Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts

Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO) has been given an average rating of “Hold” by the seven research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company.

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on PSO shares. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Pearson from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Pearson in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Pearson from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, August 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Pearson in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Pearson from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th.

Pearson Price Performance

NYSE PSO opened at $16.27 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $16.27 and its 200 day moving average is $14.67. 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 12 month low of $12.02 and a 12 month high of $17.75.

Pearson Cuts Dividend

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pearson

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pearson by 952.1% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,757 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 1,590 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Pearson during the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its position in Pearson by 54.2% during the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,947 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 1,036 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Pearson in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in shares of Pearson by 86.5% in the 1st 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 during the last quarter. 2.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Pearson

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.