Pearson (LON:PSON) Hits New 1-Year High - Still a Buy?

Pearson plc (LON:PSON - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as GBX 1,305 ($16.13) and last traded at GBX 1,302.50 ($16.10), with a volume of 1058129 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,288 ($15.92).

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Pearson from GBX 1,170 ($14.46) to GBX 1,400 ($17.31) and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 1,146.75 ($14.17).

Pearson Stock Down 0.3 %

The firm has a 50 day moving average of GBX 1,233.73 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 1,096.03. The stock has a market capitalization of £8.63 billion, a PE ratio of 2,598.00, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.31. 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 news, insider Sherry Coutu acquired 731 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 1,282 ($15.85) per share, with a total value of £9,371.42 ($11,583.96). Also, insider Omar Abbosh sold 77,989 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,296 ($16.02), for a total transaction of £1,010,737.44 ($1,249,366.43). Corporate 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.