How to Find Company Information

Finding a SWOT Analysis

There are various strategies for finding a SWOT analysis. Not every resource listed here will provide a SWOT for every company you may be interested in researching. You may have to try more than one avenue before you hit pay dirt.

SWOT Analysis: How to do the research

SWOT Reports

Annual Reports

Newspaper and Magazine Articles

SWOT Analysis: How to do the research

NetMBA
Provides a simple framework, explaining the different elements of a SWOT analysis.

Bplans.com
A nice article, explaining what goes into creating a SWOT analysis.

SWOT Analysis: How To DO The Research.
This is a one-page guide to SWOT, prepared by Steven Bell, Director of Gutman Library at Philadelphia University. It includes information on how various library databases may help with the analysis. Baker University Library's electronic business databases can provide access to the information needed for the SWOT analysis.

SWOT Reports

Consult the following databases that provide SWOT analyses:
Business Source Premier

• In the first search box, type the company name. For example, microsoft.
• On the right, change the field to: CO Company Entity
• In the second search box, type: swot


• Search
• Open the .PDF Datamonitor report.

Business Insights Global

• In the search box, type your company. For example, McDonald's.




• Search
• When the company profile appears,select: SWOT Reports



• Select the company which will link to the .pdf report.

Lexis/Nexis Academic

• In the navigation column on the left, under Companies, select: Company Profiles



• In the first box, type your company. For example, Starbuck's.
• Change the field designation to:Company Name
• In the next box, type: swot.


• Search
• The results come from the sources, GlobalData Ltd and Progressive Media.
• Scroll down until you find the report that includes "SWOT Analysis" in its title.

AnnualReports

Often, you will find that much of the kind of information you need may be found in a company's annual report. Most public companies will feature access to their annual reports on their web pages.

TIP:	On a company web site, Annual Reports are frequently located under "Investor Relations." Other alternatives may include (but are not limited to) "Shareholder Information," "Earnings Releases," "Company Reports," "Company Profiles," "Financial Information," "Customer Service," or "About".

Look for headings such as "Risks" in the Table of Contents to locate the issues that will comprise a SWOT Analysis. As an example, see p.78 of Wells Fargo's Annual Report to see their discussion on Risk Factors.

Articles

Newspaper and periodical articles can provide extensive and varied types of information on companies--for example, new ventures, marketing campaigns, analyses of financial situations, pending lawsuits, scandal or ethics issues, trade barriers, regulatory issues, information about new competitors, workforce shifts, and the weak economy.

You can find business related articles in all of our Business Databases.