Pearson (LON:PSON) Hits New 1-Year High – Here’s Why

Pearson plc (LON:PSON) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 1,316 ($16.37) and last traded at GBX 1,315.50 ($16.37), with a volume of 1361790 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,300 ($16.18).

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Pearson from GBX 1,400 ($17.42) to GBX 1,450 ($18.04) and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of GBX 1,159.25 ($14.42).

Pearson Trading Up 0.8 %

The firm has a fifty day moving average of GBX 1,266.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 1,128.28. The company has a market cap of £8.70 billion, a PE ratio of 2,621.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.56.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Sherry Coutu bought 731 shares of Pearson stock in a transaction on Friday, December 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 1,282 ($15.95) per share, with a total value of £9,371.42 ($11,660.35). Also, insider Omar Abbosh sold 77,989 shares of Pearson stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,296 ($16.13), for a total value of £1,010,737.44 ($1,257,605.38). 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Pearson Company Profile

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.20,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s leading learning company, serving customers in c.200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data.