# Pearson share price today (Pearson plc, PSO)

> Pearson plc's share price, valuation and earnings point in different directions. The next one or two quarters should make it clearer. PSO · Communication Services · Publishing · data as of 3 November 2026. Page: https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/pso

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## Key numbers

- Business trend: Mixed, from the last 12 quarters
- Price: $17.13 (+23.1% in a year)
- P/E: 25.5×, over 7.8 years
- Revenue (Jun 2026): $1.8 B (+3.3% on a year ago)
- Profit (Jun 2026): $149 M (−10.2% on a year ago)
- Operating margin: 13.3% (flat on a year ago)
- ROE: 9%, FY25
- ROIC: 7.7%, against a 3.9% cost of capital: +3.8 points

The main question: the share price moved +23.1% in a year while yearly earnings per share moved −20.2%. The difference came from the market paying a higher multiple. ## What is the Pearson share price today? Pearson plc's share price was $17.13 at the close on 3 November 2026. It has been rising for 9 weeks. That is 13.4% above its average price over the last 200 trading days. In the last 52 weeks it traded between $12 and $18, and at that close it sat 81% of the way up from that low. Over the past 13 weeks it has done better than the S&P 500, and it has stayed ahead for 4 weeks in a row. Over the last 10 years the share price moved +39% while the S&P 500 moved +255%, so it is behind the index over that whole period. The chart above shows the 13-week comparison for every week. This page treats a rise as over when the price closes below its 200-day average on two Fridays in a row. ## What dividend does Pearson pay? Pearson plc paid $0.50 per share over the last four reported quarters. The most recent declaration was $0.08 for Jun 2026. At today's price of $17.13 that is a yield of 2.92%, based on dividends already paid, not a forecast. ## Which stock lists is Pearson on? Pearson is not in the Nasdaq 100, the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones 30, and is not on the US tech stocks list. ## Is Pearson profitable? Pearson plc earned $149 M of net profit in the Jun 2026 quarter, −10.2% on the same quarter a year earlier. Full-year FY25 profit was $336 M. Over 4 years profit has grown 17.2% a year on average. That is 8.4% of the quarter's revenue. The same quarter a year earlier earned $158 M. For the full year, FY25 profit was $336 M (−22.8% on the year before). Why profit moved: revenue changed +3.3% on a year earlier and the margin moved +0.0 percentage points. Sales did the work, and the margin was about flat. On average over the last four quarters, profit changed +0.0% and revenue +1.2%. Profit and revenue are moving at about the same pace. ## How much revenue does Pearson make, and is it growing? Pearson plc reported $1.8 B of revenue in the Jun 2026 quarter, +3.3% on the same quarter a year earlier. That is the 2nd quarter in a row with growth on the year before. Over 4 years it has grown 1.1% a year on average. The last full year, FY25, came in at $3.6 B. FY25 revenue was $3.6 B, +0.7% on the year before. Recent pace: the last four quarters grew +1.2% on average, against 1.1% a year over the longer run, so this year is growing at about the same pace as its own long-run rate. Is growth speeding up? Revenue over the last 12 months grew −4.4%, against +0.2% a year over the last 8 quarters (rolling over); profit over the last 12 months grew +18.0%, against +15.0% a year (stabilising). ## How much of every $100 of sales does Pearson keep? Pearson plc's operating margin was 13.3% in the Jun 2026 quarter, about the same as the same quarter a year ago. Over the last four quarters it has moved +1.4 percentage points. Across 5 years it has been between 7.8% and 16.0%. The latest quarter is within that range. In the latest quarter it moved +0.0 percentage points on the same quarter a year ago. Why the margin moved: operating margin changed +1.4 percentage points on the year while gross margin changed +1.1 points. So the gain came mostly from the gross margin, which means input costs and prices charged. ## Is Pearson's profit turning into cash? Over the last 3 years, 157% of Pearson plc's reported profit came in as cash from its operations, so the profit is backed by cash. In FY25 it brought in $656 M of operating cash against $336 M of profit. After $29.0 M of spending on assets, $627 M was left over as free cash. Cash-flow figures here are yearly, because quarterly cash statements are not published, so this section changes once a year. Why: the cash figure is clear, but the day counts behind it are not in our data, so we show it without guessing the reason. What to look at next: the main use of cash is spending on assets. The next section checks what that spending is building. ## Where does Pearson's cash go? Pearson plc does not report the customer, stock and supplier day counts a cash cycle needs, so this section looks at its spending on assets instead. It spent $92.0 M on assets over the last 3 years. Averaged over those years that is 0.9% of FY25 revenue a year. Nothing is estimated in place of the missing day counts, so no cash-cycle chart is drawn. Spending on assets: $92.0 M over the last 3 years. In short: the cash is going into new capacity, not getting stuck in the daily