Hoovers has recently revised their interface and offers additional ways to filter your search and generate ideas for related firms in emerging industries. This is great for times when you wish to search more qualitative data such as “green energy” instead of the more quantitative filters such as revenue or employee count. To get started building a target company list, see our tips for using Hoover’s new interface
The three new search filters Hoovers has added are:
- Conceptual Search allows for natural language searches, for example ‘green energy’ or ‘self-driving vehicles.’ This supplements, but does not replace, search strategies using SIC and NAICS codes.
- Business Signals review 1200 measures of business activity to provide insight on possible future behaviors and sentiments. Categories include: Growth, Location, Media, Operations, Ownership, Spending and Risk, Technology, Workforce, Work Place
- Triggers are a single event in time, based on data from news articles, press releases, SEC and UK Companies House filings, data changes, and more. Event types include, M&A, Bankruptcy, Awards, Layoffs, Asset Increases, FDA Approval, Hiring Initiatives, Product Launches and Executive Changes.
If you’re used to using the print RMA Annual Statement Studies (similar to D&B Industry Business Norms) for valuation projects, you may now access these in Hoovers:
- Search tips for using RMA Annual Statement Studies in Hoovers. RMA is also available in print: BUS REF HF5681. B2 R6
Along with these great changes, some things remain the same, namely that you cannot download lists to excel. To build a list and export to excel, use AtoZdatabases: Target Company Lists or Uniworld: American and Foreign Companies with Global Operations.
Additionally, if you’re looking for First Research industry profiles, these are no longer linked to in Hoovers, however First Research industry profiles remain accessible directly via their database page.