Chapter 6 Other Research Databases and Tools

Business information needs can arise for various reasons, such as Business information needs can arise for various reasons, such as Understanding the industry of a client Understanding the industry of a client Financial news that may affect a client Financial news that may affect a client Background of new corporate executives Background of new corporate executives Understanding a company’s new products and patents Understanding a company’s new products and patents Other Database Research Strategies: Step 1: Information Needed

Commercial databases advantages Commercial databases advantages Ability to improve database features Ability to improve database features Better search tools Better search tools Comprehensive retrieval systems Comprehensive retrieval systems Often more user friendliness Often more user friendliness Other Database Research Strategies: Step 2: Determine the Sources

Other Database Research Strategies: Step 2: Determine the Sources (cont’d) Industry information sources Industry information sources Sometimes need gov. industry code Sometimes need gov. industry code Government agencies Government agencies Trade associations Trade associations

Find all relevant sources Find all relevant sources If keyword search, consider If keyword search, consider Alternative keyword terms Alternative keyword terms Segment searching Segment searching Date restrictions Date restrictions Changing connector terms Changing connector terms Understand any search engine limits Understand any search engine limits Use reminder tools Use reminder tools i.e. search histories i.e. search histories Other Database Research Strategies: Step 3: Use Search Techniques

Search results come in various forms Search results come in various forms Citation, abbreviated, or full document views Citation, abbreviated, or full document views Descriptive graphics or charts Descriptive graphics or charts Additional documents or info. may exist through tabs or listings on the side Additional documents or info. may exist through tabs or listings on the side Other Database Research Strategies: Step 4: Manage the Results

Other Database Research Strategies: Step 4: Manage the Results (cont’d) Consider reformat the citation of sources to conform to the style needed. Consider reformat the citation of sources to conform to the style needed. APA Style uses author’s last name and first name initial (year of publication), article title, journal volume number (issue), article pages. APA Style uses author’s last name and first name initial (year of publication), article title, journal volume number (issue), article pages. American Accounting Association (AAA) style slightly varies from APA. American Accounting Association (AAA) style slightly varies from APA.

Checkpoint has a financial research library in some subscriptions Checkpoint has a financial research library in some subscriptions CCH’s Accounting Research Manager CCH’s Accounting Research Manager Access to FASB’s codification, government accounting, various auditing standards, SEC authorities, and helpful secondary sources Access to FASB’s codification, government accounting, various auditing standards, SEC authorities, and helpful secondary sources Advertises additional SEC materials not found in the FASB’s Codification Advertises additional SEC materials not found in the FASB’s Codification Weekly newsletter available to subscribers Weekly newsletter available to subscribers Accounting Research Tools

U.S. GAAP Financial Statements – Best Practices in Presentation and Disclosure U.S. GAAP Financial Statements – Best Practices in Presentation and Disclosure IFRS Financial Statements – Best Practices in Presentation and Disclosure IFRS Financial Statements – Best Practices in Presentation and Disclosure Audit and Accounting Manual Audit and Accounting Manual Accounting and Tax Index Accounting and Tax Index AICPA Accounting Research Tools

GASB – GARS GASB – GARS Government Accounting Research System for state and local accounting Government Accounting Research System for state and local accounting Summary information on GASB’s website Summary information on GASB’s website The Current Text provides GASB’s codification of government acc. standards The Current Text provides GASB’s codification of government acc. standards Hierarchy of authority exists Hierarchy of authority exists Government Accounting Databases

Government Accounting Databases (cont’d) FASAB – Handbook of authorities FASAB – Handbook of authorities Accounting for the Federal government Accounting for the Federal government No hierarchy of authorities exists No hierarchy of authorities exists

Provide financial statements of companies Examples of investigations: Examples of investigations: Unfunded pension liabilities Unfunded pension liabilities Dual date audit reports Dual date audit reports Size ranking of a company Size ranking of a company Pending government investigations Pending government investigations Info. valuable for partner negotiations Info. valuable for partner negotiations Ratio analysis for credit ratings Ratio analysis for credit ratings Financial Research Databases

Separate news on the market, bonds, the economy, and industries Separate news on the market, bonds, the economy, and industries Quick links to industry surveys, investment publications, investment advisory reports Quick links to industry surveys, investment publications, investment advisory reports Includes both private & public companies Includes both private & public companies Powerful search functions exist Powerful search functions exist Able to make various database reports Able to make various database reports Bond info available in spreadsheet format including its type, rating, & callability Bond info available in spreadsheet format including its type, rating, & callability S&P NetAdvantage

