FINDING AND USING BUSINESS &

ECONOMIC DATA
College of Business & Economics
West Virginia University

Prepared by
Min-Wook Ha
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Economics

July 27, 2009

* List
Ⅰ. Major sources of data --- p.3
- WRDS, SourceOECD, IFS, DOTS, World Bank, PPC, AICPA, Mergent Online,
Value Line, Hoover’s Pro, IBISWorld, Qualtrics, Other marketing data
Ⅱ. Financial data --- p. 4
1. Stocks
– CRSP
– Value Line
– Compustat Prices, Dividends and Earnings
2. Fundamentals
– Compustat North America

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 – Compustat Global
– Mergent Online
3. Market Equities and Factors
– Dow Jones
– CBOE
– Fama French Factor and Portfolio
4. Bank
– Bank Regulatory
5. Bond
– TRACE
6. Currency Option
– PHLX
7. Mergers & Acquisition
– Blockholders
Ⅲ. Economic data --- p. 10
1. International Organization
– SourceOECD
– IFS
– DOTS
– World Bank
2. Interest Rate
– FRB
3. Foreign Exchange
– Compustat Global Currency
– FRB
Ⅳ. Accounting data --- p. 12
1. U.S. Companies
– Compustat North America (including Canada)
– Mergent Online
2. U.S. Market
– SEC – mandated Closure
3. U.S. Accounting system
– PPC
4. U.S. Banking Companies
– Bank Regulatory
5. International Companies
– Mergent Online
Ⅴ. Management and Marketing data --- p. 14
1. Company Management and Ownership
– Compustat Executive Compensation
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 – Mergent Online, Executive Biographies
– Blockholders
2. Merketing
– WRDS – DEMF
– MRI Mediamark Reporter (via library)
– Sports Business Research Network (via library)
3. Company and Industry Research
– Mergent Online
– Hoover’s Pro Access for Academic Libraries (via library)
– IBISWorld (via library)
I. Major Sources of Data
AICPA: a database of professional auditing standards and other standards related to
engagements performed by public independent accountants from the American Institute
of Certified Public Accountants. The database includes practice aides and authoritarian
guidelines to assist the independent accountant in performing audit engagements.
♣ Any computer in the B&E building

Hoover’s Pro Access for Academic Libraries: delivers comprehensive insight and
analysis about the companies, industries, and people that drive the economy, along with
the powerful tools to find and connect to the right people to get business done.
♣ To Connect: http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#H

IBISWorld: Industry market research reports, economic, and demographic data to

support business research; reports include statistics, industry structure, product and
customer segmentation, performance analysis, major players, market share, and 5-year
forecast analysis over 680 industries.
To Connect: http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#I

IFS: Provides a standard source of international statistics on all aspects of international

and domestic finance.
♣ CD-ROMs are available in Nicki Metts’ office (419)
Mergent Online: Extensive company information, including profiles of 10,500
companies traded on US stock exchanges, 17,000 non-US companies, fifteen years of
financial statements, corporate annual reports and comprehensive market reports on
over 100 countries. In addition to the as reported financials Mergent Online includes
segment results, restated financials, preliminary results and historical ratios.
♣ To Connect: http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#M
MRI Mediamark Reporter: includes consumer demographic information, product and
media preferences, and spending habits. Reports may be downloaded into a
spreadsheet.
♣ Registration with WVU email is required for each user
♣ To Connect: http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#M
PPC: Contains three parts of accounting data, FASB (The Financial Accounting Standards
Board), GASB (Governmental Accounting Research System), GAAP (generally accepted
accounting principles). ♣ Any
computer in the B&E building
Qualtrics: Qualtrics is a leading answer to the demand for corporate research and
feedback tools. Recognizing that the need for research tools in corporations is wide and
diverse, Qualtrics provides a survey tool that is both user-friendly and powerful—putting

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answers within reach of every employee. ♣ To Connect:
http://www.qualtrics.com/wvu.html
SourceOECD: provides journals, books, working papers and statistics from the OECD.
The OECD works on global issues about economy, society, government, finance,
innovation and sustainability. ♣ Following
website shows the list of titles accessible:
http://fiordiliji.sourceoecd.org/vl=409832/cl=12/nw=1/rpsv/register/subscriptions.htm
♣ WVU subscription rights include all items marked .
Sports Business Research Network: focuses on the sporting goods and sports
marketing industry. Its mission is to provide a continuously updated resource featuring
market research and industry news covering all facets of the industry, including sports
equipment sales, sports participation, sports broadcasting, sports sponsorship and sports
marketing. ♣ To Connect:
http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#S
Value Line: It weekly provides what is called an issue which has information useful for
investors virtually to invest covering some 1,700 equity issues and more than 90
industries. It also offers up-to-date alert, news and featured articles.
♣ To Connect: http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#V
WRDS: a comprehensive web-based data management system that allows faculty and
students to easily retrieve information from a wide variety of financial, economic, and
marketing data sources.
♣ To Connect: http://wrds.wharton.upenn.edu/
♣ For guide to get started: http://www.be.wvu.edu/wrds/home/index.html

Ⅱ. Financial data
1. Stocks 1) CRSP

maintains the most comprehensive collection of security price,

return, and volume data for the NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ stock
Description
markets. Additional CRSP files provide stock indices, beta- and
cap-based portfolios, treasury bond and risk-free rates.

