Table of Contents
- What is a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code?
- How do SIC codes work?
- How to find your SIC code
- What is the difference between SIC codes and NAICS nodes?
Key Takeaways
- SIC codes categorize industries based on business activities to standardize economic data for analysis.
- SIC codes consist of four digits, each representing different industry levels.
- The U.S. Census Bureau assigns SIC codes to track economic activity, analyze industry trends, and classify businesses for taxes, creditworthiness, and marketing.
- SIC codes can be found on the U.S. Census Bureau's website, the NAICS website, or through accountants or tax preparers.
Understanding how industries are classified can seem tricky, but it’s essential for anyone in business. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code is a key part of this system, helping organize and analyze data across industries. Whether you’re a business owner looking to improve operations or just curious about how industries are sorted, this article explains everything you need to know about SIC codes to succeed in business financial management. Keep reading to find out how this classification system can help you.
What Is a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code?
The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code categorizes and organizes industries according to their business activities. It facilitates the classification and analysis of economic data across various industries and government agencies. SIC codes are not limited to the United States; they have also been implemented in the United Kingdom.
SIC codes consist of four digits that ensure uniformity in statistical data presentation by different government agencies. The entire SIC code represents a company's line of business, with the first two digits indicating the primary industry group, the third digit specifying the major industry group, and the fourth digit identifying the specific industry.
How Do SIC Codes Work?
The U.S. Census Bureau assigns SIC codes based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), a detailed industry classification system used by the U.S. government.
SIC codes are used for many purposes, including:
- Tracking economic activity: To help government agencies monitor financial activity and analyze industry trends to support businesses and create jobs.
- Analyzing industry trends: This helps businesses understand industry trends and growth opportunities, guiding decisions on product development, marketing, and expansion.
- Classifying businesses: They classify businesses for taxes and regulations; lenders use them to evaluate creditworthiness.
SIC codes are valuable tools for businesses and government agencies. They allow them to track economic activity, analyze industry trends, and classify businesses.
| How the Government Uses SIC Codes | How Businesses Use SIC Codes |
|---|---|
| • Standardize and organize critical economic information for private companies and state and federal agencies. | • To categorize businesses for tax-related purposes. |
| • Facilitate tax categorization. | • To pinpoint current and potential clientele based on industry sectors. |
| • Enable comparison of data across various government entities. | • To develop targeted marketing strategies. |
| • They are utilized by the SEC in sorting company filings. | • To determine the industry affiliation of a company when making credit decisions. |
| • To recognize government contracts and opportunities. | |
| • To gain a deeper understanding of industry competition. | |
| • To facilitate the search for comparable companies and effortlessly identify competitors. |
How to Find Your SIC Code
If you need to find your SIC code, you can use the following resources:
- The U.S. Census Bureau's website: The Census Bureau's website has a searchable database of SIC codes. You can search by keyword, industry name, or SIC code.
- The NAICS website: The NAICS website has a searchable database of NAICS codes. You can search by keyword, industry name, or NAICS code.
- Your accountant or tax preparer: Your accountant or tax preparer can help you find your SIC code.
Once you have found your SIC code, you can track economic activity, analyze industry trends, and classify your business.
The SIC system classifies the economy into 11 major divisions:
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Agriculture, forestry, fishing
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Construction
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Manufacturing
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Transportation and public utilities
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Wholesale trade
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Retail trade
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Finance, insurance, real estate
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Services
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Public administration
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Nonclassifiable establishments
These are then divided into 83 two-digit major groups and then divided again into 416 three-digit industry groups. From there, they are separated into more than 1,000 four-digit industries.
How to Read SIC Codes
To read SIC codes, you need to understand the code's structure and the definitions of the different industry groups, subgroups, and industries. This information is in the SIC Manual, which the US Census Bureau publishes.
Once you understand the structure of SIC codes, use them to identify businesses and other organizations by their primary activity. There are over 1,000 possible SIC codes, and all companies have one. Companies that file public reports must typically use SIC codes when reporting. Additionally, the SEC uses SIC codes to assign review responsibility for company filing requirements.
What Is the Difference Between SIC Codes and NAICS Nodes?
Introduced in 1997, the NAICS codes were designed to replace the SIC codes for standardizing industry data collection and analysis in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Despite adopting NAICS codes, SIC codes remain popular due to their long-standing history.
Many companies and government agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), use SIC codes to classify industries. Although the government stopped updating SIC codes in 1987, private data organizations have continued to update and expand the SIC system, resulting in over 10,000 six-digit codes, compared to 1,066 NAICS codes.
How Does the SEC use SIC Codes?
The SEC publishes a listing of standard SIC codes to assist with locating the correct reviewer of company filings based on the company's industry. Additionally, companies must report the SIC code that mode closely identifies with their operations when issuing reports.
SIC codes are more than just a numeric label; they’re a key that unlocks essential information for businesses and government agencies to track trends, classify industries, and make informed decisions.
While systems like NAICS have emerged, the importance and relevance of SIC codes remain. By understanding and using SIC codes, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of their industry, sharpen their business strategies, and position themselves for success.
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