Pearson Plc Common Stock (PSO)

FairStock Score: 47/100 — MIXED

Key Financials

Strengths

• Generates $864 million in annual free cash flow (9.9% yield on market cap)
• Conservative balance sheet with debt-to-equity of just 0.41, providing financial flexibility
• Attractive 2.3% dividend yield providing steady income returns
• Established organization with 13,665 employees providing operational scale

Concerns

• Trades significantly above Graham Number ($9) with negative 53% margin of safety—limited downside protection
• Weak Piotroski F-Score of 2/9 suggests deteriorating financial quality across multiple dimensions

AI Analysis

Pearson Plc Common Stock is a small-cap communication services company valued at $8.7 billion. Revenue stands at $3.6 billion. From a quality standpoint, Pearson shows weak Piotroski F-Score of 2/9 signaling deteriorating fundamentals and Altman Z-Score of 2.2 in the grey zone. On valuation, the stock is reasonably priced at 20.9x earnings, with trades above its Graham Number with a negative 53% margin. The 2.3% dividend yield adds an income component for patient holders. Our composite FairStock Score of 47/100 reflects mixed fundamentals overall. Investors should weigh the business quality against the current price and their own margin of safety requirements.

Bull Case

Improving fundamentals and sector tailwinds could drive meaningful earnings growth, compressing the effective multiple for patient investors. With $864 million in annual free cash flow (9.9% yield), management has ample capital for buybacks, dividends, or accretive acquisitions.

Bear Case

Macro headwinds or sector-specific disruption could pressure margins, particularly if competitive intensity increases in the communication services space. Regulatory changes, input cost inflation, or demand normalization represent underappreciated risks that could materially impact forward estimates.

Data from SEC filings. AI analysis is for educational purposes only — not investment advice. Scoring methodology · Disclaimer