Dec. 1925 –
Stock Monthly
Dec. 2006

Available Dec. 1925 –

Stock Daily
Dataset Dec. 2006

Jun. 1961 – Dec.

Daily Bonds
2006

To connect Via WRDS, http://wrds.wharton.upenn.edu/

2) CRSP and Compustat Merged (CCM)

maintains the most comprehensive collection of security price,

return, and volume data for the NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ stock
Description
markets. Additional CRSP files provide stock indices, beta- and
cap-based portfolios, treasury bond and risk-free rates.

Available Stock Monthly Dec. 1925 –

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 Dec. 2006

Dec. 1925 –
Stock Daily
Dataset Dec. 2006

Jun. 1961 – Dec.

Daily Bonds
2006

To connect Via WRDS, http://wrds.wharton.upenn.edu/

3) Value Line

Description It weekly provides what is called an issue.

The issue has three parts:

- The Ratings & Reports section contains one-page reports which
contain Value Line's TimelinessTM, Safety, and Technical ranks,
financial and stock price forecasts for the coming 3 to 5 years, an
analyst's written commentary, and much more.
Contents - The Summary & Index contains an index of all stocks in the
publication as well as many up-to-date statistics to keep investors
informed about the latest company results.
- The Selection & Opinion gives Value Line's views on the
economy and the stock market and on stocks of special interest. It
also provides model portfolios for investors with various objectives
and a number of economic and stock-market statistics.

To connect http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#V

4) Compustat North America - Prices, Dividends and Earnings

contains market information on all COMPUSTAT industrial

Description companies and approximately 120 industry indexes and
composites.

WRDS -> Compustat North America -> Prices, Dividends and

To connect
Earnings

2. Fundamentals 1) Compustat
North America

contains database of U.S. and Canadian fundamental and market

information on more than 24,000 active and inactive publicly held
Description companies. It provides more than 300 annual and 100 quarterly
Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows, and
supplemental data items.

Available Fundamentals Annual

Dataset
Fundamentals Quarterly

5
 Security Monthly

Pension

Industry Specific

Industrial Annual

Industrial Quarterly

Price, Dividends, and Earnings

Canadian Annual

Bank Annual

Segments

Index Fundamentals Annual

Executive Compensation

To Connect via WRDS

2) Compustat Global

provides authoritative financial and market data covering publicly

traded companies in more than 80 countries, representing over
Description 90% of the world's market capitalization, including coverage of
over 96% of European market capitalization and 88% of Asian
market capitalization. Hundreds of data items, ratios and concepts
and up to 12 years of annual history is included.

1987-2007,
Global Currency
monthly

1987-2006,
Global Financial Services
annual
Available
Dataset
1993-2006,
Global Industrial/Commercial
annual

1987-2006,
Global Issue
annual

To Connect via WRDS

3) Mergent Online

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 Description Provides extensive company information

Each company screened by the selections has following:

– Synopsis of the company

Databases – Company financials
– Annual reports
– Competitors

To connect http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#M

3. Market Equities and Factors 1) CBOE

(Chicago Board Options Exchange)

New CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX®) is a key measure of market

Description expectations of near-term volatility conveyed by S&P 500 stock
index option prices.

1986 – 2007,
Old CBOE S&P100 Volatility Index (VXO)
Daily

1990 – 2007,
New CBOE S&P500 Volatility Index (VIX)
Daily
Available
Dataset
2001 – 2007,
CBOE NASDAQ Volatility Index (VXN)
Daily

1997 – 2007,
CBOE DJIA Volatility Index (VXD)
Daily

To Connect Via WRDS

2) Dow Jones

covers the Dow Jones Averages and the Dow Jones Total Return
Description
Indexes.

1896 – Mar.
Dow Jones - Daily
2007
Available
Dataset
1896 – Mar.
Dow Jones - Monthly
2007

To connect via WRDS

3) Fama French Factor and Portfolio

Description Provides web queries for the Fama-French factors and portfolios,
momentum factors, as well as Pastor-Stambaugh Liquidity Factors.

