How to Tell If a Company Is Private or Public

If you are attempting to research and gain insights about a particular company, knowing whether the company is public or private is very helpful. Public companies are required to submit documentation and reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. This information can be quite valuable if you are trying to research a particular company. Try several methods to determine whether a company is public or private.

Things You'll Need

• Internet connection

Instructions

1. Find the company's website. Look for a section on the site that discusses investor relations or stakeholders. Many companies will provide information about how to invest or purchase stock. Any company that sells stock is a public company.

2. Obtain a copy of Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies from a local library or purchase it online. This provides a fairly comprehensive profile of all public and private companies in the U.S. Try to obtain the latest version of the book because it will include recent entries.

3. Search the web database released by the SEC at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. Click the "Search for company filings" link on the homepage. This will allow you to search the database in various ways. You can browse recent filings or search by company name.

4. Search a worldwide database if the company you are trying to find is not an American company. BusinessWeek offers a worldwide search option. See Resources for a link to this database.

References

• University of Vermont Bailey/Howe Library: How to Determine if a Company is Public or Private

Resources

• BusinessWeek: List of Public Companies Worldwide