Worldscope Database Datatype Definitions Guide

Issue 6
Frequently Asked Questions
"Acquired by XYZ Corporation in May 97" or "Delisted - information will no longer be
provided as of Jan 96".
19. HOW CAN I DETERMINE IF A SECURITY IS INACTIVE?
If either Field 07015 Inactive Date (Company) or Field 07012 Inactive Date (Security)
contains data (in the form of a date) on the security identifier, then the security is
inactive. On the main company record, security inactive dates are provided in Fields
20011, 20111, 20211, 20311, 20411, 20511, 20611 Inactive Date - Multi Share 1-7,
respectively.
20. HOW CAN I DETERMINE WHETHER A COMPANY HAS CHANGED INDUSTRY?
A Footnote (generally A) to Field 00000 Company Status will record whether the
company has changed industry, necessitating a change in the way Worldscope
analysts have collected the financial accounts. For example, a company with footnote
text of "Changed from financial format in 97" may have traditionally been a rental and
leasing company whose construction or other industrial activities became
predominant, causing a change in reporting format in 1997. Obviously, the historical
detail that is available for companies which have changed in this way will vary in prior
years.
21. WHAT INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE WORLDSCOPE
DATABASE?
Worldscope carries SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes for each company.
These codes were developed by the U.S. government. Worldscope assigns SIC
codes based on contribution of business segments to net sales or revenues, in
descending order of importance.
Each company is also assigned a General Industry Classification (Field 06010), which
reports whether a company is an industrial, utility, transportation, banking, insurance
or other financial company.
Additionally, all companies are assigned an Industry Group (Field 06011), which is a
four-digit code. There are twenty-seven major industry groups (reflected in the first
two digits of the code), each of which is further broken down into sub-industry groups.
Again, the major activity of the company determined by net sales or revenues, is the
deciding factor in assigning the industry group. In instances where there is no
dominating activity and/or the company is a holding company, the industry
classification of Diversified is used. All companies that do not fall within one of the
major industry classifications are reported under the group Miscellaneous.
Finally, Thomson Financial has adopted the FTSE/Dow Jones Industrial Classification
Benchmark (ICB) as its standard classification tool across a number of its global
databases and these ICB codes are available within Worldscope (Field 07040).
Please note that a separate licence is required for the use of ICB data.
22. WHAT DOES WORLDSCOPE DO IF A COMPANY HAS MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF SHARE?
If a company has only one type of common or ordinary share, all Worldscope
information for that company is contained in a single company record.
If there are multiple types of common or ordinary share, Worldscope contains both a
main company record as well as up to seven separate security-level records.
'Common or ordinary' includes hybrid security types whose structure and associated
rights contain elements of 'preferred' equity. In such cases, participation in profits and
liquidation proceeds, as well as maturities and conversion rights, are examined
© Thomson Financial 2003-2007 23 Confidential Information of Thomson Financial