Q. How can I find a company's top competitors?

Conducting company or industry research can often help you identify the main competitors of a company or major players in the industry which your company operates in. Here are the best bet databases which can help you identify competitors of a company:

• IBISWorld Industries and Markets allows you to search by a keyword (such as a product, brand, or service), company name, industry name, or NAICS code to retrieve industry reports. Look at the "Major Companies" to identify the major companies operating in that industry.
• Databases which contain company profiles such as Mergent Online, Marketline Reports via Business Source Complete, and D&B Hoovers often contain lists of major competitors.
• Data Axle is good for identifying competitors for smaller or locally owned companies and generating lists by searching for companies using industry codes.

Visit our Company Research guide for additional search suggestions and databases.