TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION    2
FINANCIAL RATIOS    4
PROFITABILITY RATIOS    5
LIQUIDITY RATIOS    7
ACTIVITY RATIOS    9
INVESTMENT RATIOS    11
OVERTRADING    13
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS    14
BALANCE SHEET    15
FORMATS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS    18
CONCLUSION    22
BIBLIOGRAPHY    23
 
INTRODUCTION
In this report you will find useful information about GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK). and AstraZeneca plc (AZN) and overview of these companies. My friend wants to buy shares and ask me for some advice. This report requires an analysis of two companies, in terms of comparing and contrasting. However, I was not able to obtain the latest annual report for AstraZeneca, as they have not yet been produced (complete). In order to make it fair comparison, I have analyzed 2004 figures for GSK and 2005 figures for both companies GSK and AZN. I have successfully obtained details for both companies from FAME (http://fame.bvdep.com) from the FTSE 100 list. After a range of information I going to find the investment potential for these two companies, I going to analyze financial statements using different ratios and I going to describe the differences between financial statements for different types of business. In addition to this, I going to describe the meaning of overtrading and how can you avoid it. 
GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC. OVERVIEW 
It is a British based pharmaceutical, biological and healthcare company. World leading research-based pharmaceutical group engaged in anti-infective, central nervous system  ...