HighTower Advisors LLC Buys 3,710 Shares of Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO)

HighTower Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) by 6.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 59,690 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,710 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC’s holdings in Pearson were worth $962,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in Pearson during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $225,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Pearson by 9.9% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 70,946 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,144,000 after purchasing an additional 6,401 shares in the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Pearson in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its position in Pearson by 228.0% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 4,044 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 2,811 shares during the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE raised its stake in Pearson by 3.8% during the fourth quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 57,506 shares of the company’s stock valued at $927,000 after purchasing an additional 2,106 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 2.14% of the company’s stock.

Pearson Price Performance

Pearson stock opened at $15.91 on Thursday. Pearson plc has a 12-month low of $11.78 and a 12-month high of $17.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $16.54 and a 200-day moving average price of $15.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.60 billion, a PE ratio of 16.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.38.

Pearson Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed 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 is Friday, March 21st. This represents a yield of 1.7%. This is an increase from Pearson’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.10. Pearson’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 43.62%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on PSO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Pearson in a report on Wednesday. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. National Bankshares set a $18.00 price objective on Pearson in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Pearson from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 3rd.

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.