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 To Connect via WRDS

4. Bond
1) TRACE (Trace Reporting and Compliance Engine)

consolidates transaction data for all eligible corporate bonds -

investment grade, high yield and convertible debt. As a result,
individual investors and market professionals can access
Description
information on 100 percent of OTC activity representing over 99
percent of total U.S. corporate bond market activity in over 30,000
securities.

Available Jul. 2002 – Dec.

Bond Trades
Dataset 2007

To connect via WRDS

5. Currency Options
1) PHLX (Philadelphia Stock Exchange)

The Philadelphia Stock Exchange's United Currency Options Market

(UCOM) offers choice of expiration date, strike (exercise) price,
Description
premium payment and any combination of 10 currencies currently
available for a total of 100 possible currency pairs.

2/28/83 -
Currency Options
12/19/97,Dalily
Available
Dataset
2/6/1995 –
Implied Volatility
1/28/1998,Daily

To connect via WRDS

6. Bank
1) Bank Regulatory

This resource provides financial and merger information about U.S.

Description banking institutions. It contains five databases for regulated
depository financial institutions.

Commercial Bank
- Balance sheet data Mar.1976 –
- Income statement Dec.2006,
Available - Off-Balance sheet item Quarterly
Dataset - Risk-Based capital measures

Jun. 1986 – Dec.

Bank Holding companies
2006

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 FDIC/OTS Deposit 1994 - 2002

Merger Information 1986 – 2001

Research Information System (=old FDIC) 1984 - 1998

To connect via WRDS

2) Compustat North America - Bank via WRDS

contains data on approximately 638 of the leading United States

Description
banking institutions.

To connect WRDS -> Compustat North America -> Bank

7. Audit Information
1) Compustat North America – Audit Fees
(Go Ⅱ. 2 to see the description of Compustat)
8. Mergers & Aquisition
1) Bank Regulatory via WRDS

Database from the FRB Chicago provides acquisition/merger data

and other useful records about circumstances under which a
Description financial institution ceased to exist. It provides information about
the survivor and non-survivor entity, dates and merging codes from
1986.

To connect WRDS -> Bank Regulatory -> Merger Information

Ⅲ. Economic data
1. International Organization
1) SourceOECD

Global issues about economy, society, government, finance,

Description
innovation and sustainability.

www.sourceoecd.org
To Connect
Available in campus without logging in (available with personal
notebook in campus)

- Following website shows the list of titles available via SourceOECD,

showing whether you have access or not.
http://fiordiliji.sourceoecd.org/vl=409832/cl=12/nw=
Tips to use 1/rpsv/register/subscriptions.htm

- WVU subscription rights include all items marked .

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 2) IMF

International
Provides a standard source of international statistics on all
Financial
aspects of international and domestic finance.
Statistics (IFS)

Direction of
Contains data on the value of merchandise exports and
Trade Statistics
imports between each country and all its trading partners.
(DOTS)

2. Interest rate
1) Federal Reserve Bank Reports

contains three databases collected from Federal Reserve Banks.

Two of them (Foreign Exchanges and Interest Rates) come from
Description reports published for the Federal Reserve Board (H.10 and H.15
reports). The other one contains the Coincident State Indexes
from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

Foreign Exchange Rates Daily and Monthly Jan.1971 - Jan.200

Series 8

Daily:Jan.1954-
Available Interest Rates
Jan. 2008
Dataset (Federal Reserve Board's H15 Report) Monthly: Jan. 1919
– Dec. 2007

Jan. 1979 – Mar.

State Coincident Indexes
2007, monthly

To connect via WRDS

3. Foreign exchange
1) Compustat global currency via WRDS
2) FRB via WRDS

Ⅳ. Accounting data
1. U.S. companies
1) Compustat North America (including Canadian)
(Go Ⅱ. 2 to see the description of Compustat)
2) Mergent Online

Description contains:
• U.S. Company Data
• U.S. Company Archives Data

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 • U.S. Annual Reports
• International Company Data
• International Company Archives Data
• International Annual Reports
• Institutional Holdings Data
• Insider Trading Data
• FactSheets
• FactSheets Express
• Expanded Long-Term Debt
• Global Earnings Estimates
• Global Equity Pricing
• Global Industry Reports
• Experian National Business Database
• Mergent Equity Research Reports
• Standardized and Common-Sized Financials
• U.S. Executive Biographies

To connect http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#M

2. U.S. market
1) SEC

contains information from the annual reports of publicly traded

U.S. companies. The system allows you to search for financial
Description
statement data, including balance sheet, income statement, cash
flow data and financial ratios by numerous criteria.

Jun. 2001 –
Available
Order Execution (Rule 11Ac1-5) Jul. 2005,
Dataset
monthly

To Connect via WRDS

3. U.S. accounting system

1) AICPA ReSource

Description AICPA ReSource is a database of professional auditing standards and

other standards related to engagements performed by public
independent accountants from the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants. The database includes practice aides and
authoritarian guidelines to assist the independent accountant in
performing audit engagements.

