Research Guides: MGT 8123: Strategic Business Consulting: Industry Codes

Finding NAICS/SIC Codes by Company

EDGAR (SEC)
All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) electronically through EDGAR, the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system. Anyone can access and download this information for free. Here you'll find links to a complete list of filings available through EDGAR and instructions for searching the EDGAR database.

NAICS/SIC Discrepancies

While the descriptions and definitions of NAICS/SIC codes are standardized, the application of a particular code to a particular entity is not. Individual companies can choose their primary NAICS/SIC codes at their own discretion, and research firms may sort companies by varying codes based on their own criteria for analysis. Searching by NAICS or SIC in different databases may produce lists of different companies and competitors.

Finding Industry Classification Codes by Industry

Industry Classification Codes define or classify industries based on what they do and how they do it. Links to resources for the two industry codes most commonly used in the United States (NAICS and SIC) are listed below:

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
Browse the 1987 SIC manual on the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) site by structure or use the SIC Search link at the top of the page to search by keyword or by 2,3,4-digit SIC code. NAICS replaced the SIC in 1997 for the collection, tabulation, presentation, and analysis of economic statistics.
Converting SIC to NAICS
A detailed conversion (concordance) between the SIC and 2002 NAICS is available in Excel format for download at this U.S. Census Bureau site. There are no plans to develop a concordance between the SIC and 2012 NAICS.
NAICS & SIC Description Page (EBSCO)
EBSCO Publishing created this tip page to help align SIC information to a comparable NAICS code using information found at the U.S. Census Bureau's NAICS web page. The page is in SIC code order with a link to an alternate view ordered by NAICS code.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
The U.S. Census Bureau's NAICS site includes definitions for each industry, background information, tables showing changes, and a comprehensive index. NAICS was adopted in 1997 to replace the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. It was developed jointly by the U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC), Statistics Canada, and Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia.

NAICS/SIC Descriptive Tree Breakout

Knowing the full breakout will help you understand what level of analysis the Industry Research Reports, Financial Ratios, etc. are providing:

2007 NAICS codes and descriptions/definitions

Sector (2-digit)
Subsector (3-digit)
Industry Group (4-digit)
Industry (5-digit)
U.S. Industry (6-digit)

1987 SIC codes and descriptions/definitions

Division (A-J)
Major Group (2-digit)
Industry Group (3-digit)
Establishment (4-digit)