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Pearson PLC ADR (PSO)



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Upturn Advisory Summary
08/28/2025: PSO (1-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.
1 Year Target Price $15.2
1 Year Target Price $15.2
0 | Strong Buy |
0 | Buy |
1 | Hold |
0 | Sell |
0 | Strong Sell |
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -3.47% | Avg. Invested days 37 | Today’s Advisory WEAK BUY |
Upturn Star Rating ![]() ![]() | Upturn Advisory Performance ![]() | Stock Returns Performance ![]() |
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Key Highlights
Company Size Mid-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 9.51B USD | Price to earnings Ratio 16.66 | 1Y Target Price 15.2 |
Price to earnings Ratio 16.66 | 1Y Target Price 15.2 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 1 | Beta 0.3 | 52 Weeks Range 13.02 - 17.56 | Updated Date 08/29/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 13.02 - 17.56 | Updated Date 08/29/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) 2.03% | Basic EPS (TTM) 0.88 |
Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth
Revenue by Geography
Geography revenue - Year on Year
Earnings Date
Report Date 2025-08-01 | When After Market | Estimate - | Actual 0.25 |
Profitability
Profit Margin 12.53% | Operating Margin (TTM) 14.29% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) 5.56% | Return on Equity (TTM) 11.95% |
Valuation
Trailing PE 16.66 | Forward PE 15.65 | Enterprise Value 11049319913 | Price to Sales(TTM) 2.7 |
Enterprise Value 11049319913 | Price to Sales(TTM) 2.7 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 2.33 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA 7.44 | Shares Outstanding 645680000 | Shares Floating 654891615 |
Shares Outstanding 645680000 | Shares Floating 654891615 | ||
Percent Insiders 0.05 | Percent Institutions 3.33 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Pearson PLC ADR

Company Overview
History and Background
Pearson PLC, founded in 1844 as a construction business, evolved into publishing and then into education. It's a multinational company with roots in the UK and listed as an ADR in the US. It has undergone significant restructuring to focus solely on education.
Core Business Areas
- Assessment & Qualifications: Develops and delivers assessments and qualifications, including standardized tests and professional certifications.
- Virtual Learning: Provides online learning platforms and virtual schools for K-12 and higher education.
- Higher Education: Offers courseware, digital learning tools, and textbooks for higher education institutions.
- Workforce Skills: Delivers training and learning solutions for businesses and professionals to upskill and reskill employees.
Leadership and Structure
Pearson is led by a CEO and executive team. It operates with a board of directors. The company is structured around its core business areas. Andy Bird is the current CEO as of 2020.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- MyLab & Mastering: Online learning platforms for higher education, covering various subjects. Competitors include McGraw Hill Education, Cengage Learning. Itu2019s difficult to get exact revenue or user figures, but MyLab is very popular. Pearson is a major market player in the higher education learning platforms.
- Pearson VUE: Provides computer-based testing services for professional certifications and licensure exams. Competitors include PSI Services, Prometric. Pearson VUE facilitates millions of tests each year. Specific market share data is difficult to find, but they are a major provider.
- BTEC Qualifications: Vocational qualifications in the UK. Competitors include City & Guilds. Pearson is a leading provider of BTEC qualifications in the UK.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The education industry is undergoing digital transformation, with increasing demand for online learning, personalized learning, and skills-based education. The industry is fragmented.
Positioning
Pearson is positioned as a leading provider of educational content, technology, assessment, and services. It has a strong brand recognition and a global presence. It's transitioning from print to digital.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The global education market is estimated to be worth trillions of dollars. Pearson is positioned to capture a significant share of this market through its digital transformation strategy.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Strong brand recognition
- Global presence
- Extensive content library
- Established relationships with educators and institutions
- Diversified product portfolio
Weaknesses
- High debt levels
- Slow to adapt to digital trends in the past
- Dependence on textbook sales
- Complexity of organizational structure
- Inconsistent execution of strategy
Opportunities
- Growing demand for online learning
- Increasing adoption of personalized learning
- Expanding into emerging markets
- Developing new digital products and services
- Partnerships with technology companies
Threats
- Competition from low-cost providers
- Disruptive technologies
- Changing education policies
- Economic downturn
- Piracy of digital content
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- MHRA
- CTP
- NCBE
Competitive Landscape
Pearson faces competition from both traditional publishers and new digital education providers. It has advantages in content and global reach, but disadvantages in agility and cost structure.
Major Acquisitions
Credly
- Year: 2021
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 200
- Strategic Rationale: Expand Pearson's presence in the workforce skills market and provide digital credentials.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Pearson's growth has been inconsistent over the past years, but it is now focusing on digital transformation to drive future growth.
Future Projections: Analysts estimate Pearson's revenue will grow at a rate of 3-5% per year over the next few years.
Recent Initiatives: Pearson is investing in digital learning platforms, acquiring new businesses, and streamlining its operations.
Summary
Pearson is a global education company undergoing a digital transformation. It has a strong brand and a diversified product portfolio but faces competition and challenges in adapting to the changing education landscape. Its digital transformation efforts and investment in new technologies are key to future growth, though high debt needs to be monitored. Overall it is a strong player but must constantly evolve to stay ahead.
Peer Comparison
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Company reports
- Analyst estimates
- Industry publications
- Market research reports
Disclaimers:
This analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Data may be approximate and subject to change.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About Pearson PLC ADR
Exchange NYSE | Headquaters - | ||
IPO Launch date 2000-09-01 | CEO & Executive Director Mr. Omar Paul Abbosh | ||
Sector Communication Services | Industry Publishing | Full time employees 17116 | Website https://plc.pearson.com |
Full time employees 17116 | Website https://plc.pearson.com |
Pearson plc provides 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. The Assessment & Qualifications segment offers Pearson VUE, US student assessment, clinical assessment, UK GCSE, and A levels and international academic qualifications and associated courseware. The Virtual Learning segment provides virtual schools and online program management services. The English Language Learning segment offers Pearson test of English, institutional courseware, and English online solutions. The Workforce Skills offers BTEC, GED, TalentLens, Faethm, Credly, Pearson college, and apprenticeships. The Higher Education segment engages in the US, Canadian, and international higher education courseware businesses. The company was founded in 1844 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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