What are your go-to resources for analyzing companies and industries?

Question

Hi everyone,

I’m curious to learn what resources the community relies on when it comes to building a solid understanding of:

Companies – their financials, strategy, economics, and how they compete.
Industries – competitive forces, typical economics, key drivers, and benchmarks.

I’ve found resources like Damodaran’s Musing on Markets, Michael Mauboussin’s Consilient Observer, The Footnote Analyst, and McKinsey on Finance very insightful and I'm looking for something of their equivalent just for company and industry analysis with a strong emphasis on strategy and frameworks.

I’d love to hear your go-to resources - whether blogs, podcasts, newsletters, databases, or even specific books/articles - that you find most valuable for quickly ramping up on a company or industry.

Looking forward to your recommendations!

Answer 1

Hi there,

Great question—here are some strong resources that combine company-level insight with industry-level strategy and economics:

For company analysis:

Annual reports & investor presentations – surprisingly the best single source for strategy and financial priorities
Earnings call transcripts (Seeking Alpha, FactSet, Refinitiv) – direct access to management strategy and competitive positioning
Equity research reports (from banks or Morningstar) – great for benchmarking and peer comps
Footnote Analyst and Mauboussin (as you mentioned) – for deeper dives into financial/economic mechanics

For industry analysis:

IBISWorld and Statista – quick overviews of competitive dynamics and key drivers
Porter’s Five Forces applications – Bain, BCG, and McKinsey insights often apply this at the industry level
Consulting firm publications – Bain Insights, BCG Perspectives, McKinsey Industry Reports
Trade journals & industry associations – sector-specific insights often missed by broader finance resources

Cross-cutting strategy/economics:

Hamilton Helmer’s 7 Powers – excellent modern strategy lens
Competition Demystified (Greenwald & Kahn) – practical industry structure and barriers-to-entry analysis
Acquired Podcast – deep dives on company histories and strategic playbooks
Ben Thompson’s Stratechery – for tech business models and competitive dynamics

Databases (if you have access):

Capital IQ / PitchBook – financials, comps, transactions
Crunchbase – for growth-stage/private company data
Preqin – for private equity/VC activity by sector

For ramping up quickly, my flow is usually: start with an IBISWorld/consulting report for industry structure, then go straight to the company’s investor materials and earnings calls, and layer in equity research for context and benchmarks.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.

Best,
Evelina

Answer 2

Hi Value :)

For companies, the best go-to sources are annual reports, investor presentations, earnings calls, and analyst reports (e.g. from Morningstar or sell-side equity research). They give you the clearest picture of strategy and financial health. For industries, I’d look at IBISWorld, Statista, industry associations, and consulting thought leadership (McKinsey, Bain, BCG Insights, Oliver Wyman reports). Books like “Competition Demystified” (Greenwald & Kahn) and “Understanding Michael Porter” are also great for sharpening the strategic lens.

If you want something quick but structured, Harvard Business Review case studies and the “Acquired” podcast are fantastic for connecting strategy to real companies.

best,
Alessa :)