Quantinno Capital Management LP Purchases 9,599 Shares of Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO)

Quantinno Capital Management LP boosted its holdings in Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) by 6.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 155,343 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 9,599 shares during the quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP’s holdings in Pearson were worth $2,504,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Pearson during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in Pearson by 228.0% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 4,044 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 2,811 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its position in shares of Pearson by 251.4% in the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 5,247 shares of the company’s stock valued at $85,000 after buying an additional 3,754 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Pearson by 39.8% in the fourth quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,807 shares of the company’s stock valued at $110,000 after buying an additional 1,937 shares during the period. Finally, GeoWealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Pearson during the fourth quarter worth about $134,000. 2.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Pearson Stock Up 1.0%

Shares of Pearson stock opened at $16.51 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $15.85 and its 200 day moving average is $16.03. Pearson plc has a one year low of $11.78 and a one year high of $17.90. The firm has a market cap of $10.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.56, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 1.72.

Pearson Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 21st were issued a dividend of $0.2092 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 1.7%. This is a boost from Pearson’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 21st. Pearson’s dividend payout ratio is presently 46.81%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

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

About Pearson

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.