Pearson (LON:PSON) Sets New 12-Month High – Should You Buy?

Pearson plc (LON:PSON) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as GBX 1,287.50 ($16.13) and last traded at GBX 1,283.50 ($16.08), with a volume of 1892178 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,278.50 ($16.02).

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Pearson from GBX 1,170 ($14.66) to GBX 1,400 ($17.54) and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of GBX 1,146.75 ($14.37).

Pearson Stock Up 0.5 %

The company has a market cap of £8.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,571.00, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.31. The stock’s 50-day moving average is GBX 1,187.80 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 1,074.28. 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 Transactions at Pearson

In other Pearson news, insider Sherry Coutu purchased 731 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 1,282 ($16.07) per share, for a total transaction of £9,371.42 ($11,743.63). Insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

About Pearson

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.