Operating Margin - GlaxoSmithKline PLC (LSE:GSK)

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Price: 1 822.5 GBX 0.08%

Market Cap: 74.1B GBX

26.2%

Current

26%

Average

6.2%

Industry

Operating Margin represents how efficiently a company is able to generate profit through its core operations.

Higher ratios are generally better, illustrating the company is efficient in its operations and is good at turning sales into profits.

Operating Margin

26.2%

Operating Profit

8.4B

Revenue

32.2B

Operating Margin Across Competitors

Country		Company	Market Cap	Operating Margin
UK		GlaxoSmithKline PLC LSE:GSK	73.5B GBP	26%
US		Eli Lilly and Co NYSE:LLY	964.4B USD	44%
UK		Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC LSE:DPH	440.4B GBP	3%
US		Johnson & Johnson NYSE:JNJ	506.7B USD	27%
CH		Roche Holding AG SIX:ROG	251.8B CHF	34%
UK		AstraZeneca PLC LSE:AZN	207.6B GBP	24%
CH		Novartis AG SIX:NOVN	202.5B CHF	33%
US		Merck & Co Inc NYSE:MRK	247.6B USD	38%
DK		Novo Nordisk A/S CSE:NOVO B	1.4T DKK	42%
IE	E	Endo International PLC LSE:0Y5F	206B USD	11%
US		Pfizer Inc NYSE:PFE	146.6B USD	29%

GlaxoSmithKline PLC
Glance View

Economic Moat

None

Market Cap

73.4B GBX

Industry

Pharmaceuticals

Once upon a time, in the bustling world of pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline PLC established itself as a formidable player. Born out of mergers and continuous evolution, GSK, as it is commonly known, carved its place in the competitive landscape through strategic research and pioneering innovations. The company operates at the intersection of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and consumer healthcare, leveraging its breadth to tackle some of the world's most pressing health challenges. From its bustling laboratories to clinical trials, and finally to market, GSK is driven by a mission to improve the quality of human life. Its intricate network of research facilities and production plants stretch across the globe, working tirelessly to develop essential medications and vaccines that span a variety of therapeutic areas including respiratory, HIV, oncology, and immunology. GSK’s revenue streams flow from a well-diversified portfolio. The pharmaceutical division, representing the lion’s share, innovates and produces transformative medicines. Its vaccines division stands strong, leading with essential inoculations that prevent childhood and adult diseases, while the consumer healthcare segment provides everyday wellness products ranging from pain relief to vitamins and skincare. This triad not only underscores GSK’s dynamic adaptability to market needs but also highlights its resilience in weathering the cyclical nature of the healthcare industry. With a keen eye on long-term value and sustained investment in research and development, GSK continues to create a bridge between scientific advancements and societal well-being, defining its role as both a scientific leader and a profit-driven enterprise.

View GSK Analysis

GSK Intrinsic Value

What is Intrinsic Value?

Economic Moat is a concept popularized by Warren Buffett to describe a company's durable competitive advantage. It represents the 'moat' that protects a company from competitors and helps it sustain profitability over the long term. Our analysis of the past 10 years showed that companies with a wide economic moat significantly outperformed the market, delivering +645% returns compared to +189% for the S&P 500.

Our research into Economic Moat performance spans the past 10 years and focuses on companies with a wide economic moat. For this analysis, we calculated the average stock price returns of these companies, comparing them to the performance of the S&P 500 index over the same period.

The results were compelling: wide moat stocks achieved a remarkable +645% average return, compared to +188% for the broader market. This difference highlights the long-term benefits of investing in businesses that can maintain their market position and pricing power over time.

Note: This research does not account for survivorship bias. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Determining whether a company has an economic moat requires both a deep dive into financial metrics and a qualitative assessment of its competitive position. Our analysts conduct a rigorous evaluation that focuses on identifying structural advantages that enable a company to sustain profitability and defend its market share over the long term.

The process begins with an analysis of a company’s historical financial performance. We assess how consistently the company has generated returns above its cost of capital and whether those returns have been stable or improving. However, financial performance alone doesn’t reveal the full picture. To understand the sources of these advantages, we evaluate five key drivers of economic moats:

Network Effect: We analyze whether the value of a company’s product or service grows as its user base expands. Platforms like payment systems or marketplaces benefit from this self-reinforcing.

Switching Costs: We assess whether customers face significant costs or disruptions when switching to a competitor’s product or service. High switching costs create customer stickiness and provide pricing power.

Intangible Assets: Strong brands, patents, and regulatory licenses can protect a company’s market position by creating barriers for competitors or enabling premium pricing. For example, a well-recognized consumer brand may command higher customer loyalty and margins.

Efficient scale: Occurs when a market is optimally served by one or a few players, making it unprofitable for new entrants to compete. This typically happens in industries with high fixed costs or geographic constraints, such as utilities or pipelines.

Cost Advantage: Companies with structural cost advantages can produce goods or services at a lower cost than their competitors, enabling them to offer competitive pricing or maintain higher margins. These advantages often arise from economies of scale, superior supply chain management, or proprietary technology. Firms like Walmart leverage their massive scale to negotiate better terms with suppliers, allowing them to undercut competitors on price.

By examining these factors in combination with a company’s financial performance and market positioning, we classify each company into one of three categories:

This rigorous evaluation ensures that our moat ratings are both comprehensive and reliable, giving investors the tools they need to make well-informed, long-term decisions.

The AI Assistant may sometimes provide inaccurate information.

Make your own investment decisions or consult a licensed financial advisor.

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US	Berkshire Hathaway Inc NYSE:BRK.A	Financial Services
US	Bank of America Corp NYSE:BAC	Banking
US	Mastercard Inc NYSE:MA	Technology
US	UnitedHealth Group Inc NYSE:UNH	Health Care
US	Exxon Mobil Corp NYSE:XOM	Energy
US	Pfizer Inc NYSE:PFE	Pharmaceuticals
US	Palantir Technologies Inc NYSE:PLTR	Technology
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US	Visa Inc NYSE:V	Technology
CN	Alibaba Group Holding Ltd NYSE:BABA	Retail
US	JPMorgan Chase & Co NYSE:JPM	Banking
US	Coca-Cola Co NYSE:KO	Beverages
US	Walmart Inc NYSE:WMT	Retail
US	Verizon Communications Inc NYSE:VZ	Telecommunication
US	Chevron Corp NYSE:CVX	Energy

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GlaxoSmithKline PLC
LSE:GSK