Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO) Sees Large Increase in Short Interest

Pearson, PLC (NYSE:PSO) was the target of a large increase in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 2,805,735 shares, an increase of 24.5% from the December 31st total of 2,253,581 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 942,633 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.0 days. Approximately 0.4% of the company’s stock are sold short. Approximately 0.4% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 942,633 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.0 days.

Pearson Stock Down 7.7%

PSO stock traded down $1.02 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $12.22. The company had a trading volume of 2,598,576 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,002,128. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $13.53 and a 200-day moving average price of $13.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 2.24 and a current ratio of 2.31. Pearson has a 1-year low of $12.12 and a 1-year high of $17.90.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pearson

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PSO. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC increased its stake in Pearson by 952.1% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,757 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 1,590 shares during the period. First Horizon Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Pearson by 3,131.8% in the second quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 2,133 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 2,067 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Pearson by 54.2% during the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,947 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 1,036 shares during the period. AlphaCore Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Pearson during the second quarter worth about $70,000. Finally, Hilltop National Bank purchased a new position in Pearson during the second quarter worth about $83,000. 2.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently commented on PSO shares. Morgan Stanley started coverage on shares of Pearson in a research note on Monday, October 20th. They set an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings cut Pearson from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Kepler Capital Markets raised Pearson from a “reduce” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on Pearson in a research report on Monday, January 12th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $18.00.

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.