Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO) Short Interest Update

Key Points

• Pearson’s short interest fell 39.4% to 2.52 million shares as of August 31, representing approximately 0.4% of shares outstanding and 5.7 days of average trading volume.
• Institutional ownership stood at 2.14%, with several firms increasing their positions; Royal Bank of Canada made the largest proportional increase, raising its stake by 86.5%.
• PSO shares recently traded at $15.97, while analyst sentiment remained mixed and centered on a “Hold” consensus. Ratings included one Buy, five Holds and one Sell, and the company announced a $0.1103-per-share dividend.

Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest during the month of August. As of August 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,516,962 shares, a decline of 39.4% from the August 15th total of 4,153,239 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 442,636 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 5.7 days. Approximately 0.4% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Institutional Trading of Pearson

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PSO. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in Pearson by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 24,482 shares of the company's stock worth $344,000 after acquiring an additional 930 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of Pearson by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 56,380 shares of the company's stock valued at $740,000 after acquiring an additional 1,071 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Pearson by 3.4% in the second quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 40,867 shares of the company's stock valued at $649,000 after purchasing an additional 1,334 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its holdings in shares of Pearson by 86.5% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 5,613 shares of the company's stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 2,604 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in Pearson by 44.3% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 8,880 shares of the company's stock worth $141,000 after purchasing an additional 2,727 shares during the last quarter. 2.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Pearson Stock Down 0.2%

PSO stock traded down $0.03 on Wednesday, reaching $15.97. The company's stock had a trading volume of 274,954 shares, compared to its average volume of 964,653. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.46 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $15.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 1.94 and a current ratio of 2.00. Pearson has a 12-month low of $12.02 and a 12-month high of $17.75.

Pearson Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $0.1103 per share. This represents a yield of 137.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PSO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Pearson from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Pearson in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "hold" rating on shares of Pearson in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b-)" rating on shares of Pearson in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st. Finally, Kepler Capital Markets lowered Pearson from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Monday, September 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold".

Pearson Company Profile

Pearson plc is a global learning and education company headquartered in London, England. Through its digital platforms, assessments, qualifications and educational content, the company serves learners, educators, institutions, employers and governments.

Pearson's activities include academic and professional assessment, qualifications, English-language learning, higher education course materials, virtual learning and workforce-skills training. Its offerings include digital learning products, testing and assessment services, online programs, educational textbooks and resources, and tools designed to support teaching and career development.

Founded in 1844 by Samuel Pearson, the company began as a construction and publishing business before developing into an international education provider.

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.