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BUS 304: Business Communication, Proseminar, and Critical Thinking

Starting your research

Your company's websiteGlobe with computer mouse

  • Usually, the first stop in researching a company.

How to read a 10-KExchange Commission emblem

  • Advice from the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission.

The 20-F filing

  • Non-U.S. companies traded on U.S. exchanges (e.g., Toyota Motor Corporation) use form 20-F in place of the 10-K.

Finding a company's 10-K

  • The company's website
    • Check under "Investors" or "Investor Relations" or "About"
  • Search EDGAR
  • Use the library database Mergent Online
    • Enter a company to search
    • On results, select tab labeled Filings

California Secretary of State:   Homepage           Business Search

  • Access to company filings 
  • Corporation Name search most popular
  • Limited information

Company reports

MarketLine Company ProfilesCover page

  • Includes SWOT analysis on select companies
  • From the library's Business Source Premier database

GlobalData Financial and Strategic    GlobalData Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis ReviewsSWOT Analysis Reviews

  • Includes SWOT analysis on select companies
  • From the library's ABI/INFORM Collection database.

Company InvestigatorHomepage

  • Covers private and public companies of all sizes
  • From the library's Westlaw database

News about your for-profit

The Wall Street Journal

  • For public companies & large private companies

Google News

  • Provides access to current news articles from a wide range of online sources

Fair Disclosure Wire

  • For public companies

The Salinas Californian

  • For local private companies

Santa Cruz Sentinel

  • For local private companies

California newspapers

  • For local private companies