ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses ad hoc public domain filings by UK companies. It reviews disclosure obligations which competitive intelligence (CI) analysts must be familiar with when using public registries to obtain company information. The chapter presents an outline of the reporting demands laid upon all companies. It provides a sketch of the additional ones that must be met by listed companies. It explains details of other public registries which may hold useful corporate information on patents, trademarks, and the ownership of land, ships and aircraft. A newly registered office address can mean that the company has shifted to another location and this may be of significance. Charges against a firm's assets as security for a loan or other extension of credit are quite common and analysts need to understand the general principles governing their operation. Individual public filings should be interpreted within the broader context of the analyst's total knowledge regarding an enterprise garnered from other sources.
