This suite of databases provides access to detailed financial, descriptive and ownership information, on 5.2 million companies plus summaries of an additional 4.9 million companies. The ORBIS interface allows users to search across all 10 million companies covered in the suite of databases.

Some of the important databases are:

AMADEUS contains detailed information on over 5 million public and private companies in 34 European countries. It includes up to 10 years of detailed information (consolidated statements are also provided when available) in a standardized financial format comprising 22 balance sheet items, 24 profit and loss account items and 25 ratios.

BankScope: A directory and financial reporting service on 11,000 banks worldwide. It provides standardized reports, ratings, ownership data as well as extensive financial analysis functions.

FAME: financial and ownership information on 2.3 million companies in the UK and Rep. of Ireland

ISIS: Detailed reports on about 6,000 world insurance companies (3,700 non-life, 1,650 life, 450 composite, and 170 Lloyd's Syndicates) offering subscribers detailed reports including up to 9 years of profit and loss and balance sheet information. The data is provided by Fitch Ratings.

OSIRIS: a comprehensive database of listed companies, banks and insurance companies around the world. Covering 125 countries OSIRIS contains information on over 31,000 companies. In addition to the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and ratios OSIRIS provides news, ownership, subsidiaries, ratings (from all the top 3 agencies: 19 ratings provided), earnings estimates, stock data, additional industry codes (Dow Jones Global Indexes) and access to regulatory filings for US companies.

Zephyr: contains data on M&A activity, IPOs, joint ventures and private equity deals with links to detailed financial company information. The database contains information on over 140,000 transactions with approximately 60,000 new deals are added per year. Zephyr is also expanding to cover more historical American and Asian transactions. Coverage post January 2003 is global.

Part of the suite of databases from Bureau Van Dijk, are three resources from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). [Note: These databases are on trial.] Together, they provide a range of macroeconomic and demographic statistical data on 117 countries and 123 cities, worldwide, with up to 20 years of historical data.

• EIU City Data provides business pricing information on 160 products and services across 123 cities in 79 countries.


• EIU CountryData gives you access to more than 270 series on 117 countries and 40 regional aggregates, starting from 1980 and forecasting to 2005. In addition, EIU CountryData contains text summaries of the EIU's short-term political and economic forecasts on 181 countries.


• EIU MarketIndicators & Forecasts is a database of global market indicators and forecasts running from 1990 and forecasting out five years. The database delivers economic, demographic, consumption and industry data on 60 major markets worldwide.

For more information:
lippinco@wharton.upenn.edu