In this section, you will evaluate and discuss the company's vision, mission, and values statements, describe the company's key long term objectives, and assess the company's strategies.
Did you know about iPhone before it was first introduced by Apple? How about the newest style of sportswear from Nike?
The strategic direction of a company is part of its success, and it is very unlikely that the company will advertise its strategy to everyone, including its competitors, before any product launch.
Therefore, the strategic information you find will probably be dated or very general. However, you can look at current trends and past approaches to make an educated guess about the future aims of the company.
And always remember, you may have to look in a variety of places to find the information you need.
This should be your first stop when researching a company - it's a good source for:
Corporate information may be buried on the main web site - look for an "About Us" or "Company" or "Investors" link on the home page.
But remember: the main purpose of a company's web and annual report site is to promote itself, so "trust but verify" - all of the information on the company's achievements and performance can (and should be) be verified in external sources.
The annual report is a legal requirement for public companies, but it's also a vehicle for retaining and attracting investors; it's a great source for:
However, remember that the source of this information, especially around actions and accomplishments, is the company itself. Always "trust but verify" using external sources.
The most recent report (and sometimes previous reports) is usually available on the company's web site. Annual reports are also available from these sites:
Public companies around the world (and, in many countries, private companies, too) are legally required to file documents containing financial and other information with the government. These filings, as they're typically called, are then made publicly available.
For companies operating outside of the U.S. and Canada, you'll need to search the web for company filings [country].
Industry profiles offer an important context for your company's situation. Are the critical issues your company is facing unique to the company, or prevalent within the industry? Are there critical issues faced by your company's competitors that are not an issue for your company? Are there industry trends that are not reflected in your company's strategic directions or reports to investors? Industry profiles will give you a chance to gauge your company's situation against the larger industry.
