Determine whether a company is public, private or international.
Public
More information is available on companies trading on the stock market - SEC filings, annual reports, analysts' reports, news stories, books and case studies.
Private
Limited information is found on private companies - brief information in directories, news stories, and sometimes books.
International
Information on international companies varies. If a company trades on the U.S. exchanges it must file annual reports (20-F) with the SEC. Try directories, databases, newspapers and magazines.
Hint: Search Hoover's to check if a company is public or private, and whether it is a parent or subsidiary.