Pearson (NYSE:PSO) Upgraded by Kepler Capital Markets to “Hold” Rating

Kepler Capital Markets upgraded shares of Pearson (NYSE:PSO) from a reduce rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning, MarketBeat.com reports.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on PSO. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on shares of Pearson in a research note on Monday, October 20th. They issued an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Citigroup assumed coverage on Pearson in a research report on Monday, January 12th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Pearson from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $18.00.

Pearson Stock Up 1.7%

PSO opened at $13.16 on Friday. Pearson has a 12-month low of $12.42 and a 12-month high of $17.90. The company has a quick ratio of 2.24, a current ratio of 2.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $13.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $14.01.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PSO. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its position in Pearson by 2.1% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,144,680 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,336,000 after buying an additional 44,349 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Pearson by 22.5% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 849,330 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,027,000 after acquiring an additional 156,080 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in Pearson by 12.8% in the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 790,929 shares of the company’s stock valued at $11,200,000 after purchasing an additional 90,027 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC bought a new stake in Pearson in the 1st quarter valued at about $11,546,000. Finally, Optiver Holding B.V. acquired a new position in Pearson during the 3rd quarter valued at about $10,104,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.14% of the company’s stock.

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.