Pearson, PLC (PSO) - What Are Brokerages Thinking About This Stock?

Key Points

• Analysts hold a neutral view of Pearson: Six brokerages collectively rate the stock “Hold,” with four hold ratings, one buy and one sell. Recent actions included downgrades from Goldman Sachs and Kepler Capital Markets.
• Institutional ownership increased modestly: Several investment firms raised their Pearson holdings, led by a 72.5% increase from Arrowstreet Capital; institutions and hedge funds own 2.14% of the stock.
• Shares were trading near their annual high: Pearson opened at $17.50, compared with a 52-week range of $12.02 to $18.43, while its 50-day and 200-day moving averages stood at $16.64 and $15.04, respectively.

Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of "Hold" from the six brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company.

PSO has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Pearson from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Pearson from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Pearson in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Pearson in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Finally, Kepler Capital Markets cut shares of Pearson from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Monday, September 7th.

Institutional Trading of Pearson

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in Pearson by 72.5% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,645,461 shares of the company's stock valued at $21,605,000 after purchasing an additional 691,339 shares during the period. Quantinno Capital Management LP raised its position in Pearson by 16.8% in the first quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 512,854 shares of the company's stock worth $6,734,000 after acquiring an additional 73,788 shares in the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Pearson by 26.4% during the 2nd quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 224,809 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,572,000 after acquiring an additional 47,023 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in Pearson by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 56,380 shares of the company's stock worth $740,000 after buying an additional 1,071 shares during the period. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Pearson by 3.4% during the second quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 40,867 shares of the company's stock valued at $649,000 after acquiring an additional 1,334 shares during the period. 2.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Pearson Price Performance

PSO opened at $17.50 on Friday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $16.64 and its 200 day simple moving average is $15.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.00 and a quick ratio of 1.94. Pearson has a 1 year low of $12.02 and a 1 year high of $18.43.

Pearson Company Profile

Pearson plc is a global education company that provides learning, assessment and workforce-skills services to individuals, schools, colleges, universities, businesses and governments. Its offerings include digital learning platforms, online courseware, textbooks, academic and professional assessments, qualifications, English-language learning programs and career-development solutions.

The company serves customers across numerous international markets, with operations and products supporting learners and educational institutions in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and other regions.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.