Standard & Poors research insight: getting started (North America)

COMPUSTAT Databases
We are committed to providing you with the most comprehensive and current databases of
fundamental financial and market information available today. When using Research Insight, you
will access either the COMPUSTAT (North America) database or the COMPUSTAT (Global)
database, depending on your subscription. Each database is described below.

COMPUSTAT (North America)
The (North America) database contains up to 20 years of annual data, up to 48 quarters of
history, seven years of business and geographic segment, and 240 months of stock prices and
dividend data. Fundamental financial and market data for over 11,100 U.S. and Canadian
companies provides a broad base for analysis of the North American market. The database also
contains data for over 10,900 inactive companies that no longer file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission due to a merger, liquidation or bankruptcy, etc.

COMPUSTAT (Global)
Our international database features detailed information on companies, indexes and currencies
from around the globe. With more than 15,300 industrial and financial services companies
representing over 80 countries, market data including over 90 local market indexes, and over
110 currencies, the Global database represents over 80% of the world’s market capitalization.


COMPUSTAT (Classic)
COMPUSTAT (Classic) is an as-reported historical database that provides non-restated,
quarterly COMPUSTAT data as it was originally collected by Standard & Poor’s. This database
allows you to look at data, as it was originally reported, at any point in time.

COMPUSTAT (BackData)
COMPUSTAT (BackData) provides historical annual and quarterly restated COMPUSTAT
(North America) data for testing models and validating theories. Annual data is available from
1950 forward; quarterly data from 1962 forward.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Getting Started ..........................................................................................1
Built on the Solid Foundation of COMPUSTAT Data ................................................2
COMPUSTAT Databases ..........................................................................................2
Textual Databases ....................................................................................................4
Selecting the Default Database ................................................................................5
Choosing Default Styles............................................................................................5
Where to Go When You Have Questions ..................................................................7
On-Screen Help..................................................................................................7
Web site..............................................................................................................7
Customer Support ..............................................................................................7

Chapter 2 - Navigating Research Insight ....................................................................9
Welcome to Research Insight Window ..................................................................10
Research Insight Desktop ......................................................................................11
Research Assistant ................................................................................................12
Research Assistant - Step 1 Window ..............................................................12
Research Assistant - Step 1 - Classic View Window ......................................14
Research Assistant - Step 2 Window ..............................................................15
Research Assistant - Step 3 Window ..............................................................16
Report Assistant......................................................................................................17
Report Assistant - Step 1 Window....................................................................17
Report Assistant - Step 2 Window....................................................................18
Report Assistant - Step 3 Window....................................................................19
Report Window........................................................................................................20
Chart Assistant........................................................................................................21
Chart Assistant - Step 1 Window......................................................................21
Chart Assistant - Step 2 Window......................................................................22
Chart Assistant - Step 3 Window......................................................................23
Chart Window ..................................................................................................24
File Open Window ..................................................................................................25
Run Assistant ..........................................................................................................26
Run Assistant - Screen ....................................................................................26
Run Assistant - Set ..........................................................................................27
Run Assistant - Report Time Periods ..............................................................28
Run Assistant - Screen - Classic View ............................................................29
Look Up List ............................................................................................................30
Buttons..............................................................................................................30
Look Up - Companies ......................................................................................31
Look Up - Items ................................................................................................32
Look Up - Functions ........................................................................................33
Look Up - Sets..................................................................................................34

Chapter 3 - Screening COMPUSTAT (North America) with the Research Assistant 35
Defining Screening Criteria and Viewing the Results of a Screen..........................36
Changing Your Initial Set and Defining Multiple Criteria and Ranges ....................38
Customizing Screening Criteria ..............................................................................40
Accessing the Classic View of a Screen ................................................................42
Exercises ................................................................................................................44

Chapter 4 - Reports ....................................................................................................49
Running a Company Highlights Report ..................................................................50
Running a Pre-defined Report ................................................................................51
Running a Pre-defined Report on Multiple Companies....................................52
Modifying a Pre-defined Report........................................................................53
Creating a Table Report ..........................................................................................54
Sorting Columns in a Table Report ..................................................................56
Creating an Historical Analysis Table Report..........................................................57
Selecting Time Periods ..........................................................................................58
Creating a Free-Form Report..................................................................................58
Exercises ................................................................................................................61

Chapter 5 - Charts ......................................................................................................69
Using Pre-defined Charts........................................................................................70
Running a Pre-defined Chart for Multiple Companies......................................72
Modifying a Pre-defined Chart..........................................................................73
Creating Your Own Charts ......................................................................................74

