5 Great Data Sources For Corporate Finance (UK)

It’s not always easy to know where to start when looking for strong data sources. We recently, we came across a great interview with a UK-based Corporate Finance professional in which she revealed her preferred data sources. We thought this was a great idea, and so we’re giving you our assessment of the sources she recommends, as well as suggesting one or two of our own as a special bonus!

1. Companies House

Companies House is the UK Government’s records of companies registered to the British Isles. If you want to find the deal value on a UK-based transaction then this could be a great source for you. It could be a particularly useful source if the deal value about which you’re interested is a private transaction in which case the deal value isn’t always publicly announced. With access to Companies House you can often find the deal value from private company transactions listed in the companies accounts for that year. This source is best leveraged for looking into specific cases and specific companies. It is less helpful for industry wide data, however, it can be a great source if used judiciously.

2. Thomson Reuters On Demand

If you own your own business or indeed conduct freelance financial analysis then Thomson Reuters on Demand could be just the right fit for you and your business. The nice feature of this service is that with a pay as you play format you can get access to the Thomson basket of products without the cost of subscription. You pay only for what you need. Whether you want company multiples, global deal information or company reports this can be a great, cost effective source for you. Thomson Reuters is financial analysis by financial analysts for financial analysts.

3. Factiva

Dow Jones provides the Factiva service is a great source for business-critical information. Factiva has a powerful search function which can help you get your hands on hard-to-find information. You can use this tool to set alerts on particular companies and industries which can be a real boon when your work is focused on a particular company. A great way to stay up-to-date.

4. EMIS

EMIS is an emerging markets-focused information service. This service offers company data sheets as well as broader macroeconomic data and forecasting. With EMIS you can create customized alerts from a database of over 1.3 million companies. In an increasingly globalized and interconnected world you can’t afford not to not stay on top of emerging market trends.

5. Euromonitor

The sheer range and depth of the data on offer from Euromonitor is both a gift and a challenge. In order to get the most from Euromonitor you have to be focused and disciplined in your searches. There is a lot on offer and unless you are very clear about what it is you want to achieve from your research it’s easy to get swamped by the volume. But used efficiently there is a great deal of value to be gleaned.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this latest post from the Eloquens team. If you work in corporate finance and have found this useful or perhaps we’ve missed out your favorite data source, please get the conversation going through our twitter page.