Pearson (NYSE:PSO) Now Covered by Analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group

The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Pearson (NYSE:PSO) in a report published on Wednesday. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the stock.

Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on PSO. National Bankshares set a $18.00 target price on shares of Pearson in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Pearson from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, March 3rd.

Pearson Stock Performance

NYSE PSO opened at $15.99 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 1.72. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $16.55 and its 200-day simple moving average is $15.46. The company has a market cap of $10.66 billion, a PE ratio of 17.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.38. Pearson has a 1-year low of $11.78 and a 1-year high of $17.90.

Pearson Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.2092 per share. This is a boost from Pearson’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 21st. This represents a yield of 1.7%. Pearson’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 43.62%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pearson

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PSO. Versant Capital Management Inc acquired a new position in Pearson in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in Pearson during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new position in Pearson in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Pearson by 228.0% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 4,044 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,000 after acquiring an additional 2,811 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its position in shares of Pearson by 251.4% during the fourth quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 5,247 shares of the company’s stock worth $85,000 after acquiring an additional 3,754 shares during the period. 2.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pearson Company Profile

Pearson plc offers 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.