Chapter 6 - Customizing ............................................................................................77
Choosing or Changing Styles ................................................................................78
Customizing Indicators and Item Sets..............................................................79
Importing/Exporting ................................................................................................81
Modifying Report Settings ......................................................................................82
Modifying Adjustment Factors ................................................................................83
Modifying Data Code Settings ................................................................................84
Modifying Current Period Cutoffs ............................................................................84
Modifying Your Default Base Set ............................................................................84

Chapter 7 - Using Formulas and Functions..............................................................85
Formulas in Research Insight ................................................................................86
Formula Components..............................................................................................86
Functions ..........................................................................................................86
Items ................................................................................................................87
Company References ......................................................................................87
Sets ..................................................................................................................87
Time Period References ..................................................................................88
Concepts ..........................................................................................................88
Formula Operators ..................................................................................................89
Parentheses......................................................................................................89
Using Parentheses ( ), Brackets [ ], and Braces { }..........................................89
Mathematical and Relational Operators ..........................................................90
Adding “Wildcards” to Your Formula ................................................................90
Functions in Research Insight ................................................................................91
The Parts of a Function ....................................................................................91
Currency Functions ..........................................................................................91
Growth Functions..............................................................................................92
Historical Analysis Functions............................................................................93
Information Functions ......................................................................................93
Logical Functions..............................................................................................94
Mathematical Functions....................................................................................94
Period Reference Functions ............................................................................95
Reference Functions ........................................................................................95
Screening Functions ........................................................................................96
Set Analysis Functions ....................................................................................97
Statistical Functions..........................................................................................98
Text Functions ..................................................................................................98
Database Control Functions ............................................................................99

Chapter 8 - Current and Historical Data..................................................................101
Annual Periodicity..................................................................................................102
Fiscal Year Data..............................................................................................102
Calendar Year Data ........................................................................................102
Quarterly Periodicity..............................................................................................103
Fiscal Quarter Data ........................................................................................103
Monthly Periodicity ................................................................................................103
Daily Periodicity ....................................................................................................103
Scalar Periodicity ..................................................................................................103
The Current Period................................................................................................104
Time Period References........................................................................................106
Absolute Time Period References ..................................................................106
Relative Time Period References ..................................................................107
Calendar Time Period References..................................................................108
Using Calendar Quarters to Align Different Fiscal Periods ..................................109
Using Period Reference Functions to Align Items to Different Periodicities ........110

Chapter 9 - Library ....................................................................................................111
Accessing Business Descriptions Through Research Insight ..............................112
Batch Printing Business Descriptions ............................................................113
Accessing Trends & Projections Through Research Insight ................................114
Accessing Country Overviews Through Research Insight....................................115
Viewing Textual Data From an Open Set ..............................................................116

Chapter 10 - Using Standard and Poor’s Research Insight with Excel................119
Using a Research Insight Set to Create an Excel Spreadsheet ..........................120
Opening a Research Insight Report as an Excel Spreadsheet ............................123
Using Excel and the Report Assistant to Create a Spreadsheet..........................125
Opening an Excel Template ..................................................................................127
Open a Research Insight Chart in an Excel Spreadsheet....................................128
Using Excel and the Chart Assistant to Create a Chart ......................................130
Advanced Active-X Technology Capabilities in Excel ..........................................133

Chapter 11 - Importing and Downloading ..............................................................135
Using the Task Scheduler ....................................................................................136
Scheduling an Import ....................................................................................136
Changing the Import Schedule ......................................................................139
Scheduling an Internet Download ..................................................................140
Establishing Your Internet Settings ................................................................142
Changing the Internet Download Schedule....................................................142
Suspending a Scheduled Task ......................................................................143
Deleting a Scheduled Task ............................................................................143
Viewing Import and Download Results ..........................................................144
Importing Your Own Data Into Research Insight ..................................................145
Creating Your Spreadsheet ............................................................................145
Retrieval Keys ................................................................................................145
Mnemonics ....................................................................................................145
Saving Your File ..............................................................................................145
Importing Your Data ........................................................................................146
Importing Sets Into Research Insight....................................................................147
Creating Your Spreadsheet ............................................................................147
Importing Your Set ..........................................................................................147
Importing Concepts Into Research Insight............................................................149

Chapter 12 - COMPUSTAT (Global) Data ................................................................151
Changing Your Default Database..........................................................................152
Content Unique to the Global Database ..............................................................153
Glossary ....................................................................................................................155
Index ..........................................................................................................................157