Due Diligence – Business Research
Why Should I Care?
In the world of business, investors, analysts, lawyers and accountants need to know who they are doing business with. They often use the term 'due diligence' for the research work done prior to signing an important contract or transaction. Here are some sources of information that are very useful for business research.
Ownership
Company Legal Name, Type of Organization, Shareholders, or Administrators
http://www.registreentreprises.gouv.qc.ca/fr/consulter/rechercher/
Top news items, Stock Price Graphs and Financials
http://www.google.com/finance
Locations and Production Information
(Headquarter, plants, distribution, brands, products, employees, key managers)
http://www.icriq.com/fr/
Financials, Industry Overview, Main clients and Strategy
Disclosure required by the Toronto Stock Exchange from listed Corporations
(See “Management Discussion” and “Risk Management” in Annual Report)
www.sedar.com
Patents and Trademarks
USA: http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html
CANADA: http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/tmSrch.do?lang=eng
Legal Decisions
Includes all decisions by a judge in Quebec. Does not include out-of-court settlements.
www.soquij.qc.ca
Export Markets Data
http://www.strategis.ic.gc.ca (Industry Canada)
http://www.economie.gouv.qc.ca/objectifs/exporter/pays-et-territoires/?no_cache=1 (Qc gov.)
Short history of International Companies
International Directory of Company Histories. (2005). St. James Press.
@ McGill Library, HEC Library, and Funding Universe
Website: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/a.html
No Comments