To Connect Any computer in the B&E building – my computer- I: - AICPA –

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 win9XNT or UPDNFO – sutup - all programs – AICPA reSource Library
– Professional standards

2) PPC (Practitioners Publishing Company)

- FASB (The Financial Accounting Standards Board): establishes

and improves standards of financial accounting and reporting for the
guidance and education of the public, including issuers, auditors, and
users of financial information.
- GASB (Governmental Accounting Research System): contains
full text copies of the GASB original pronouncements, codification,
Description staff implementation guides and an index.

- GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles): covers all

FASB Statements, Interpretations, and Technical Bulletins; APB
Opinions; ARBs; and relevant AICPA statements of position, FASB
EITF issues, and FASB staff positions.

Any computer in the B&E building – my computer- I: - PPC – setup-

all programs – PPC Library – Reference Library
To Connect
* Connection problems contact BEIT or Henry Lee
(Henry.Lee@mail.wvu.edu).

4. International companies
1) Compustat Global
(Go Ⅱ. 2 to see the description of Compustat)
2) Mergent Online

International Company Data

International Company Archives Data
International Annual Reports
Description
Global Industry Reports
Global Equity Pricing
Global Earnings Estimates

To connect http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/databases#M

5. U.S. banking companies

1) Bank Regulatory
(Go Ⅱ. 6 to see the description of Compustat)

Ⅴ. Management and Marketing

1. Management and Ownership
1) Compustat North America - Executive Compensation
(Go Ⅱ. 2. to see the description of Compustat)

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 2) Mergent Online Executive Biographies
(Go Ⅵ. 1 to see the description of Mergent Online)
3) Blockholders

contains standardized data for blockholders of 1,913 companies.

Description The data was cleaned from biases and mistakes usually observed
in the standard source for this particular type of data.

Available 1996 - 2001,

Blockholders
Dataset annual

To connect via WRDS

2. Marketing
1) DMEF (Direct Marketing Educational Foundation)

Four individual data sets, each containing customer buying history

for about 100,000 customers of nationally known catalog and non-
Description profit database marketing businesses are available through DMEF
to approved academic researchers for use within academic
situations.

Oct.1986 – Dec.
Non-Profit Organization 1995

Through Jan.
Multi-Division Catalog Company
1996
Available
Dataset 12 years,
Specialty Catalog Company through Jul.31
1995

Dec.1971 –
Reproduction Gift Catalog Company
Dec.1992

To connect via WRDS

2) Qualtrics

Some of the main features of Qualtrics are: question library with

survey templates; custom survey design wizard; survey distribution
Description options; results export to Excel, PDF, SPSS, PowerPoint;
Anonymous Surveys. Qualtrics supports survey-based experiments
and features a block randomizer tool for experimental trials.

To Connect http://wvu.qualtrics.com/

3) MRI Mediamark Reporter

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 provides summary tables of comprehensive demographic, lifestyle,
product usage, and media data collected from an annual sampling
of over 26,000 consumers. These data provide strategic insights,
consumer targeting, brand trial/loyalty, promotional opportunities,
Description and trade marketing. In addition to the basic survey of who buys
what product, what magazines they read, and what types of
radio/TV/media they use, other databases within MRI provide
specialty target groups, such as ten major media centers, as well
as teenage users and upper-income/affluent consumers.

Via library
To Connect
Registration with WVU email is required for each user

4) Sports Business Reseasrch Network

offers comprehensive coverage of the sports industry sector which

includes statistical market research data, searchable database of
full-text articles, and industry directory data. Information sources
include National Sporting Goods Association, U.S. Department of
Commerce, various sports governing bodies, and professional
Description publications.

Features
Comprehensive statistics in table format for sports participation,
games attendance, consumer expenditures and more
Complete directory of U.S. and Canadian college sports programs

Tips Click on Tutorial on the top bar on any page

To Connect Via library

3. Company and Industry Research

1) Mergent Online
(Go Ⅵ. 1 to see the description of Mergent Online)

2) Hoover’s Pro Access for Academic Libraries

provides insight and analysis about the companies, industries, and

people that drive the economy, along with the powerful tools to find
and connect to the right people.
 Data on 32M companies and 37M people
Description  Ability to build customized lists
 250k downloads via reports or lists
 Up to 50 e-mail connections per user per month
 Access to corporate family trees
Note: Download to Excel for records is not available

To Connect Via library

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3) IBISWorld

As the world’s largest independent publisher of U.S. industry

research, IBISWorld’s team of expert analysts covers 700 different
Description market segments. Each industry report is presented in an
objective, easy to understand format, providing hard-to-find
answers to top market research questions. Each market report is
available online in HTML, PDF, or Word format.

To Connect Via library

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