(1) The balance sheet is to be drawn up in the form of accounts. In the process, medium-sized and large share capital companies (section 267 (2) and (3)) are to separately show under assets the items designated in subsection (2) and are to separately show under liabilities the items designated in subsection (3); they are to do so in the sequence stipulated therein. Small share capital companies (section 267 (1)) are only required to draw up an abridged balance sheet in which the items listed in subsections (2) and (3) designated by letters of the alphabet and Roman numerals are included as separate items in the sequence stipulated therein. Micro share capital companies (section 267a) are only required to draw up an abridged balance sheet in which the items listed in subsections (2) and (3) designated by letters of the alphabet are reported as separate items in the sequence stipulated therein.
(2) Assets
A. Fixed assets:
I. Intangible assets:
1. Industrial property rights, created by the enterprise itself, and similar rights and assets;
2. Concessions, industrial property rights and similar rights and assets purchased for valuable consideration, as well as licenses to such rights and assets;
3. Goodwill;
4. Payments on account;
II. Tangible fixed assets:
1. Real property and equivalent rights as well as buildings, including buildings on third-party real estate;
2. Plant and machinery;
3. Other equipment, factory equipment and furnishings and fixtures;
4. Payments on account and tangible assets in the course of construction;
III. Financial assets:
1. Shares in affiliated enterprises;
2. Loans to affiliated enterprises;
3. Participating interests;
4. Loans to enterprises with which the enterprise is linked by virtue of participating interests;
5. Investment securities held as fixed assets;
6. Other loans.
B. Current assets:
I. Stocks:
1. Raw materials, auxiliary supplies and consumables;
2. Work in progress, uncompleted contracts;
3. Finished goods and goods for resale;
4. Payments on account;
II. Receivables and other assets:
1. Trade receivables;
2. Amounts owed by affiliated enterprises;
3. Amounts owed by enterprises with which the enterprise is linked by virtue of participating interests;
4. Other assets;
III. Investment securities:
1. Shares in affiliated enterprises;
2. Other investment securities;
IV. Cash in hand, deposits with Deutsche Bundesbank, bank balances, and cheques.
C. Prepayments and accrued income.
D. Deferred tax assets.
E. Net defined benefit asset.
(3) Liabilities
A. Equity capital:
I. Subscribed capital;
II. Capital reserve;
III. Retained earnings:
1. Legal reserve;
2. Reserve for shares in a controlling enterprise or in an enterprise holding a majority interest;
3. Reserves provided for by the statutes;
4. Other retained earnings;
IV. Accumulated profit / loss carried forward from the previous year;
V. Net income for the year / net loss for the year.
B. Provisions:
1. Provisions for pensions and similar obligations;
2. Provisions for taxation;
3. Other provisions.
C. Liabilities:
1. Debentures,
showing convertible debentures separately;
2. Payables owed to credit institutions;
3. Payments received on account of orders;
4. Trade payables;
5. Liabilities arising from the acceptance of drafts and the issuance of promissory notes;
6. Payables owed to affiliated enterprises;
7. Payables owed to enterprises with which the enterprise is linked by virtue of participating interests;
8. Other payables,
with a separate indication of taxes,
with a separate indication of any payables related to social security contributions.
D. Prepaid income.
E. Deferred tax liabilities.