Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. Sells 1,119 Shares of Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO)

Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lowered its stake in Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) by 0.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 171,071 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,119 shares during the quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P.’s holdings in Pearson were worth $2,758,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Pearson by 7.2% in the 4th quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 13,944 shares of the company’s stock valued at $225,000 after buying an additional 941 shares during the period. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. grew its stake in Pearson by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 154,460 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,490,000 after acquiring an additional 1,122 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Pearson by 6.8% in the fourth quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 19,263 shares of the company’s stock worth $311,000 after acquiring an additional 1,219 shares in the last quarter. Gitterman Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Pearson by 9.0% during the fourth quarter. Gitterman Wealth Management LLC now owns 15,397 shares of the company’s stock worth $248,000 after purchasing an additional 1,276 shares during the period. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pearson by 10.4% during the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 15,430 shares of the company’s stock valued at $249,000 after purchasing an additional 1,451 shares in the last quarter. 2.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Pearson Price Performance

Shares of PSO opened at $15.75 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.72, a current ratio of 1.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Pearson plc has a twelve month low of $11.78 and a twelve month high of $17.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.75, a P/E/G ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a 50 day moving average of $16.30 and a 200-day moving average of $15.69.

Pearson Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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. This is a positive change from Pearson’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.10. This represents a yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 21st. Pearson’s payout ratio is presently 43.62%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently issued reports on PSO shares. StockNews.com raised Pearson from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. National Bankshares set a $18.00 price objective on shares of Pearson in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Pearson in a report on Wednesday, March 26th. They set a “buy” rating for the company.

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.