Pearson (LON:PSON) Hits New 1-Year High - What's Next?

Key Points

• Pearson shares reached a new 52-week high of GBX 1,390 and last traded at GBX 1,387, up from the prior close of GBX 1,368.50.
• Analysts remain cautious: Pearson has a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of GBX 1,278.33, below its current trading price.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of GBX 28.90, with a 9.13% return on equity and an 8.78% net margin; its market capitalization is approximately £8.33 billion.

Pearson plc (LON:PSON - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday. The company traded as high as GBX 1,390 and last traded at GBX 1,387, with a volume of 2,074,209 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,368.50.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 1,130 price target on shares of Pearson in a research note on Friday. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Pearson from GBX 1,300 to GBX 1,345 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Pearson from GBX 1,420 to GBX 1,360 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating. According to MarketBeat.com, Pearson presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of GBX 1,278.33.

Pearson Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of £8.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.73, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a current ratio of 2.00, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 52.56. The company has a 50 day moving average of GBX 1,233.60 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 1,184.37.

Pearson (LON:PSON - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The company reported GBX 28.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Pearson had a return on equity of 9.13% and a net margin of 8.78%.

About Pearson

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to add life to a lifetime of learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That's why our c.17,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We serve customers in over 40 countries, supporting lifelong learning through world-class assessments and learning experiences, and trusted certifications and credentialing. For us, learning isn't just what we do.

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.