MHC Library Guides: Business: Industries

Profiles

Database Type	Reports I Industry Overviews, mainly qualitative
Topics	Trends, challenges, and opportunities on specific industry segments
Use Tip	A few Canadian profiles are located in the "International" section
Video Tutorial	2-minute video created by Sawyer Library

Database Type	Industry Codes I Government Websites
Topics	NAICS codes group business establishments into industries according to similarity in the processes used to produce goods or services.
Use Tip	Use NAICS Codes to find industry profiles in the database called Business Source Complete located in the "Articles & News" section. 6-digit codes are different in every country (Canada, US, Mexico).
Video Tutorial	3-minute video created by McIntyre Library

Database Type	Financial Ratios I Government Website I Statistics Canada
Topics	Determine costs and benchmarks in a given industry.
Use Tip	To obtain different data use the "incorporation status" filter.
Video Tutorial	12-minute video created by RRC Library

Ratios are tools that allow you to plan and assess your company's progress over time, and to compare it to other companies in the same industry. There are different kinds of ratios, including operating ratios, financial ratios, performance indicators, and benchmarks.
A financial ratio is a simple mathematical comparison of two or more entries from a company's financial statements.
Creditors use ratios to chart a company's progress, uncover trends and point to potential problem areas.