Do you want to compare your firm's performance to that of your industry to address issues such as profitability, efficiency and business risk? You may wish to use Financial Performance Indicators for Canadian Business for 2004, a new three-volume series available on CD-ROM.

Calling itself an "authoritative reference source of key financial ratios for many industries in Canada" the series uses current, comprehensive data derived from the Statistics Canada databases of financial statements for Canadian firms.

Each volume looks at a different business size and provides three reference years of data (2002, 2003 and 2004). The CD-Roms offer a full slate of financial ratios and a "common-sized balance sheet" for sectors and industries in Canada, helping companies benchmark their performance against their industry or other industries.

• For smaller firms: volume 3 covers small-sized incorporated firms with annual sales revenue between $30,000 and $5 million in the non-financial sector at the national, provincial and territorial levels, and for the Atlantic and Prairie regions.
• For mid-sized firms: volume 2 covers medium-sized incorporated firms in the non-financial sector, at the national level, with annual sales revenue between $5 million and $25 million.
• For large firms: volume 1 covers large incorporated firms in both the financial and non-financial sectors, at the national level. Beginning with this version of Financial Performance Indicators for Canadian Business volume 1 now covers firms with annual sales revenue exceeding $25 million. In the past it covered firms with annual sales revenue exceeding $5 million.

Financial Performance Indicators for Canadian Business for 2004 is available from Statistics Canada. For general information or to order data, contact Advisory Services (1-800-263-1136) or Louise Noel (1-888-811-6235; louise.noel@statcan.ca), Industrial Organization and Finance Division.

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