To match equities from databases (CRSP, Compustat, Datastream, Execucomp, NYSE TAQ, SDC), see the Matching Guide. Also see the Stanford guide. For hints on finding specific items in these databases as well as additional sources, see the Economics and Finance FAQ.
Princeton has many directories in print, some dating back over a century. The following sources provide fundamental data.
- Compustat Demo
- Sample SAS Extraction program (Multiple companies including multiple variables including Historical SIC Codes)
- Segment searching guide.
- WRDS Supply Chain with IDs (Compustat Segment)
SNL Financial Institutions (FIG). Available through WRDS.** USA data is back to 1981. International back coverage goes back to at least 2010 with many of the significant institutions in Europe dating to 2005 and Asia-Pacific to 2008.
Ratewatch Scholar. Provides deposit rates (1997-April 2020); fees (2000-April 2020); and loan rates (2000-April 2020) for financial institutions across the United States.
Osiris. *: Financial information on globally listed public companies from over 140 countries. The combined industrial company dataset contains standardized and as reported financials, including restated accounts, for up to 20 years on over 88,000 companies. Bank financials offer up to 8 years of financial data for more than 2,300 listed banks. Insurance company financials, collected from annual reports and the NAIC, cover up to 9 years of data on over 440 listed insurance companies. Strives to cover all publicly listed companies worldwide. In addition, it covers major non-listed companies when they are primary subsidiaries of publicly listed companies. Ownership data is also provided. Also available through WRDS.**
WRDS SEC Analytics Suite** Develop tailored datasets from all SEC filings, parsing millions of regulatory reports based on one's custom criteria. Parse & extract any entity that reported to the SEC’s EDGAR database since 1994. Available through WRDS.
Dun & Bradstreet individual business (flat) file, 1969 - 2022. (Mergent). Contains establishment level data. 1981 and 1984 were not produced. Data is also available through the Mergent Data Explr (registration is required).
Data Axle (BusinessUSA): (1997-2023): Contains information on approximately 59 million businesses in the USA. Includes private companies and branches. Latest version available through JerseyClicks. Also available through WRDS.
Mergent Archives: collection of Moody's/Mergent Manuals. 1909+. (Bank & Finance, Industrial, International, Public Utility, Transportation, Over the Counter Industrial, Over the Counter Unlisted, Municipals). Also includes Million Dollar Directory (1959-2016); D&B Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios (1979-2016) as well as a large international annual reports collection (larger number of reports become available in the late 1920s. Some back to the 19th century.)
Factiva: contains company/industry comparisons, financial reports, & profiles.
NEXIS Uni: Includes SEC Filings & many local and national directories.
Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies. Princeton's holdings are located under various call numbers in Firestone. From 1994-2007, under call number HG4057.A575. For 1981: (Oversize) HG4057.A52 1981q; 1984: HG4057.A52 and HG4057.A53; 1985: HG4057.A2 W37; 1987-1988: HG4057.A522, HG4057.A532, HG4057.A533; 2003+ also available electronically.
Compact D/ SEC (Disclosure SEC): presents 10 years of data reported to the Securities Exchange Commission. Covered public U.S. companies only. Available on CD in Microforms. Princeton holdings: October 1990, April 1991, October 1992, 1993 (January, July, November, December), 1994 (January. August, October-December) January-October 1995, 1996 and 1997 (January, April, July, October), 1998 (January, April, July, October), 1999 (January, April, July-August, October), 2000 (April, July, October), 2001 (January, April, July, October-November), 2002 (January, April, October), 2003 and 2004 (January, April, July, October), 2005 and 2006 (January, April, July). Ceased. Available in Firestone Library (A Floor).
Laser D: North American (1989-2003) and international (1990-2003) SEC documents digitized from the collection of Harvard University in a joint project between Princeton, Harvard, and M.I.T. Data is on hard disk. For access, please contact bordelon@Princeton.edu. Please note SEC Edgar was phased in over time.
Corporate Annual Reports at the Library of Congress. SEC Filings 1978-1997. The set itself does not include filings from all public companies and does not include all filings for the companies that are included. The filings that are included are 10Ks, 10Qs, and 8Ks with some other ones that were included to complete the picture of a company. Some annual reports are included in this collection in those cases when the 10K is only complete with the annual report—often referred to as being "incorporated by reference." This set was initially issued by Q-Data,and is available in the Science & Business Reading Room. Researchers will need to use the index to find the appropriate filings. Please Ask a Business Librarian about accessing this collection.
Princeton has many historic annual reports. To find, search the company name in the Catalog. Additional sources may be found online:
