Headquartered in London and employing more than 70,000 staff, GlaxoSmithKline (now simply "GSK plc" – we'll explain why) is a giant of big pharma. Its greatest hits include the first ever malaria vaccine, Amoxicillin, and 2020's COVID-19 vaccine (ft. Sanofi). The company in is current form is the product of numerous mergers and acquisitions over the years, like a supergroup of drugmakers: Philadelphia's John K Smith & Co. made employee Mahlon Kline a partner and the name became Smith, Kline and Company. A few generations, acquisitions and mergers later, in 2000, SmithKline Beecham plc. (as it was then known) merged with Glaxo Wellcome.
But that's ancient history. Today the stock is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), under the conveniently easy-to-remember ticker "GSK", and traded in sterling. Its hefty market cap makes it a FTSE 100 constituent. Here's how you can get a stake.
How to buy shares in GSK
- Open a brokerage account. Choose from our top broker picks or compare brokers in depth. Then, sign up on your chosen platform.
- Fund your account. Add money to your account via bank transfer or debit card.
- Search the platform by ticker symbol. GSK in this case.
- Choose an order type. Place a market order (or limit order, if you want to try to hold out for a specific price) with your preferred number of shares or investment amount.
- Submit the order. It's that simple.
The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes. You'll need a smartphone or computer, an internet connection, your passport or driving licence and a means of payment.
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Latest updates for GSK
April 29, 2026: GSK reported Q1 2026 results on 29 April, with sales up 5% at constant currency to £7.6b and full-year guidance reaffirmed.
Share dealing platform comparison
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Is it a good time to buy GSK stock?
The gauge below shows real-time ratings that are based on 26 popular indicators such as moving averages, for specific time periods. It's not a recommendation but is simply technical analysis that can form part of your research.
Finder might not agree with the analysis and we take no responsibility. We also give no representations or warranty on the accuracy or completeness of the information provided on this page.
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Frequently asked questions
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Dividend yield: 4.32% of stock value
Forward annual dividend yield: 3.72% of stock value
Dividend payout ratio: 38.85% of net profits
GSK has recently paid out dividends equivalent to 4.32% of its share value annually.
GSK has paid out, on average, around 38.85% of recent net profits as dividends. That has enabled analysts to estimate a "forward annual dividend yield" of 3.72% of the current stock value. This means that over a year, based on recent payouts (which are sadly no guarantee of future payouts), shareholders could enjoy a 3.72% return on their shares, in the form of dividend payments. In GSK's case, that would currently equate to about 79 per share.
While GSK's payout ratio might seem fairly standard, it's worth remembering that it may be investing much of the rest of its net profits in future growth.
GSK's dividend yield is perhaps best considered in relation to those of similar companies.
- Pfizer (PFE.US): 5.64% (5.61% forward annual dividend yield)
- Gilead Sciences (GILD.US): 1.9% (1.93% forward annual dividend yield)
- Johnson-and-Johnson (JNJ.US): 1.93% (1.98% forward annual dividend yield)
- Abbott Laboratories (ABT.US): 2.37% (2.29% forward annual dividend yield)
- IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX.US): (does not pay dividend)
- AstraZeneca (AZN.LSE): 2.31% (1.71% forward annual dividend yield)
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It's as easy to sell GSK as it is to buy! Here's how to sell GSK shares that you already own.
- Open your investment app. If you've got one with desktop access, you can log in online
- Go to your portfolio. This should be in the main menu
- Find your shares. You may be able to search your portfolio
- Choose how many you'd like to sell. You'll be able to review the price and see how much you'll receive
- Sell your GSK shares. Your investment platform will let you know when your shares are sold
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Most dealing providers will let you use your debit card to top up your account and buy shares. The main ways are with a debit card, bank transfer or with Apple/Google Pay.
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The easiest way to get hold of some GSK shares is to sign up for a share trading app and place a market order or basic order. This type of order tells the platform that you're interested, so it'll try to execute it as quickly as it can. It could take some time for the order to go through, especially if there's a lot of volatility in GSK shares.
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No. That's for US stocks.
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Finder writers are subject matter experts and use primary sources, in-depth research and interviews with other experts to ensure you're getting accurate, up-to-date information. Articles are fact checked in line with our editorial guidelines.
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