Pearson (NYSE:PSO) Sets New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $16.74 and last traded at $16.4420, with a volume of 836774 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $16.71.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on PSO. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Pearson from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Pearson from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, June 4th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold”.

Pearson Stock Up 1.9%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.94, a current ratio of 2.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $15.25 and its 200-day moving average is $13.98.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PSO. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Pearson by 2.1% in the fourth quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 42,183 shares of the company’s stock worth $592,000 after purchasing an additional 863 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in shares of Pearson by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 8,397 shares of the company’s stock worth $118,000 after buying an additional 922 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Pearson by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 24,482 shares of the company’s stock worth $344,000 after acquiring an additional 930 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its position in Pearson by 54.2% during the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,947 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 1,036 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in Pearson by 1.9% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 56,380 shares of the company’s stock worth $740,000 after acquiring an additional 1,071 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 2.14% of the company’s stock.

Pearson Company Profile

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.