Pearson (NYSE:PSO) Earns Equal Weight Rating from Analysts at Morgan Stanley

Key Points

• Morgan Stanley has initiated coverage on Pearson (NYSE:PSO) with an "equal weight" rating for the stock.
• Institutional investors have shown increased interest, with several acquiring new stakes in Pearson during the first quarter.
• The current average price target for Pearson is $18.00, with an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from market analysts.

Investment analysts at Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Pearson (NYSE:PSO - Get Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Monday. The firm set an "equal weight" rating on the stock.

PSO has been the subject of several other reports. Wall Street Zen cut Pearson from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, September 20th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Pearson from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Friday, June 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Pearson in a research report on Monday, August 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b-)" rating on shares of Pearson in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pearson currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $18.00.

Pearson Stock Performance

Shares of PSO traded down $0.29 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $14.70. 87,202 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 653,479. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 2.31 and a quick ratio of 2.24. Pearson has a twelve month low of $13.27 and a twelve month high of $17.90. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $14.32 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $14.89.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new position in Pearson during the first quarter worth about $1,396,000. Diversify Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Pearson during the first quarter worth approximately $851,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Pearson by 146.3% during the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 151,413 shares of the company's stock worth $2,424,000 after purchasing an additional 89,949 shares during the period. Townsquare Capital LLC raised its position in Pearson by 203.8% in the 1st quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC now owns 50,297 shares of the company's stock valued at $805,000 after buying an additional 33,743 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers purchased a new stake in Pearson in the 1st quarter valued at $401,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.14% of the company's stock.

Pearson Company Profile

Pearson plc offers educational courseware, assessments, and services in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Asia Pacific, other European countries, and internationally. The company operates through five segments: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Workforce Skills, and Higher Education.

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