What is WRDS?

Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) provides the leading business intelligence, data analytics, and research platform to global institutions ̶ enabling comprehensive thought leadership, historical analysis, and insight into the latest innovations in research.

What is it?

WRDS democratizes data access so that all disciplines can easily search for concepts across the data repository.

Partnering with global vendors, WRDS hosts the broadest collection of data using the most robust computing infrastructure to give users the power to analyze complex information.

An award-winning data research platform for 75,000+ researchers at 500+ institutions in 37 countries, WRDS is the global gold standard in data management, innovative tools, analytics, and research services ̶ all backed by the credibility and leadership of the Wharton School.

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WRDS Enterprise Solutions and Support

WRDS unique array of Services offer access to a suite of analytics developed by our doctoral-level research team, tutorials, research support, and Classroom by WRDS ̶ a teaching and learning toolkit designed to introduce business concepts in the classroom.

Data

WRDS data is compiled from independent sources that specialize in specific historical data. Some sources include Capital IQ, NYSE, CRSP, and Refinitiv/Thomson Reuters.

WRDS Provides seamless access to an extensive collection of databases, covering numerous financial, economic and marketing disciplines.

Flexible Delivery Options

  • Web interface. Research one firm or several hundred firms simultaneously. All the databases have a common interface and a consistent data format through online queries.
  • Local development. The power of a Unix system in a familiar Windows environment. Use SAS, R, Python, Stata, or Matlab on your PC to submit jobs on the WRDS cloud or download data directly to your PC and analyze using our extensive site, programs, and utilities.
  • WRDS Cloud. The WRDS Cloud leverages our unique infrastructure to process submitted information producing results with greater proficiency, resulting in vastly shorter processing periods for our clients. With increased computing power, additional time can be focused on research and analysis. Connect to WRDS for a terminal session, run custom programs in SAS, R, Python, or Stata to retrieve data.
  • Analysis on the Web. No software to install, works on PCs, Macs, even tablets. All the power of WRDS Cloud in a web-based development environment. WRDS supports SAS Studio, R Studio, and Jupyter for Python programming.

Services

WRDS provides a common interface to a variety for databases, simplifying extraction and increasing productivity with:

  • Support from a team of Ph.D. and IT Specialists. Our specialists are available to you on-line through WRDS Support.
  • E-Learning. A Library of on-demand video sessions covering a host of topics, presented by our research experts.
  • Timely Updates. Our experienced IT specialists convert and install database updates, for immediate access.
  • Learning Environment. WRDS enables faculty to demonstrate real-world applications of principles, using actual company data in place of hypothetical examples.
  • Data Validation, Integrity and Consistency.

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WRDS Subscription Fees

Please contact wrds@wharton.upenn.edu for pricing information.

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Access to Data Through WRDS

I. Data provided at no cost:
As part of the subscription to WRDS, the following datasets are available at no cost:

Bank Regulatory Fama-French (Research) Portfolios and Factors
Blockholders Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
CBOE Indexes Federal Bank Reports
Federal Judicial Center IRI Marketing Factbook: Point of Sale
Philadelphia Stock Exchange United Currency Options Penn World Tables
Direct Marketing Educational Foundation SEC Disclosure of Order Execution
Dow Jones TRACE

II. Additional Data:
The WRDS subscription fee does not include access to data from the vendors listed below. Each institution is responsible for maintaining a separate license for the data.

American Hospital Association Hedge Fund Research (HFR) Ravenpack
Bureau van Dijk ISS Refinitiv/Thomson Reuters/LSEG
BoardEx IVES Group, Inc - AuditAnalytics RepRisk
CBOE KLD (MSCI) Revelio
Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) Markit RoyaltyStat
comScore Mergent S&P Capital IQ
Eventus NYSE TAQ Structured Data Solutions
ETF Global OptionMetrics Toyo Keizai
FactSet Pitchbook WRDS SEC Analytics Suite
GMI Ratings (MSCI) Preqin Zacks

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