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Business Research

Finding Financial Ratios for Companies

Financial ratios show the mathematical relationship between two numbers related to a company's performance. Once a ratio has been calculated according to the relevant formula, the ratio can be used to help determine how well a particular company is doing in comparison to its competitors and/or in comparison to its own past performance.

Here's how to find company ratios in various UMGC Library databases:

Click on the links above to learn how to find company financial ratios in each of the sources listed.

Gale Business: Insights

Login to Gale Business: Insights.

Click on the Browse All Companies button, enter a company's name in the search box, and then click on the company's name on the search results page.

Scroll down on the company profile page and you'll see a "Financial performance" section that includes a "Ratios" section. Click on the All Ratios link to see all available financial ratios.

Hoovers

Login to Hoovers

Enter a company's name in the "Search for a company" box at the top of the database's home page.

On the left-hand side of the company information page, see the Annual Ratios and/or Ratio Comparisons links in the "Financials" section for available ratios. Note that the Ratio Comparisons link will show financial ratios for the company that you searched for, as well as for the industry and sector that the company is a part of.

IBISWorld

Login to IBISWorld.

Enter a company’s name in the search box.

The Company Financials section of the company overview page contains the company’s key ratios.

Nexis Uni

Login to Nexis Uni.

Click on the Find a Company link on the database's home page, below the search box.

On the Find a Company page, enter a company’s name in the “Company name” search box and click on its name on the results page.

On the company dossier page, click on the Financial Overview link on the left-hand side of the page and then click on the Ratio Analysis link.

Also on the company dossier page, click on the Industry Knowledge link on the left-hand side of the page and then click on the Industry Overview link. Then, on the industry overview page, click on the link for Ratio Components  to see industry ratios for the selected company as well as corresponding ratios for competitors.

Statista

Login to Statista.

Click on the Company DB link in the blue menu bar toward the top of the database's home page.

Enter a company's name in the "Search by company name" box.

Click on a company's name from among the list of matching companies, using filters as needed to narrow the list of matching companies.

The company information page presents basic company financial ratios, including metrics related to liquidity and leverage.

Additional Resources

The UMGC Library contains many ebook resources that can be used to find  more information about what financial ratios are, how they're calculated, what they can be used for, etc. A sampling of these resources is given below:

  • Financial ratios
    • This encyclopedia entry (from the Encyclopedia of small business) provides information about four categories of ratios: profitability/return on investment, liquidity, leverage, and efficiency.
  • Financial ratios 
    • This encyclopedia entry (from the Encyclopedia of management) provides information about many types of financial ratios: profitability, asset utilization, leverage, liquidity, market value, and common size. It also provides cautionary information about the use and interpretation of financial ratios.
  • Financial ratios for executives: How to assess company strength, fix problems, and make better decisions
    • This book provides information about more than 100 financial ratios and other calculations. Each ratio presented is accompanied by a description, formula, an example using the ratio, and additional comments/insights.
  • Business ratios and formulas: A comprehensive guide (3rd edition)
    • Per the preface for this ebook, "There are nearly 250 measurements itemized in this book. Each one is accompanied by a complete description, an explanation of the calculation, an example, and cautions regarding its use."
  • Intermediate accounting for dummies
    • This ebook presents 10 ratios for financial statement analysis, in addition to numerous other accounting-related topics
  • Analysis of financial statements (3rd edition)
    • Per the description for this ebook, the book's "authors demonstrate the nuts and bolts of financial analysis by applying the techniques to actual companies"