The Value Line Investment Survey and the Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys are useful for identifying major public companies in large industry groups. The latest issues are at the Reference Desk.
Corporate Directories
One volume of Ward's Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies ranks companies by sales within 4-digit SIC codes. More than 130,000 companies are included in this multi-volume set. A new supplement uses the new North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for company rankings. (Reference Desk) [Read more about NAICS in the NAICS Manual at the Reference Desk on at the U.S. Census Bureau Website.]
The Million Dollar Directory: America's Leading Public and
Private Companies covers more than 150,000 firms. One volume of
this set lists companies geographically within 4-digit SIC codes.
(Index Table H)
Then there is the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers, which lists more than 145,000 companies under 52,000 product and service categories. (REF T12.T6)
There are six books at the Reference Desk worth looking at:
Agriculture, Mining and Construction USA: Industry Analyses, Statistics, and Leading Companies.
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate USA: Industry Analyses,
Statistics, and Leading Organizations.
Manufacturing USA: Industry Analyses, Statistics, and Leading
Companies.
Service Industries USA: Industry Analyses, Statistics, and Leading
Organizations.
Transportation and Public Utilities USA: Industry Analyses, Statistics, and Leading Companies.
Wholesale and Retail Trade USA: Industry Analyses, Statistics, and
Leading Organizations.