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Company Research

Best Bets for Market Share Data

Calculating Market Share

There is no single resource for market share information. 

Market share is calculated by dividing a company's sales over a period of time by the total sales in a given market or industry.

This calculation is almost always determined by consulting various sources. Listed above are the best bets which you should consult immediately. For more resources, consider:

Articles in Journals, Magazines & Newspapers

  • Search databases such as NexisUni, Factiva, and Business Source Complete to see what has been written about the company, "market" or "industry".
  • As you scan articles, watch for data such as the size of the market in dollars, units of sales, CAGR, value of shipments or industry sales in addition to phrases such as "market share." 

Trade Associations & Trade Magazines/Journals

  • Trade Associations & Trade Magazines/Journals can be excellent sources of market share data.
  • Trade resources often collect data on industry growth trends, sales figures, product developments, shipments and market share rankings.
  • Try using the resources of an association's web site, such as The Peanut Institute, SeafoodSource, or Wards Auto. You might be surprised what you'll find. Business Source Complete is also a best bet for trade journals.
  • Alternatively, explore the Trade Associations and Trade Pubs listed here on the Industry Research guide.

 Industry Statistics

Annual Reports, Filings & Other Company Documents

  • 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. See the Home page for information on 10K/Q.

For more on consumer data, industry reports, or general inquiries related to "market share" or business data, contact Benjamin Hall.