PEARSON

Pearson beat consensus expectations in the first half with revenue of £1,779 million (organic growth 4%) and adjusted EBIT of £276 million, but did not raise its full-year forecast. Operating margin rose to 15.5% (+140 basis points); nonetheless the stock fell about 1.9% to 1,268 pence, as investors had expected a more positive outlook for the second half. Analyst downgrades and a price near the 52-week high added selling pressure, while the broader FTSE 100 remained steady. » More on de.investing.com

Pearson shares fall about 3.3% after JPMorgan downgraded the stock from "Overweight" to "Neutral" and cut its price target from 14.30 to 14.20 GBP. Analyst Daniel Kerven said the move reflects that the share price had outpaced the fundamentals and that only limited upside remains. JPMorgan’s change of stance is particularly impactful because the bank had strongly recommended Pearson for six years. Operationally the backdrop remains positive — 4% revenue growth in Q1 2026, a confirmed full-year outlook, a £350m share buyback programme and an AI partnership with Salesforce — but many of these factors are already priced in. » More on de.investing.com

In Q1 2026 Pearson reported a 4% increase in revenue, driven by 21% growth in Virtual Learning and an 8% rise in Enterprise Learning. Higher Education grew by 2%, while Assessment & Qualifications declined by 1%, though a recovery is expected in Q2. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance, is increasing its focus on AI-powered learning offerings, and emphasized strategic partnerships with technology providers. Pearson shares rose about 3.5% in pre-market trading. » More on de.investing.com