Market share is a company's sales stated as a percentage of total sales in a given market. It is important to consider all the parameters of the market under consideration. How broad is it? How narrow?

The following resources may be useful in finding market share. You may need to use only one. You may need to collect data from several sources.

For more general guidance researching companies and markets see our guide to Company & Industry Research.

Market Share Reporter

MARKET SHARE REPORTER and WORLD MARKET SHARE REPORTER (online), accessible through Business and Company Resource Center (Rensselaer at Hartford login ID and password required)
Online access to US and worldwide market share data. Use Advanced Search, select Rankings in Content Area, then in the main search form, enter Market Share in Source and your company or product.

MARKET SHARE REPORTER (print)
Collects market share data published in journals, magazines and newspapers.
REF HF 5410 .M35

Articles in Journals, Magazines & Newspapers

Search for market share data using databases which index journals and magazines.

As you search these databases watch for figures such as the size of the market in dollars (ex: "the $5.2 million dollar ____ market"), units of sales, value of shipments or industry sales in addition to phrases such as "market share" and "share of the ____ market."

LexisNexis Academic

Access to the full-text of nearly 6,000 trade, business and legal publications. See our Databases page.

PROQUEST DIRECT

See, in particular, the ABI/INFORM databases (Global, Trade & Industry, Dateline) which index over 2,000 business, management and finance publications. Accessible through our Databases page.

Business Source Premier (EBSCO)(Rensselaer at Hartford login ID and password required)
Search full text from major business journals covering management, economics, finance, accounting, and international business.

Trade Associations & Trade Publications

Trade Associations & Trade Publications can be excellent sources of market share data.

Trade Associations often collect data on industry growth trends, sales figures, product developements, shipments and market share rankings. Try using the resources of an association's web site. Or contact the association by phone and conduct a brief interview with a knowledgeable researcher, information officer or spokesperson.

Use our guide to Finding a Trade, Industry or Professional Association to locate an assocation in your area of interest.

The Library's Industry Data Finder provides links to trade associations.

Trade Publications are the "voice of the industry," often published by trade associations. Look, in particular, for special issues devoted to industry trends, financials and rankings. The following resources may be of use:

LexisNexis Academic

A full-text database with an emphasis on trade publications. Choose "Industry & Market News." See our Databases page.

The ABI/INFORM databases contain regional, national, and international trade publications.

The Library's Industry Data Finders provide links to trade publications.

GUIDE TO SPECIAL ISSUES AND INDEXES OF PERIODICALS

Use this resource to identify special issues of trade publications in your area of interest.

REF Z 6951 .S755

F & S INDEX - UNITED STATES

This print index provides access to company and industry news in trade and business publications.

PRINT INDEX AREA

Industry Profiles

Look for data such as the size of the market in dollars (ex: "the $5.2 million dollar ____ market"), units of sales, value of shipments or industry sales.

Industries Statistics

From the Bureau of the Census.

URL: http://www.census.gov/main/www/industries.html

STANDARD & POOR'S NET ADVANTAGE

Provides access the STANDARD & POOR'S INDUSTRY SURVEYS and eight additional Standard & Poor's publications. STANDARD & POOR'S INDUSTRY SURVEYS are also available in the Library at REF REF HC 106.6 .S74. See our Databases page.

HOOVER'S ONLINE

See the Industry Snapshots for an industry overview and information on leading companies. See our Databases page.

Financial Services can be used to locate company financials, and, in some cases, industry data.

VALUE LINE RESEARCH CENTER

Financial analysis of publicly-traded companies. One-page analyses of 95 industries. Includes composite statistics (including sales) for the industry. Both Standard and Expanded editions are available in print in the Library's BUSINESS REFERENCE AREA or on the web. See our Databases page.

MOODY'S INDUSTRY REVIEW

Comparative statistics, market trends and financial data for key companies in 137 industry groups.

BUSINESS REFERENCE AREA

Companies may report their own market share in the text of their annual reports and filings, on their Web sites, in press releases and other documents.