Pearson (LON:PSON) Shares Down 9.5% – Here’s Why

Posted by Doug Wharley on Jan 17th, 2026

Pearson plc (LON:PSON – Get Free Report)’s stock price fell 9.5% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as GBX 972.80 and last traded at GBX 972.80. 5,778,498 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 80% from the average session volume of 29,620,949 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,075.50.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

PSON has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Citigroup initiated coverage on Pearson in a research note on Monday, January 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a GBX 1,300 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Pearson in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of GBX 1,220.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Pearson

Pearson Stock Performance

The company has a fifty day moving average of GBX 1,021.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 1,051.50. The firm has a market capitalization of £5.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.44, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 42.49, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.78.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Pearson news, insider Annette Thomas acquired 391 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 991 per share, for a total transaction of £3,874.81. Also, insider Omar Abbosh sold 52,025 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,051, for a total transaction of £546,782.75. 0.72% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Pearson Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.17,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We serve customers in over 40 countries, supporting lifelong learning through world-class assessments and learning experiences, and trusted certifications and credentialing. For us, learning isn’t just what we do.