cycle. The question is whether the new capacity earns. ## What is Pearson's P/E ratio, and how does it compare with its own history? Pearson plc's P/E is 25.5×, with too little history to compare. This compares the share price with the company’s own past. It does not say what the business is worth. Why the multiple is where it is: over the past year earnings per share moved −20.2% while the price moved +23.1%. The price did better than earnings, which pushed the multiple up within its own range. Where the price move came from: over 5 years the price moved +16.0% a year; about +9.3% a year came from earnings growth and about +6.7 percentage points from the multiple (the market paying more). The split is approximate (price return minus earnings growth). It shows how much of the move came from the market paying a different multiple. In short: there is too little history to say whether the multiple is high or low for this company, so the earnings trend underneath matters more than the multiple. ## Is the Pearson business getting better or worse? Pearson plc's business is giving mixed signals. Growth is slowing from a very fast pace: EPS growth has eased from +44.5% at its peak to +28.2%, but the business is still expanding, with ROCE steady at 20.9%. This is based on 12 quarters of 4 measures. Why it matters: when the lines disagree, each line above matters more than any single label. ## How much does Pearson earn on its capital? Pearson plc earned a ROE of 9% in FY25. That is up from a low of 4% in FY21. Its return on capital used (ROIC) is 3.8 percentage points above its cost of capital, so growth here adds value, not just size. It comes from a 9.4% net margin and 0.55× asset turnover (sales divided by assets). Why the return is what it is (FY25): a 9.4% net margin × 0.55× asset turnover × 1.76× leverage (assets divided by equity) ≈ 9.1% on equity. The margin does its share; borrowing is a big part of it. The key test, return on capital used minus the cost of capital: 7.7% − 3.9% = +3.8 percentage points. The 3.9% is an estimate of this company's own cost of capital. Read the sign and size of the gap, not the decimals. Positive but thin: it creates value with little room for error. ## Does Pearson have too much debt? Pearson plc has total debt of $1.8 B against shareholder equity of $3.4 B as of Jun 2026, so its debt is 0.52× its equity. Year by year, that ratio went from 0.34 in FY21 to 0.41 in FY25. Keep that borrowing in mind when reading the returns on this page. ## What is the Pearson shareholding pattern? We have no ownership or short-position figures for Pearson plc, so this section says so rather than fill the gap. At normal trading volumes, closing those positions would take about 5.5 days. US companies do not publish a quarter-by-quarter list of owners, so this page uses short interest instead. ## How far is Pearson from balance-sheet trouble? For Pearson plc, the Z-score is 2.42. A Z-score above about 3 is safe and below about 1.8 signals danger, so this is in the grey area between the two. It estimates how far the balance sheet is from trouble; it is not a forecast of failure. Why it matters: a Z-score of 2.42 is in the grey area, neither clearly safe nor clearly in trouble. ## How does Pearson rank in its industry? 57.4 out of 100, rank 2 of 6 in Publishing, with 51% of the evidence available. Pearson plc scores 57.4 out of 100 against the 6 companies it is compared with in Publishing, ranking 2. Some evidence is missing, so the score is pulled toward the middle on purpose. The four parts add up to the total exactly: 15.5 + 12.8 + 9.1 + 20 = 57.4. This is the same number shown on the industry page; it is worked out once for the whole group and read here. What would change it: The score would fall if profit growth turns negative or margins stop improving while the share price lags its sector. ## Which companies is Pearson compared with? Pearson ranks 2 of 6 Publishing companies on the 4-Factor Sector Score, with 57.4 out of 100. 1. [The New York Times Company](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/nyt) NYT · turning · Most evidence points up · 81% evidence 66.5 out of 100 Growth Capital Valuation Relative How the score adds up Growth & earnings 24.9/35 · Revenue 10.8% · Profit 22.4% · Operating margin change 1.4 points · 83% evidence Capital efficiency 21.1/25 · ROCE 20.8% · Operating margin 17.1% · 76% evidence Valuation 10.9/20 · P/E 28.8× · PEG 1.21 · 65% evidence Relative strength 9.6/20 · Lead over its industry -11% · Lead over S&P 500 -11.7% · 1 year 9.4% · 100% evidence · 1 of 12 weeks ahead Exact sum: 24.9 + 21.1 + 10.9 + 9.6 = 66.5 · What this means: The evidence is balanced: no factor stands out, so another reported quarter is needed before the picture is clearer. 2. Pearson plc this page PSO · turning · Too little evidence to rank firmly · 51% evidence 57.4 out of 100 Growth Capital Valuation Relative How the score adds up Growth & earnings 15.5/35 · Revenue n/a · Profit n/a · Operating margin change 0 points · 26% evidence Capital efficiency 12.8/25 · ROCE 9.8% · Operating margin 13.3% · 76% evidence Valuation 9.1/20 · P/E 22.5× · PEG n/a · 15% evidence Relative strength 20.0/20 · Lead over its industry 11.3% · Lead over S&P 500 10.4% · 1 year 31.2% · 100% evidence · 4 of 12 weeks ahead Exact sum: 15.5 + 12.8 + 9.1 + 20 = 57.4 · What this means: Some evidence is missing, so the score is pulled toward the middle on purpose. 3. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLYB · quiet · Too little evidence to rank firmly · 55% evidence 49.6 out of 100 Growth Capital Valuation Relative How the score adds up Growth & earnings 20.6/43.75 · Revenue -0.4% · Profit 100% · Operating margin change -0.7 points · 95% evidence Capital efficiency 16.1/31.25 · ROCE 11.6% · Operating margin 7.3% · 76% evidence Valuation 12.9/25 · P/E 9.5× · PEG n/a · 15% evidence Relative strength: no reading this week · its 20 points are shared across the other three Exact sum: 20.6 + 16.1 + 12.9 = 49.6 (no relative-strength reading this week; its 20 points are shared across the other three) · What this means: Some evidence is missing, so the score is pulled toward the middle on purpose. 4. [Scholastic Corporation](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/schl) SCHL · quiet · Evidence leans down · 77% evidence 43.7 out of 100 Growth Capital Valuation Relative How the score adds up Growth & earnings 17.0/35 · Revenue -2.5% · Profit n/a · Operating margin change 1 points · 71% evidence Capital efficiency 4.1/25 · ROCE 4.1% · Operating margin -39.6% · 76% evidence Valuation 10.8/20 · P/E 13.2× · PEG 1.47 · 65% evidence Relative strength 11.8/20 · Lead over its industry -0.6% · Lead over S&P 500 -2.3% · 1 year 37.4% · 100% evidence · 0 of 12 weeks ahead Exact sum: 17 + 4.1 + 10.8 + 11.8 = 43.7 · What this means: The evidence is balanced: no factor stands out, so another reported quarter is needed before the picture is clearer. 5. [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/tday) TDAY · quiet · Evidence leans down · 71% evidence 37.9 out of 100 Growth Capital Valuation Relative How the score adds up Growth & earnings 13.8/35 · Revenue -6.7% · Profit -134.8% · Operating margin change 1 points · 83% evidence Capital efficiency 9.3/25 · ROCE 11.2% · Operating margin 4.2% · 76% evidence Valuation 11.5/20 · P/E -30.9× · PEG n/a · 15% evidence Relative strength 3.3/20 · Lead over its industry -16.8% · Lead over S&P 500 -18.4% · 1 year 12.6% · 100% evidence · 0 of 12 weeks ahead Exact sum: 13.8 + 9.3 + 11.5 + 3.3 = 37.9 · What this means: The evidence is balanced: no factor stands out, so another reported quarter is needed before the picture is clearer. 6. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE · quiet · Evidence leans down · 64% evidence 37.4 out of 100 Growth Capital Valuation Relative How the score adds up Growth & earnings 20.0/35 · Revenue -11.2% · Profit n/a · Operating margin change 3.8 points · 62% evidence Capital efficiency 6.5/25 · ROCE 7.8% · Operating margin 11.1% · 76% evidence Valuation 10.9/20 · P/E -21.1× · PEG n/a · 15% evidence Relative strength 0.0/20 · Lead over its industry -18.2% · Lead over S&P 500 -20.8% · 1 year 52.4% · 100% evidence · 0 of 12 weeks ahead Exact sum: 20 + 6.5 + 10.9 + 0 = 37.4 · What this means: The evidence is balanced: no factor stands out, so another reported quarter is needed before the picture is clearer. Missing figures are not scored as bad. They lower the confidence and pull the final score toward the middle. Relative strength counts only when the company has a reading for this week; with no reading, that factor is left out and its 20 points are shared across the other three in proportion. PEG is not shown when the ratio cannot mean anything: the company must be making a profit, its price-to-earnings must be positive, and its three-year earnings growth must fall between 5% and 60%. Dividing a price multiple by a loss, or by growth measured off a tiny base, produces a number that looks precise and tells you nothing. Under relative strength, one mark per week shows the last 12 weeks: a mark is filled where the company led S&P 500 by 5% or more over the 13 weeks ending that week, which is the same test used everywhere on this site. Price stage places the company on the same six-step path the industry is placed on (basing, turning, breaking out, leader, fading, asleep), read from how many weeks running it has led S&P 500 and whether that lead is growing or shrinking. It describes where the share price stands, not the direction of earnings, and it is not a recommendation; it is left blank for a company whose weekly history is too short or too stale to read. The figures in this ranking come from the industry comparison: results through the Sep 2026 quarter, and the P/E at that quarter's end. The sections above use the latest weekly price, so a P/E or return there can differ a little from the one here. The stage words in this ranking (such as losing its lead or breaking out) describe the lead over the index, not the price phase in the price section. Related companies: [Publishing](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/sectors/publishing), all 6 compared on one page. ## Which companies are close to Pearson in size? Pearson is the 2nd largest of 5 Publishing companies on Sector Alpha by market value (scores of 3 November 2026). Just above it: The New York Times Company. Just below it: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., USA TODAY Co., Inc. and Scholastic Corporation. ### Publishing companies close in size

