Companies & Finance: Analyst & SWOT Reports...

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Why use these?

Use these when you want:

  • Informed, expert commentary on a company
  • To know the strengths and weaknesses of the company

Finding analyst reports

We have several databases with financial analyst, or investment analyst, reports.  Refinitiv Workspace is by far the most comprehensive, however it is also the most difficult to use, and requires registration for an individual account.

Finding ESG reports

ESG = Environment, Social/Society, Governance

Also known as CSR reports (corporate social responsibility) ...

Companies sometimes post these reports on their websites, on the Corporate Register website (linked below) and sometimes they are even available within Refinitiv Workspace. 

Last but definitely not least ...  MSCI's database ESG Manager provides company reports and screening for the socially responsible investor. 

More information about this database:

The database was originally developed by the KLD investment firm (Kinder, Lydenberg & Domini; now owned by MSCI) in the late 1980's.  KLD also developed one of the oldest stock indexes that included social responsibility as one of its criteria for evaluating companies:  the Domini 400 Social Index.

The database covers ~4,000+ companies globally, and looks at the following criteria:

 –   Environment
 –   Community & Society
 –   Customers
 –   Employees & Supply Chain
 –   Governance & Ethics

In addition, they compile lists of companies that have a presence in controversial industries / services, so that investors can screen them out based on their own convictions.  These industries are:  abortion, adult entertainment, alcohol, contraceptives, firearms, gambling, military, nuclear power & services, and tobacco.

They compile their reports and data using a wide variety of company, government, non-government organization and media sources, including:  SEC filings; trade journals and newspapers; information from governmental agencies (e.g. EPA, OSHA, Dept. of Labor, etc.) and non-governmental organizations (e.g. CANNICOR, Human Rights Watch); the companies themselves; and more.

About ESG reporting

ESG translation:  E = environmental, S = social or society, G = corporate governance.  Also known as CSR reporting (corporate social responsibility) ...

In the late 1990's, under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), several non-profit entities developed a framework for corporate reporting beyond the financial, the Global Reporting Initiative.  Since then, there have been other frameworks developed!

Rating the raters:

Below are resources that discuss the reliability of ESG raters.

Finding SWOT reports

SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats graphicSWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. 

Easy:  SWOT reports are easily available in two databases: 
–  Business Insights - Essentials has reports from Global Data. 
–  Business Source Premier has reports from MarketLine.

Harder:  Refinitiv Workspace also has SWOT reports in its After Market Research collection (aka AMR or Investext), but they can be harder to get to.

SWOT analysis comes from the literature and discipline of strategic management, and is concerned with planning for the future of the firm.  So while investment analyst reports almost always cover public companies only, SWOT reports will sometimes also cover large private companies.  For more about strategic analysis and planning (for which SWOT is but one tool), read this entry on strategic planning tools in The Encyclopedia of Management.