Publicly Held Company Rankings Key Terms

Some key terms for publicly held companies ranking and analysis

By J. Stoltzfus, writer/programmer LOCAL CITIZEN

Financial analysts and others rely on publicly held company rankings to know what's going on with the big Wall Street firms. For companies that have gone public, a lot of analysis is required to protect investors and to accurately assess the health of the financial giants that contribute to America's economic success. Knowing about some of the common key terms for ranking and analyzing publicly held companies will help a business understand the workings of this complex financial world.

Financials

Publicly held companies are often ranked according to various financial data or "financials." Web readers can get a lot of financials info through online sources to find out how well a company is doing and what kind of investment potential it might currently hold.
Try: See some links for corporate financials at Corporate Financials Online to get up-to-date reporting on what's going on with America's large companies.

Securities and Exchange Commission

The Securities and Exchange Commission is a federal agency that looks after the behaviors and the status of publicly held companies. The SEC gets involved in a lot of the activities around these companies to try to make sure financial reporting is accurate.
Try: See more on the SEC, including what they do and how they establish accuracy in finance, at their website.

Analyst reports

Outside individuals from brokerages or similar firms often complete reports on stock value or other elements of a publicly held company. Analyst reports help inform those involved in a company's health about its investment potential.
Try: See more on analyst reports from Lexis-Nexis.

Corporate structure

Corporate structure refers to the "layout" of a business in several essential ways. Reporting on publicly held companies often involves information on the corporate structure and how it might facilitate growth or further investment.
Try: See more on corporate structure at WiseGeek.

Standard and Poor's

Standard and Poor's is the leading source for financial analysis and data around publicly held companies. Indexes and publications from S&P get a lot of attention in the financial world.
Try: See more on Standard & Poor’s at their website.

Financial statements

Financial statements are information volunteered by these publicly held companies that help provide for rankings and other activity on Wall Street. Recent reporting shows that government agencies are changing regulations for financial statements.
Try: See more about financial statements and what's changing at CFO.