Pearson (NYSE:PSO) Stock Rating Lowered by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Pearson (NYSE:PSO) from a "buy" rating to a "hold" in a note to investors.
• Other recent analyst moves include Weiss Ratings cutting to a hold, Kepler raising to a hold, and Citigroup initiating coverage with a buy, leaving an average rating of Moderate Buy (one Strong Buy, one Buy, four Holds).
• Shares opened at $15.10 with 50‑ and 200‑day moving averages near $13.43 and a 52‑week range of $12.02–$16.67, and institutional activity included Morgan Stanley increasing its position by 34.4% to about 3.97 million shares (institutions own 2.14% of the stock).

Pearson (NYSE:PSO - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a note issued to investors on Saturday.

PSO has been the subject of a number of other reports. Weiss Ratings cut Pearson from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Kepler Capital Markets raised Pearson from a "reduce" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on Pearson in a report on Monday, January 12th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy".

Pearson Price Performance

Shares of NYSE PSO opened at $15.10 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $13.43 and a two-hundred day moving average of $13.47. Pearson has a 52-week low of $12.02 and a 52-week high of $16.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.00 and a quick ratio of 1.94.

Institutional Trading of Pearson

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PSO. Morgan Stanley increased its position in Pearson by 34.4% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 3,971,424 shares of the company's stock worth $55,759,000 after purchasing an additional 1,015,739 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC acquired a new stake in Pearson in the first quarter worth about $11,546,000. Optiver Holding B.V. acquired a new stake in Pearson in the third quarter worth about $10,104,000. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd grew its position in shares of Pearson by 1,072.4% during the 2nd quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 605,707 shares of the company's stock worth $9,043,000 after buying an additional 554,044 shares during the period. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new position in shares of Pearson during the 4th quarter worth about $6,515,000. 2.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Pearson Company Profile

Pearson plc is a global education company headquartered in London, England, with significant operations in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Tracing its roots back to 1844, Pearson evolved from its early beginnings into one of the world's leading providers of educational content, digital learning tools, and assessment services. The company's American subsidiary trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PSO.

Pearson's core business encompasses a broad portfolio of products and services for learners, educators, and institutions.

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