Public company info. is brief Public company info. is brief Access to company financials, history, joint ventures, property locations Access to company financials, history, joint ventures, property locations Daily stock prices Daily stock prices Financial ratio analysis Financial ratio analysis Industry comparisons Industry comparisons Foreign companies provided Foreign companies provided Mergent Online

Analyst reports are historical strength Analyst reports are historical strength Provide more comprehensive view of a company Provide more comprehensive view of a company Analyzes implications of new developments Analyzes implications of new developments Historical corporate data (from 1962) Historical corporate data (from 1962) Content profile includes financial data, SEC filings, auditor’s report, accounting practices, and financial ratios Content profile includes financial data, SEC filings, auditor’s report, accounting practices, and financial ratios Thomson Research

Thomson Research (cont’d) Nonfinancial information includes Nonfinancial information includes Overview of markets and technology Overview of markets and technology Companies’ joint ventures Companies’ joint ventures Product announcements Product announcements

Business Insights: Essentials – Thomson Financial content Business Insights: Essentials – Thomson Financial content Hoover’s OnDemand – comprehensive company, industry, and market intelligence Hoover’s OnDemand – comprehensive company, industry, and market intelligence Other Financial Databases

Other Financial Databases (cont’d) Morningstar Investment Research Center particularly valuable for mutual funds Morningstar Investment Research Center particularly valuable for mutual funds Factiva – joint venture between Dow Jones and Reuters – 25 years of pricing on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and global market indices. Factiva – joint venture between Dow Jones and Reuters – 25 years of pricing on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and global market indices. OSIRIS – database of listed companies, banks and insurance companies OSIRIS – database of listed companies, banks and insurance companies

Physically visiting the library for sources Physically visiting the library for sources Hedge funds and private equity info. Hedge funds and private equity info. Mergers & acquisition info Mergers & acquisition info Academic accounting research Academic accounting research Professional accounting concerns Professional accounting concerns Specialized research, such as UCC filings Specialized research, such as UCC filings Financial Research Challenges

Provides relevant, non-authoritative analysis on various topics Provides relevant, non-authoritative analysis on various topics Search for leading periodicals, such as Wall Street Journal, or academic journals Search for leading periodicals, such as Wall Street Journal, or academic journals Article Index Databases

Article Index Databases (cont’d) Article Index databases include Article Index databases include Business Source Premier, part of EBESCO Host Business Source Premier, part of EBESCO Host ABI Inform Global ABI Inform Global Specialized databases Specialized databases Broader databases, such as Factiva & LexisNexis Broader databases, such as Factiva & LexisNexis

GlobalEDGE Resource Desk – web directory of international topics GlobalEDGE Resource Desk – web directory of international topics International organizations such as World Bank and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development International organizations such as World Bank and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development Government agencies such as International Trade Administration Government agencies such as International Trade Administration Foreign Databases Foreign Databases International Business Sources

USA Trade Online – current and historical data on business, international trade, … by the U.S. Dep’t of Commerce. USA Trade Online – current and historical data on business, international trade, … by the U.S. Dep’t of Commerce. Various notable hardbound sources Various notable hardbound sources S&P’s statistical service S&P’s statistical service Statistical Abstract of the U.S. Statistical Abstract of the U.S. Statistical Sources

Use to find authoritative legal sources, news, business information, public records Use to find authoritative legal sources, news, business information, public records Potential searches: Potential searches: Earnings reports Earnings reports Which companies have reorganized Which companies have reorganized A company’s subsidiaries, divisions, branches. A company’s subsidiaries, divisions, branches. Includes securities and tax laws, newspapers, magazines, wire services, accounting journals, law reviews Includes securities and tax laws, newspapers, magazines, wire services, accounting journals, law reviews LexisNexis

A subset of the information on LexisNexis A subset of the information on LexisNexis Five areas: general, business, legal research, news, and people Five areas: general, business, legal research, news, and people Company dossier are particularly helpful Company dossier are particularly helpful Some search engine limitations exist Some search engine limitations exist Go to the area of interest before searching Go to the area of interest before searching Accounting information is weak, instead use an accounting database, such as CCH’s Accounting Research Manager Accounting information is weak, instead use an accounting database, such as CCH’s Accounting Research Manager LexisNexis Academic

Westlaw, Westlaw Business … Westlaw, Westlaw Business … Alternative to Lexis especially for legal materials Alternative to Lexis especially for legal materials Search tools facilitate keyword searches Search tools facilitate keyword searches Research tools especially noteworthy for court cases, such as headnotes Research tools especially noteworthy for court cases, such as headnotes Hein Online provides full-text access to law reviews Hein Online provides full-text access to law reviews Wilson Web is an article index database for business and legal sources Wilson Web is an article index database for business and legal sources Other Legal Databases