 U.S. taxable securities and over 3 million municipal bonds, with up to 20 years of historical bond ratings from Moody's, Standard and Poors, and Fitch.

Mergent intellect: Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/mergentintellect; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: Detailed information about millions of public and private companies in the United States and around the world. Also provides access to "Key Business Ratios" (formerly in print as "Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios") and contact information for 210 million U.S. consumers.; Search Tips: Use "Advanced Search" to build a list of companies based on criteria you select.

Mergent online: Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/mergentonline; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: Provides company and industry information, as well as country reports. Covers over 15,000 active and inactive public U.S. companies and 20,000 non-U.S. active and inactive companies, including current and historical financials and stock prices, executives, SEC filings, and competitors.; Search Tips: "Advanced Search" allows searching for companies by various criteria. To access reports on a small number of U.S. industry sectors, click "Industry Analysis" > "Reports" tab. For country reports (including business environment, outlook, and risk) click "Country Insight" tab and drill down to country of interest.

Morningstar investment research center: Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/morningstar; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: CLICK "END SESSION" WHEN DONE SO ANOTHER USER CAN ACCESS DATABASE. Provides data on more than 14,500 stocks, 24,800 mutual funds, 1,500 exchange traded funds, and 700 closed end funds. Includes current and historical data. Also covers thousands of mutual and exchange traded funds (ETFs) and includes stock and fund screening tools.; Search Tips: To see high, low, and closing stock prices for a particular date, search by ticker symbol, and mouse over the graph. CLICK "END SESSION" WHEN DONE SO ANOTHER USER CAN ACCESS DATABASE.

Nexis uni (formerly LexisNexis academic): Where to Find It: On the UVM Libraries Web Site; URL: https://researchguides.uvm.edu/nexisuni; Format: Subscription database or e-book; Description: Provides access to international business news. Also provides information on companies, including address, description, financials, SEC filings, stock performance, products, competitors, executives, brands, legal information, corporate affiliations, legal information, and number of employees. Less information available for private companies.; Search Tips: Do NOT use main search box to get a profile of a single company. Instead, click "Business" (on left side of screen under "Discover Topics") > "Find a Company" (under "Company Dossier"). In the "Find a Company" form, enter the company name or ticker symbol. To generate a list of companies that meet select criteria, click "Business" (on left side of screen under "Discover Topics") > "Create a Company List" (under "Company Dossier"). For international news, use the "search in all news for" search box.

Nonprofit explorer: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/advanced_search; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: Provides summary data for recent tax returns of non-profit organizations and PDFs of tax form 990 for organizations recognized as tax exempt by the IRS.; Search Tips: Search by officer/employee name, employer identification number (EIN), keyword, geography, category (e.g., arts and culture, education, health), or organization type (e.g., 501 c 3).

Notable corporate chronologies: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HD2721 .N67 2001; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Chronicles historic milestones for more than 1,800 corporations worldwide, including major events such as founding, product introductions, major scandals, mergers, major stock offerings, etc. Published in 2001; not useful for recent histories.

Redbooks. Advertisers, business classifications: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks; Call Number: HF5805 .S712; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Features data on over 9,000 U.S. and Canadian companies that spend at least $50,000 on national/regional advertising, providing company address, SIC/NAICS codes, a short business description, revenue, number of employees, trade names, advertising expenditures (for some companies), and agencies employed.

SBDC Net: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: https://www.sbdcnet.org/; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: This national information clearinghouse of the U.S. Small Business Administration provides guides on various aspects of operating a small business or franchise, free market research reports for several dozen small business (e.g., bakery, bike shop), and links to industry associations and data sources.

Thomas (formerly Thomas register of American manufacturers and Thomas register catalog file): Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://www.thomasnet.com; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: An online directory of American manufacturers and distributors and their products.; Search Tips: Search by product/service category, company name, brand name, or keyword.

Value line investment survey: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HG4501. V26; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: In-depth coverage of about 1,700 of the most actively traded U.S. exchange-listed stocks. Each "Ratings and Reports" weekly issue provides full-page reports and analysis of about 130 stocks, presented on a rotating basis so that all 1,700 companies are covered each 13-week quarter. Reports provide current and historical financial data, financial results, three- to five-year price and earnings projections, charts, and rankings. Part 3 offers brief industry profiles and company information including business description and outlook, current and historical financial and stock data, and a few industry ratios.

Vermont business directory: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Desk (1st Floor); Call Number: HF5065.V5 V45; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: A directory of 41,000 Vermont businesses, organized alphabetically within towns and by industry category. Provides directory information, estimated sales and number of employees. A good source for identifying competitors, or for identifying business-to-business customers.

Vermont business directory (from Vermont Business Magazine): Where to Find It: Howe Reference Desk (1st Floor); Call Number: Quarto HF5065. V5 V463; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Directory information for 3,798 Vermont companies, arranged alphabetically by name and cross-referenced by SIC code and town. Includes manufacturers; service businesses; agricultural or construction businesses; communication, wholesale, or distribution businesses; and retail or financial firms.

Vermont business magazine--book of lists: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Desk (1st Floor); Call Number: HA675 .V53; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: Information about business in Vermont, including lists of helpful resources, chambers of commerce, trade associations, regional planning commissions, development organizations, and firms that support businesses. Also ranks businesses.

Ward's business directory of U.S. private and public companies: Where to Find It: Howe Reference Stacks (1st Floor); Call Number: HG4057.A1 W373; Format: Printed material (book, report, etc.); Description: This multi-volume set provides an alphabetic directory of public and private companies, and also ranks companies within industries and states. Useful for identifying major players and competitors.

YAHOO! Finance: Where to Find It: On the World Wide Web; URL: http://finance.yahoo.com/; Format: Free World Wide Web site; Description: Provides current and historical data on company stock performance, financial statements, company outlook, and sustainability ratings. Also provides links to data on cryptocurrencies, stock gainers and losers, top ETFs, commodities, world indices, currencies, top mutual funds, most-active stocks, and U.S. Treasury bonds rates.; Search Tips: For company information, search by name or ticker in search box at top. For other information, click "Markets."

Suggested Sources: Company