Smartleaf Asset Management LLC Buys 2,811 Shares of Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO)

Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) by 228.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,044 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,811 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Pearson were worth $65,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of Montreal Can increased its position in shares of Pearson by 31.6% during the third quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 405,852 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,536,000 after acquiring an additional 97,443 shares in the last quarter. ABC Arbitrage SA acquired a new position in Pearson during the 4th quarter valued at about $4,780,000. FMR LLC increased its holdings in Pearson by 20.7% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 275,310 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,736,000 after purchasing an additional 47,296 shares in the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its stake in shares of Pearson by 55.8% in the third quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 172,190 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,337,000 after purchasing an additional 61,666 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Pearson by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 154,460 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,490,000 after purchasing an additional 1,122 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.14% of the company’s stock.

Pearson Trading Up 1.4 %

Shares of PSO stock opened at $16.85 on Monday. Pearson plc has a 52-week low of $11.78 and a 52-week high of $17.90. The business’s fifty day moving average is $16.47 and its 200 day moving average is $15.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a current ratio of 1.78. The company has a market capitalization of $11.23 billion, a PE ratio of 17.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.38.

Pearson Increases Dividend

The company 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 $0.2092 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 21st. This represents a yield of 1.7%. This is a positive change from Pearson’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.10. Pearson’s dividend payout ratio is currently 43.62%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on PSO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Pearson to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Pearson from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 3rd. Finally, National Bankshares set a $18.00 price objective on shares of Pearson in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th.

Pearson 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.