Financial Analysis: Industry Info

Guide for Financial Analysis Capstone Course

Quick links: NAICS Code search / SIC Code search

The Federal government classifies manufacturing and service industries and assigns each a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code number in order to promote the comparability of statistics. These SIC codes are hierarchical and may range from 2 to 8 digits long. For example:

Major Group 37 Transportation equipment
371 Motor vehicles and equipment
3711 Motor vehicles and passenger car bodies
37111 Automobiles
371124 Minivans

 

The SIC code has been revised over the years and some code numbers have changed. Be careful when comparing data from different publishers and over a long period of time. Currently, most sources are using the 1992 revision.

Beginning with the 1997 Economic Census, the Census Bureau used an entirely new North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) more closely aligned with international codes. NAICS was developed jointly by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico based on similar processes instead of by materials and breaks out many of the more recent industries.

Several new sectors were added: Information; Health Care and Social Assistance; and the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Sector. Commercial publications have started to convert to NAICS, but many still use SIC codes.

This video from the University of North Carolina Greensboro does a fine job explaining what NAICS codes are and how to find the NAICS code for the industry you are researching. 

Sources of Industry Information

Library Databases

(Access provided through Madison College Libraries)

Free Online Sources

Free Websites

Government Sources