15.1 Identify top three competitors.
15.2 To what degree are these other employers true competitors? Do they actually supply the same product or service?
15.3 What are the percentages of the industry that your target firm and each of its major competitors control?
15.4 Is one of these firms emerging as a leader?
Firms often identify competitors or peer groups in their Annual Return available from Companies House WebCHeck or the company website, which may include additional information on their competitors. Once you find your target firm on Yahoo Finance, you can select the “competitors” tab which both identifies major competitors and provides some basic financial information on each. Industry publications will be invaluable in identifying industry leaders, percentage of market share and where your target firm is in relation to its competitors. Mergent Online (fee-based) provides extensive information on competitors.
When evaluating competitors, it is important to identify if they are true competitors. Do they actually produce the same product mix and have similar clients or customers?
UMass Resources (for UMass students only)
Mergent Online has excellent information on competitors.