1. [The New York Times Company](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/nyt) $10.8 billion
2. Pearson plc $10.3 billion
3. [John Wiley & Sons, Inc.](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/wly) $2.6 billion
4. [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/tday) $833 million
5. [Scholastic Corporation](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/schl) $701 million

[All 5 Publishing companies, largest first](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/sectors/publishing#all-companies)

### Companies close in size in other industries

1. [Sasol Limited](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/ssl) $10.4 billion · Specialty Chemicals
2. [Qiagen N.V.](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/qgen) $10.4 billion · Diagnostics & Research
3. Pearson plc $10.4 billion
4. [BorgWarner Inc.](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/bwa) $10.4 billion · Auto Parts
5. [OGE Energy Corp.](https://www.sectoralpha.in/us/stocks/oge) $10.4 billion · Utilities - Regulated Electric

## What else do people ask about Pearson? ### What were Pearson's latest quarterly results? Pearson plc reported revenue of $1.8 B and net profit of $149 M for the Jun 2026 quarter. Revenue rose 3.3% and profit fell 10.2% compared with a year earlier. Earnings per share were $0.24. The operating margin was 13.3%, 0.0 percentage points higher than a year earlier (as of 3 November 2026). ### What is Pearson's market cap? Pearson plc's market capitalisation is $10.3 B at a stock price of $17.13. Market cap is the share price times the number of shares, so it changes whenever the price moves (as of 3 November 2026). ### How is Pearson performing? Pearson plc's share price has been rising for 9 weeks. In its latest quarter, revenue rose 3.3% and profit fell 10.2% compared with a year earlier. Over the past 13 weeks it has done better than the S&P 500, for 4 weeks running (as of 3 November 2026). ### Will Pearson's stock price go up? This page does not forecast Pearson plc's stock price. What it shows instead: the stock price is $17.13, and it has been rising for 9 weeks. Nobody can reliably say which way a price will move, and this site does not try (as of 3 November 2026). ### Where is Pearson in its business cycle? Pearson plc's FY25 operating margin was 14.1%, against a 5-year range of 7.8% to 16.0%: the middle of its own range, neither a peak nor a low. The latest quarter was 13.3%. Comparing margins with a company's own long history is a good way to see where it is in its cycle (as of 3 November 2026). ### What could break the Pearson story? The main question: the share price moved +23.1% in a year while yearly earnings per share moved −20.2%. The difference came from the market paying a higher multiple. On price, this page treats a rise as over when the share price closes below its 200-day average on two Fridays in a row (as of 3 November 2026). ### Is Pearson a stock worth studying right now? What the numbers show: Pearson plc's share price, valuation and earnings point in different directions. The next one or two quarters should make it clearer. The main open question: whether earnings grow into a price that has already moved. Every number on this page is worked out by code from the published figures, with no forecasts and no price opinions (as of 3 November 2026). This is research, not advice. We’re not SEBI-registered.