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Downloading Comprehensive Manufacturing Data: A Step-by-Step Guide
Want to dig into the financial and operational performance of the biggest U.S. manufacturing companies? Here's a handy guide to help you get the data you need.
Finding the Data
To gather detailed financial and operational data for major U.S. manufacturing companies, there are various sources at your disposal. Here's a roundup of the most popular options:
1. Specialized Financial Databases
Go-to databases for financial performance data include:- S&P Global, Bloomberg, and FactSet: These platforms offer a wealth of financial statements, operational metrics, and historical data for public companies. Although you'll generally need a paid subscription for access, you can filter by industry (manufacturing) and company size.- ProQuest ABI/INFORM: This resource offers industry reports and data for over 100 industries, including financial performance, searchable by NAICS or SIC code[2].- SEC EDGAR Database: Public U.S. companies file quarterly (10-Q) and annual (10-K) reports with the SEC, which contain all required financial and operational data. You can access these filings for free.
2. Government and Economic Data
For industry-wide data, consider the following resources:- FRED Economic Data and BLS: These portals provide aggregate employment and manufacturing sector data, but lack company-level financials[1].- Federal Reserve Board and Economic Census: Offer industry-wide statistics like production, capacity utilization, and employment, but no firm-specific financial data[2][3].- Annual Survey of Manufactures: This source provides detailed statistics on manufacturing industries, but data is at the industry, not company, level[2].
3. Market Research and Industry Reports
Some resources for aggregated data and industry analytics are:- IBISWorld, Statista, and SIFMA Research Quarterly: These publish analytics, data, and occasionally top company rankings, but full financials are typically hidden behind paywalls[2][4].- S&P Global PMI and Trading Economics: Provide indices and sector performance, not company-specific data[5].
Gathering and Analyzing the Data
Once you've identified your data sources, follow these steps to gather and analyze the data:
For Company-level Data
- Use financial databases: If you have access to Bloomberg, S&P Capital IQ, or FactSet, you can export data for the largest public manufacturing companies.
- Compile SEC filings: Manually or via automated scripts, download the latest 10-K and 10-Q filings for each company from the SEC’s EDGAR system. Then, extract and aggregate the data you need.
- Third-party aggregators: Services like Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) or S&P Global Market Intelligence allow for bulk data downloads for academic and professional users.
For Industry-level Data
- Use government data portals: Download reports from the Economic Census, Annual Survey of Manufactures, or BEA Industry Economic Accounts[2].
- Consult industry reports: Use ProQuest ABI/INFORM or other market research databases to access industry analyses and performance summaries[2].
In Closing
With a bit of elbow grease and the right resources, you'll crack the code and have access to the financial performance and operational data of the 500 largest U.S. manufacturing companies. If you don't have access to paid financial databases, the SEC EDGAR system is a free, solid starting point[2][3].
[1] FRED Economic Data https://fred.stlouisfed.org/[2] ProQuest ABI/INFORM Database https://www.proquest.com/products-services/abii.html[3] Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/[4] IBISWorld https://www.ibisworld.com/[5] S&P Global PMI https://www.pmi.org/
The guide provides various sources for financial and operational data of major U.S. manufacturing companies, such as specialized financial databases like S&P Global, Bloomberg, and FactSet, government and economic data portals like FRED Economic Data and BLS, and market research databases like IBISWorld and ProQuest ABI/INFORM.
To analyze the financial performance and operational data of specific manufacturing companies, one can use financial databases, manually download SEC filings, or utilize third-party aggregators, while industry-level data can be obtained from government data portals and industry reports. If access to paid financial databases is not available, the SEC EDGAR system offers a solid starting point for free.
