Is it a "top-ranked" company?

The criteria for inclusion of some of the more popular general directories are the net worth of the company, annual revenue, the number of employees, or worse yet, paying as if for advertising. Not surprisingly, smaller-sized companies or less established companies are often excluded from these resources if they fail to make the cut.

Having an idea of the company's rank could therefore save you a lot of research time since it will allow you to better judge which directories are the most likely to contain the information you need. Consult the following business sources which compile and rank company data:

Forbes International Company Rankings
http://www.forbes.com/companies/

Forbes Magazine makes available company lists and rankings which can be ordered by name, country, industry, or rank. A short profile is provided for each company on the list with links to the company's homepage.

Fortune Magazine's Fortune 500 list:http://www.pathfinder.com/fortune/fortune500/index.html

Fortune Global 500 list:
http://www.pathfinder.com/fortune/global500/index.html
Similar to Forbes, the Fortune 500 lists the largest 500 corporations in the United States.

Hoover's Handbook of Emerging Companies
(near McGraw Desk; *R-SIBL HF5035 .E43)
Covers 500 companies thought by Hoover's editors as having demonstrated growth and the potential for future gains based on sales growth. Includes a compendium of lists (best small companies, fastest-growing companies, etc.)