A company specializing in the investigation of
credit worthiness, financial standing, and/or reputation of other businesses. It provides this information to third parties for a fee. Some mercantile agencies compile information into large databases, which they then distribute to subscribers. The first mercantile agency was founded in 1841 in New York under the name of "Mercantile Agency," and it is now known as Dun & Bradstreet. See also:
Business intelligence,
Due diligence.