Industry Codification system
- An ISIN (International Securities Identification Number) uniquely identifies a security. Its structure is defined in ISO 6166. The ISIN code is a 12-character alphanumeric code that serves for uniform identification of security through normalization of the assigned National Number, where one exists, at trading and settlement.
- A CUSIP (Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures) is a nine-digit numeric or nine-character alphanumeric code that identifies a North American financial security for the purposes of facilitating clearing and settlement of trades. The CUSIP was adopted as an American National Standard under Accredited Standards X9.6.
- CIK A Central Index Key is a number given to an individual, company or foreign government by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The number is used to identify its filings in several online databases, including EDGAR. The numbers are up to ten digits in length.
- SEDOL The stock exchange daily official list is a seven-character identification code assigned to securities that trade on the London Stock Exchange and various smaller exchanges in the United Kingdom.
Industry Classification system
A system of categorizing industries so that similar industries are grouped together and narrower industries appear within broader categories. Companies always have a primary industry code and some have additional secondary ones as well depending upon their line of business.
Searching a company by using an industrial classification system such as NAICS or SIC can result in more comprehensive results than keyword searching as many descriptions are incomplete or may be absent from the database.
- NAICS codes (US), or North American Industrial Classification System codes, are maintained by the Census Bureau (NAICS page).
- GICS: The Global Industry Classification System (GICS) was developed in 1999 by MSCI and Standard and Poors (S&P). It categorizes companies and securities across four levels of classification (11 sectors, 24 industry groups, 69 industries, 158 sub-industries).
- ICB: Industry Classification Benchmark is operated and managed by FTSE Russell for categorizing companies and securities across four levels of classification (11 industries, 20 super-sectors, 45 sectors, 173 sub-sectors), updated March 2021.
- ISIC: International Standard Industrial Classification on all Economic Activities by the United Nations Statistics Division.
- NACE codes: Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community.
- SIC codes are Standard Industrial Classification codes. The first SIC system was established in the US in 1937. The current version of US SIC is available from the SEC.
- SIC-UK The UK also established its version of the SIC system in 1948. The most recent version of UK SIC is 2007 from ONS
