3. Standard & Poor's

Sample Page: Standard & Poor´s / Industry Surveys

Index to Surveys

In July 1996, the format of Industry Surveys was revamped in two ways. First, the subjects were expanded from 20 broad topics to 52 more specialized ones. Each of these 52 topics will be the exclusive subject of an issue of Industry Surveys. By July 1997, each topic will have been covered at least once. Second, there are no longer “Basic” or “Current” issues. All future issues will have the same format, including recent developments, industry basics, and company data.
This index indicates whether the most recent coverage of each particular subject is in an issue of Industry Surveys in the new format or old format. If a subject is covered in a new-format issue, the relevant page number will be in bold san serif text (like this), and the issue’s name will be abbreviated with two to four letters. If a subject is covered in an old-format issue, the relevant page number will be in regular serif text (like this), and the issue’s name will be abbreviated with one letter.
The specific abbreviations for issue titles in the new format are listed below; the old-format abbreviations are on the next page. For example, if a subject is covered on page 6 of the Foods & Nonalcoholic Beverages issue in the new format, it would be referenced as FNB-6. If a subject is referenced on page 28 of the Oil & Gas Basic in the old format, it would be referenced as O-28. By July 1997, each subject will be covered in the new format.

New Format: Volume 1 (A–L)

New Format: Volume 2 (M–T)

Topic	Abbrevi- ation	Published

Aerospace & Defense	AD	*
Agribusiness	AG	*
Airlines	AIR	*
Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco	ABT	*
Apparel & Footwear	AF	*
Auto & Auto Parts	AAP	*
Banking	BA	8/22/96
Biotechnology	BT	*
Broadcasting & Cable	BC	8/1/96
Capital Goods	CG	*
Chemicals: Basic	CB	*
Chemicals: Specialty & Plastics	CSP	*
Communications Equipment	CE	*
Computers: Commercial Services	CCS	*
Computers: Consumer Services & the Internet	CCSI	*
Computers: Hardware	CH	9/19/96
Computers: Networking	CN	*
Computers: Software	CS	*
Electric Utilities	EU	9/26/96
Electrical Equipment	EE	*
Financial Services: Diversified	FSD	*
Foods & Nonalcoholic Beverages	FNB	8/8/96
Healthcare: Facilities	HF	*
Healthcare: Managed Care	HMC	*
Healthcare: Pharmaceuticals	HP	8/29/96
Healthcare: Products & Supplies	HPS	*
Homebuilding	HB	*

Topic	Abbrevi- ation	Published

Metals: Industrial	MI	*
Metals: Precious	MP	*
Movies & Home Entertainment	MHE	*
Natural Gas Distribution	NGD	*
Oil & Gas: Equipment & Services	OGES	*
Oil & Gas: Production & Marketing	OGPM	*
Paper & Forest Products	PFP	*
Pollution Control	PC	*
Publishing	PUB	*
Restaurants	RES	*
Retailing: General	RG	*
Retailing: Specialty	RS	*
Savings & Loans	SL	*
Semiconductor Equipment	SCE	*
Semiconductors	SC	*
Supermarkets & Drugstores	SD	*
Telecommunications: Wireless	TWLS	*
Telecommunications: Wireline	TWLN	9/12/96
Transportation: Commercial	TC	9/5/96

* = not yet published
Old-format abbreviations and publication dates are listed on the following page.

Commercial Space Products

Heady Growth for Commercial Space Applications
Although military and civil space agencies are established customers of the space-related aerospace industry, they are not the only ones. The market for commercial space products is large, and it has been growing at double-digit annual rates for several years. Some analysts estimate that by 2000, commercial spending in this sector will eclipse both military and space agency purchases.
The mention of "commercial aerospace products" usually brings to mind large aircraft and other general aviation vehicles. However, the actual menu of products is far broader. Satellites, satellite launchers, and earthbound items like control tower communications equipment are increasingly important commercial aerospace products.
Although estimates vary widely, Teal Group, a Fairfax, Va.-based consulting firm, estimates the annual worldwide commercial space services market was worth more than $7 billion as of mid-1995. It divides the market as follows: satellite equipment, $2.3 billion; launch vehicles, $1.7 billion; and ground equipment, $3.3 billion. Another assessment of the size of this industry comes from Don Fuqua, president of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA): he estimates the U.S. commercial space sector at about $6.5 billion in 1995. Regardless of the organization making the estimate, all analysts agree that this sector has been growing by at least 20% annually for several years

Global Satellite-Based Mobile Telephone Services
In January 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued three companies licenses to operate satellite-based communications services in the United States.

Space Electronocs & Telecommunications
Satellite Communications: the Biggest Commercial Use. Ground equipment, such as receivers and transmitters, comprise the space sector’s largest component. However, because a space system is made up of both ground equipment and satellites, we will discuss the two groups together.
Satellites and their earthbound support equipment work together to observe the earth, conduct scientific research, and perform industrial services. But by far the most mature space-related commercial service is satellite communications. Owners and operators of communications satellites continually need space access; they account for virtually all of the current private sector market for commercial launch services.
According to Teal Group, seven of the 10 largest satellite manufacturers are based in the United States. Hughes Electronics (a subsidiary of General Motors), Lockheed Martin Corp., Space Systems/Loral (a subsidiary of Loral Corp.), TRW Inc., and others still set the pace technologically and commercially in satellite production. Foreign competitors, however, have an edge in launching satellites, as discussed later. Currently U.S. aerospace contractors are moving beyond satellite production and are becoming service providers. For example, Hughes not only makes direct broadcast satellites but also operates the DirecTV unit, which sells direct broadcast services to consumers. Major projects underway in these satellite-related areas include:
Big LEO (low earth orbit) satellite systems, as they are known in the industry, will let customers receive telephone services via handheld receivers anywhere in the world. Competing in this arena will be Motorola Inc.’s Iridium, Loral Corp.’s Globalstar, and TRW Inc.’s Odyssey systems

Global Wireless Systems in the Works

System Leading Organization(s) Involved Date Scheduled to Begin Number of Satellites Expected Service Cost ($/minute) Estimated Telephone Cost Estimated System Cost (bil.$) Comments

Iridium Motorola, Inc. 1998 66 $3.00 $2,500 $3.4 High-quality service; few ground stations needed

Globalstar Loral Corp., Qualcomm Inc. 1998 48 $0.70 $750 $2.0 Least expensive system; will require costly earth stations; direct ownership interest available through Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd.

Odyssey TRW Inc. 2000 12 $1.00 $500 - $700 $2.3 Will operate in connection with local service providers

ICO Global Communications Owned by the International Mobile Satellite Organization 2000 10 $2.00 $1,500 $2.6 Has not yet been granted an FCC license

Source: Company reports
February 1, 1996 / Industry SurveysAerospace & Air Transport / A23

Standard & Poor´s / Industry Surveys

In this section:

Browse this chapter:

Navigate to:
Business Research Sources TOC
Business Research Sources OnLine Book
Business Research Sources Home