Skip to content

Business, Science & Technology Center

Stock Research

How to find stock price quotes and related company information

Current Stock Price Quotes

The most current stock price quotes are on the Internet. Try the following sites:


Historical Stock Price Quotes

Web Resources
Print Sources
  • Daily Stock Price Record published by Standard & Poor’s is available in bound volumes at the Main Library. It contains daily price information:
    · New York Stock Exchange 1961 to the present
    · American Stock Exchange 1962 to the present
    · NASDAQ (formerly Over-the-Counter) 1968 to the present
  • Wall Street Journal on microfilm back to July 1889 is available at the Main Library.
  • San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner are also available on microfilm back to 1865 in the Main Library.
  • National Stock Summary, 1971 to present, is good source for thinly traded and smaller public companies.

Researching Older Companies &Their Stock

What if you can't find a company listed in current sources? Maybe the company has merged with or been taken over by another company; or maybe its name has changed. Perhaps it is no longer in business. The sources below will help you with your research.
Online Resources
Check a current periodical or newspaper index such as InfoTrac or Proquest to see if there is any mention of your company.
SFPL Online Resources
Web Resources
Search Systems public record database helps locate corporation records in various states.
Print Sources
  • Mergent's Industrial Manual (formerly Moody's) is an excellent source of company history information. Editions from 1909 to the present. Microfiche editions are available at the Business Reference Desk.
  • Standard & Poor's Corporate Descriptions includes a complete corporate history of public companies.
  • Capital Changes Reporter (formerly called Capital Adjustments)
    An excellent source for name changes, splits, consolidations, mergers, etc. Always remember to consult the "New Matters" section for the very latest information.
  • Robert D. Fisher Manual of Valuable and Worthless Securities
    Editions from 1938-1975.
  • Marvyn Scudder Manual of Extinct or Obsolete Companies
    Editions from 1926-1934.
  • Directory of Obsolete Securities
    Editions from 1976-1992.
  • Walker's Manual of Pacific Coast Securities
    A good source of Information on Western Companies.
    Editions from 1909-1995.
Research Firms

There are firms that will research your stocks for a fee.
Stock Search International and OldCompany.com are examples of for-fee stock research firms.



Footer color stripe
Have a question?
Contact Us  |   Frequently Asked Questions  |   Ask a Librarian  |   Search Our Site
Privacy Policy · Copyright © 2002-08 by San Francisco Public Library. All rights reserved. · Internet & Computer Use

Last Modified: September 19, 2007

Valid XHTML 1.0!