HBS Alumni Research Tips: Create a Target List of Companies

D&B Hoovers
Create a list of companies (potential employers, suppliers, customers, competitors, etc.) using criteria such as industry and geography.

• To get started, click Build a Company List.

• Click Location to specify a geography. It can be broad (regions, countries, states) or narrow (cities or counties). You can also run a proximity search based on zip code.

• Click Company Size to add financial criteria (sales) or number of employees.

• Click Industries to specify an industry or industries. Use D&B Hoovers’ industry categories or select a different industry classification system such as NAICS.

• Click Company Type to specify Ownership Type

  (public, private, nonprofit, etc.)

• Also under Company Type, expand Core Info to search the Business Description using keywords.

• Click View Results to see the list of companies generated.

• To export results to Excel, click Download.

• Note: If there are not sufficient credits to download, end your session and log in again, re-running your search. If you still cannot download, email infoservices@hbs.edu for assistance.

Mergent Intellect
Provides access to private and public U.S and international business and industry data.

• Scroll down the page and select Advanced Search, then select Company Criteria.

• Add all relevant filters such as Location, Industry, Size and Financial Information.

• Select Search to apply all your filters.

• Click the download arrow to export to Excel or CSV.

Morningstar Investment Research Center
Screen for stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds.

• Click on Screen (under Tools).

• From Investment Type, choose either stocks, CEFs, ETFs, or mutual funds.

• Apply all other relevant filters, such as Classification, Ratings, Reference, Valuation, and Profitability.

• After choosing your criteria, select Apply.

• Click on the download arrow to export to Excel.

• Note: only the top 50 results can be exported.