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Dun & Bradstreet Key Business Ratios Toolkit

Dun & Bradstreet Key Business Ratios (also known as D&B or KBR), offers two ways to look at its data:

  • The Reports page provides access to all the ratios available for a given industry covering the past five years of history. Use Reports to provide an overview of key solvency, efficiency, and profitability ratios and statistics for the industry.
  • The Ratios page provides all the history available for a single industry ratio. Use Ratios when more history for a ratio is required (up to thirteen years rather than five).

If you need help with business ratios in general, check out our Research Ratios guide.

Database

How to Use Dun & Bradstreet Key Business Ratios

  • The most efficient way to use Dun & Bradstreet Key Business ratios is to use industry classification codes like NAICS or SIC. The database offers a Line of Business search option, but you must either scroll through a list of alphabetical entries or know the exact terms being used to classify an industry. For more information on NAICS or SIC codes, see our guide on Finding Industry Classification Codes.
  • Note: A missing code means D&B is no longer covering this industry, as the sample size is too small to calculate accurate ratios.
  • Don't let all the numbers and data sets intimidate you! Dun & Bradstreet Key Business Ratios has several guides on its Help page. Get help with the following:
    • Industry and company reports
    • Industry and company ratios
    • Understanding what each ratio means
  • From most computer Internet browsers, you can generally find the Help section near the upper-right corner of the page. It may be located in a different location on a mobile device or tablet.

Library Hacks

  • Be sure to toggle among the buttons at the top of each report or ratio page to see all available data categories.
  • When searching for a company, choose Public or Private as appropriate from the Company Type drop-down menu.
  • Not all industry codes are profiled. You may need to use the next closest NAICS or SIC code.
  • Hover over the book icon next to the ratio name for a description and formula of the ratio.
  • D&B is a powerful tool that includes many listings for smaller companies, subsidiaries, and divisions within the same parent company. Save yourself the frustration and come armed with the company name, its primary NAICS or SIC, and its headquarters location to help you narrow your search to the entry you need. Mergent Online can be a great place to find your company's NAICS and SIC codes.

Ask Us!

Having trouble finding what you need? Ask Us! Our librarians are here to help you overcome roadblocks in your research, answer questions you may have, or give you tips on how to navigate any of our resources better.

Hidden Gem

If you own a business, you can enter your business's financial information and conduct a comparative ratio analysis within the industry. You can find this tool under Reports > My Financials.

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