Researching the History of a Company
If you are interested in researching the history of a public or private company, NYPL offers many useful resources to assist you. The history of a public company through mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs or other financial transactions are a matter of public record and not hard to find (at the least, the SEC will have a record). The history of a private company may be more difficult to locate, as the terms are not required to be reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
If you are researching an old stock certificate, you can also search by the company's state of incorporation, or their transfer agent (the certificate will list both). Every state in the U.S. has a Division of Corporations, which maintains records for all businesses (public and private) incorporated there. Many states provide an online database of their corporation records, though sometimes only in a certain timeframe, which may not include all of their records on paper. Many of these databases are free to use, but a few states charge a modest fee for an online search.
For older stock certificates, you may want to contact the state's Division of Corporations by phone or e-mail and inquire directly. The state of New York's Corporation & Business Entity database can be found here.
If your stock certificate no longer has value as a traded security, it may nonetheless have value as a collectible. There is a market for old stock certificates as collectibles, for historical interest or aesthetic value as an object. Many collectibles dealers who appraise old stock certificates have websites or advertise online.
Electronic Resoucres Available at NYPL
- Capital ChangesUse the search engine provided by Capital Changes. Older company names will redirect you to the current (or last) company name for the full entry.
- Hoover's
NOTE: No Downloading or emailing of records is enabled for this database. Printing only or PDF profile of an individual company. Directory for company & industry information for 43,000 private & public companies, & 600 industries. **Patrons should read the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy of this resource before searching.**
- S&P Capital IQ (Standard and Poor's Capital IQ)Select the company you are researching, using the search engine at the top of the screen. Next, select "SEC Filings" under the subject heading News, Events, and Filings, or under the Most Used subject heading, in the left-hand column.
Print Resources Available at NYPL
Capital Changes Reporter is available in the Business Center's reference collection in Financial Services. A series of spiral-bound records, the Reporter is updated only through 2011, unlike the up-to-date electronic edition.
Directory of Obsolete Securities (formerly Annual Guide to Stocks) | *R-SIBL HG4927 .F5 | Print compilation kept in Financial Services. The Directory is the remaining portion of the Annual Stock Guide, a part of the Library Reference Service. It contains 'brief profiles' of a very broad range of U.S. securities affected by name changes, mergers or acquisitions, or bankruptcy. It includes judgments as to whether a stock has any remaining value.
Hoover's Masterlist of U.S. Companies is available in the Business Center's reference collection, with the call number HF5035.H66
Robert D. Fisher Manual of Valuable & Worthless Securities / Marvyn Scudder Manual of ... Companies | This set of print volumes was the first attempt at an encyclopedic compilation of details about extinct companies. Starting in 1926 the service has very brief entries for companies, including a date of dissolution. Its main feature is that it includes very small, private companies.Our set, from 1926 - 1983, is shelved at * R-SIBL HG4927.R64 in Financial Services.
External Resources
The SEC's EDGAR database includes electronic copies of all filings from pubic companies incorporated in the United States, starting from 1996.
The SEC also offers a quick guide to researching old stock certificates.