Wrds Basic

WRDS User Guide West Virginia University

Three Ways of Working with WRDS • Web – Based • PC – SAS • The WRDS UNIX server will be accessed using SSH Secure Shell.

Available Datasets at WVU • Datasets are classified by vendor and concept (subject) • To see WVU subscriptions: ► click Home → My permissions ► WRDS Info home (http://www.be.wvu.edu/wrds/home/index.html )

→ WVU Subscription ►Unix commands

Data Descriptions • For brief descriptions: ► Select a dataset on the top • For overviews: ► Click Support → Dataset overviews • To get detail manuals: ► Select a dataset → Select a subdataset → Data manuals ► Click Support → Online manuals

Step 1 to extract data: Data Range • To check available data range for a dataset (general): ► Documentation • To check available data range for a company (specific) : ► Code lookup

Step 2 to extract data: Search • Search by GVKEY PERMNO PERMKO CUSIP TICKER… • Most errors are caused by this step. A company code must be matched to an identifier chosen.

Understanding identifiers Identifier Definitions s GVKEY unique firm ID in Compustat PERMNO unique stock and firm ID in CRSP PERMCO CUSIP unique identification for security approved for trading in the U.S. TICKER used to uniquely identify publiclytraded companies on a stock market NCUSIP, HISSD, SICCD … Other identifiers:

Searching identifiers • To search identifiers: ► Code lookup ► Tools → Company Search • Example: Search for ticker, IBM PERMNO

CUSIP

TICKER

DATA RANGE

12490

4592001 0

IBM

1925123120061229

Step 3 to extract data: Variables • For a description of each data item: ► Documentation ► Click each item ► Support → WRDS Datasets and Sample program → Dataset list ► Tools → Variable Search

Step 4 to extract data: Output • • • •

Select format Select compress type Summit request Save queries → Home → My.WRDS → myWRDS queries

Compustat Tools • Support → Tools Financial extracts formatted financial Statement statements for a single company. Income designed to customize variables Statement of balance sheet and income Extract statement. S&P Index retrieves monthly data of Constituent companies which constitutes of s the main S&P indexes.

Compustat Tools (Cont’d) • Compustat → On the bottom of left side Compustat Balance Sheet and Income Statement Extract

the most commonly-used items in the Compustat Annual set and offers an alternative variable mnemonics system that was designed to be consistent with variable names in Compustat Research Insight.

CRSP Tools Names and Events

retrieves NAMES events and track changes identifiers in during the security’s trading history. Daily extracts CRSP daily data for Extract with each firm for a selected Time interval window. Window • Other CRSP tools not mentioned are not available.

Asking Questions • For general questions: ►Support (right side) → WRDS Knowledge base • For specific questions: ► Home (right side) → Search Forum (can ask and reply questions as well)

Further Information • For users conference: ► Home (on the top) → News → Users Conference • For Update Schedule: ► Home (on the top) → News → Date Updates