Securities research

An example of a bond.

Investment banks

Independent

  • Bloomberg (independent institutional global research firm)
  • Monness & Crespi
  • Morningstar, Inc. (independent institutional global research firm)
  • Standard & Poor's, which provides its reports through some discount brokerages (e.g. TD Ameritrade)
  • The Motley Fool, which provides private financial and investing advice
  • Zacks Investment Research

Securities research is a discipline within the financial services industry. Securities research professionals are known most generally as "analysts", "research analysts", or "securities analysts"; all the foregoing terms are synonymous. Research analysts produce research reports and typically issue a recommendation: buy ("overweight"), hold, or sell ("underweight"); see target price and trade idea.

These reports can be accessed from a number of sources, and brokerages will often offer the reports free to their customers.[1] Research can be categorized by the security type, as well as by whether it is buy-side research or sell-side research; analysts further focus on particular industries. Although usually associated with fundamental analysis, research also focuses on technical analysis, and reports will often include both. See also Financial analyst § Securities firms.

  1. ^ Zimmerman A. (nd). Analyst Reports. Zimmerman's Research Guide.